In a professional landscape increasingly dominated by open-floor plans, the meeting room serves as an essential hub for collaboration, decision-making, and innovation. Designing the perfect office meeting room involves careful consideration of various elements to ensure it meets the needs of your team. This guide will walk you through the essential steps to create a productive and comfortable meeting space.
When embarking on the design journey for your team's meeting spaces, it's crucial to delve into the specific needs and goals of your office. Recognise that different meetings serve different purposes and tailor your conference rooms accordingly.
Whether it's a quick team discussion, a creative strategy session, or a high-stakes client presentation, understanding the intended use will help shape the layout and features of the room.
Let’s dive deeper into what each room type might need…
Types of Meeting Room Design
Modern offices often feature a variety of meeting spaces to cater to diverse needs. From the intimate Breakout Space, ideal for quick conversations and informal discussions, to the grandeur of the Board Room, designed for crucial collaborations and department gatherings, each room type serves a specific function.
Classic Board Room
The Classic Board Room, with its imposing table and executive chairs, is the epitome of formal meetings and strategic discussions.
A key consideration for this room type is a large sturdy table which should be the central focus of the room.
Make a statement with Progress. This innovative range of conference and boardroom tables offers both fixed height and height-adjustable options. Plus with its integral cable management, you can create a neat, functionally enhanced meeting space.
Or if you’re looking for something less imposing, create a more welcoming vibe with Luxe. This contemporary selection, designed to perfectly complement the modern workplace, creates a powerful, collaborative atmosphere. Available as an octagonal conference table and rectangular, square or circular meeting table, capable of accommodating up to 14 people, there’s a Luxe table to suit you.
When selecting your boardroom chairs opt for comfortable seating that supports great posture, with an elegant finish, like Delphi. The definitive boardroom chair, Delphi combines the sumptuous finish of a lounge seat with an office chair’s functionality. Designed with decision makers in mind, the upholstered sprung seat and back, and superior tilt mechanism offers superb comfort, while gas height adjustment means the sitter can readily find the perfect commanding position.
Breakout Spaces
For those spontaneous planning sessions or quick team huddles, Breakout Spaces are essential. Keep these areas flexible and dynamic, with movable furniture to accommodate different group sizes.
Opt for comfortable seating arrangements with vibrant accents to stimulate creativity and free-flowing discussions. Something like Away From The Desk would be an ideal choice. This soft upholstery system is designed to answer the rapidly changing needs of the workplace as we migrate away from personal desks with their fixed and tethered technology towards shared, collaborative spaces and furniture.
Add whiteboards or writable walls to encourage impromptu idea sharing, such as the traditional Mobyle Board or the dynamic Arc. Arc offers multifunctional features, from acting as a room divider with an acoustic surface for sound management to offering integral storage solutions for all of your equipment. Plus with castors for easy reconfiguration, Arc can be as dynamic as your team’s needs, perfect for those quick break out discussions.
Tech-Integrated Conference Rooms
In the digital age, technology plays a central role in meetings. Equip your conference rooms with state-of-the-art audiovisual systems, ensuring seamless presentations and virtual collaborations. Invest in high-quality video conferencing tools to connect with remote team members or clients.
For meetings with larger teams, Mediastor is the perfect solution, as it provides seamless integration of video conferencing hardware and traditional presentation equipment. Behind closed doors, there are secure cable routing options, and integrated storage and presentation facilities, all working to create a professional environment. Modules can be reconfigured to suit the needs of any space, as well as being highly customisable with a huge range of finish options, including graphics that can act as a powerful expression of the brand.
For smaller, more intimate video conference meetings, choose Media Wall. It gives you an easy way to show presentations and participate in video conferences and meetings. The conference wall can be attached to various types of meeting tables or high tables. Media Wall also comes with concealed cable management, contributing to a polished and professional look.
Creating A Lasting Impression
Undoubtedly, the furniture in your office meeting rooms serves as a silent ambassador of your company's image. Cleanliness, tidiness, and thoughtful furnishing, including ergonomic chairs and durable tables, and commitment to functionality and comfort contribute to a conducive environment.
Wall tones, lighting, and even considerations like heating and cooling play pivotal roles in creating an inviting and distraction-free space. These elements collectively contribute to an environment that not only facilitates collaboration but also leaves a lasting impression on clients and prospective hires.
Final Thoughts
Designing the perfect office meeting space is a multifaceted task that requires thoughtful consideration of purpose, flexibility, comfort, and technology. By tailoring each room type to specific needs and integrating the right elements, you create an environment that nurtures collaboration, innovation, and effective communication. Keep in mind that the perfect meeting space is not a static concept; it evolves with the changing dynamics of your team and the demands of the professional landscape. Regularly reassess and adapt your meeting spaces to ensure they continue to enhance productivity and contribute to the overall success of your organisation.
Need help to design your office meeting space? Get in touch with one of our design experts who’ll be happy to help.