Choosing the Right Conference Table for Your Boardroom
Your boardroom is the key place for strategic planning and making important decisions which ensure the success of your business. As such, your boardroom or conference table needs to set the right impression for clients or significant contacts, and provide enough space and comfortability to best reflect your business. As one of the most important items of furniture for collaboration, selecting the right conference table can be a challenge and needs careful consideration. Our guide presents some of the key points you’ll need to consider when purchasing your conference table in order to make the most of your available space, and decide on the best functionality and design in line with your business needs.
Thoroughly review your space
Working out how much space you’ll have for your conference table should be the priority, as too small or big a table in relation to the size of your room or required function, could leave the wrong first impression and hinder the practicality of the space. Although a larger conference table will be able to seat more people for regular internal or important stakeholder meetings, there must be enough room for chairs to be comfortably pushed away from the table, and space enough to allow people to walk around it. Remember also that your boardroom may also need additional furniture, screens and projectors, or decorative items that need to comfortably fit alongside your conference table and chairs, without making the room appear too cluttered.
Is your table proportionate?
Again it’s vital to think about how your conference table will complement and be complemented by the other furniture in the room. By considering your table in relation to your other pieces of furniture, you’ll avoid the easy mistake of matching your conference table with ill-fitted, disproportionate chairs that look out of place or are impractical. Many opt for chairs that are too large for their table, making people feel enclosed and tightly packed in, or chairs that are too small or short, which leave them feeling uncomfortable and overwhelmed when around the table.
Your intended use
How many people usually attend meetings and how often do they attend them? If you generally hold meetings of four people but have a large event on a quarterly basis, a foldable meeting table may be a good option. Although you may want to opt for a more impressive conference table with the capability of seating ten, if you’ll only be using it for small video conferencing appointments then you may want to reconsider options for a more appropriate use of your boardroom space.
Choosing the best shape
Different shaped tables can enhance the functionality of your boardroom space and equally impact the look and feel of the room. A round table for instance is better suited to collaborative actions, whereas a rectangular table, which appoints a person its head, can set into place a hierarchy. A wedge table is a newer shape which acts as a hybrid and allows for increased ease of viewing of presentations or main speakers in larger meetings.
Integrated Technology
If you’ll need to conduct video and voice conferencing or presentations in your boardroom, or you regularly use laptops and other portable devices, you’ll need a table which can accommodate the necessary technological equipment. Make sure you have a suitable number of ports and outlets for everyone at the table, plus extra for additional requirements.
Presenting professionalism
A great boardroom will show a cohesive design that expresses what you want your business to represent. If you already have furniture in your boardroom, try to closely match your conference table for a clear, simplistic and professional image. Also bear in mind that you may wish to add furniture to the room at a later point, so your table should be an easy colour or design to complement, as well as being practical in the space you have.
ACT Furniture specialise in high quality traditional and contemporary boardroom tables suitable for a wide range of office environments. To see our selection of wood veneer office furniture, please visit our website, or for more information about our tailored furniture solutions, please call us on 01902 490273.
