Reception Area Seating

About Reception Chairs

Office seating is a specific category that requires ergonomy, comfort, professional appeal and durability. Office furniture communicates the story about brand identity and business policies. That especially applies to the reception furniture, which leaves the first impression on the visitors. 

Types of Waiting Room Chairs

• Guest chairs: Often referred to as side chairs, guest chairs belong to a broad category of standard-sized seating options. They are lightweight, simple in design, available with or without arms. Guest chairs are mainly designed to bear up to 120kg of weight. 
• Bariatric chairs: An upgraded version of guest chairs, bariatric chairs have a significant weight carrying capacity, ranging from 120 to over 300 kilograms. 
• Club chairs: Upholstered version of guest chairs offers additional comfort with thickly padded and plush seats. It’s an excellent solution for lounge areas and reception rooms with long waiting lines.  
• Tandem seating: This category comprises sets of two or more guest chairs joined together, sharing legs and sometimes arms. Tandem seating chairs can be padded or plain. 
• Beam seating: The difference between beam and tandem seating lies in the way the chairs are connected. As the name says, the beam seating features a single beam that runs along the seat line. 
• Loveseats: A hybrid of tandem seating and a sofa, loveseats can comfortably accommodate two persons. 
• Commercial-grade sofas: Designed to add cosiness to a reception area, sofas can typically support three persons of average size. They are padded and comfortable, suitable for use in lounge setups.
• Benches:  A low profile and space-savvy option, benches can come with or without arms and back support. Depending on the size, they can host several persons at once. 
• Ottomans: These versatile, padded mini-benches can host one person, or combine with club chairs to provide additional comfort. They can also double as coffee or side tables.

Reception Chairs Padding

Fabricated foam is a commonly found padding in upholstered office chairs. The comfort depends on the foam density, where more densely packed foam provides a firmer seat. 

Moulded foam is pre-shaped to offer steady support. It makes a comfortable seat, more durable than those made of fabricated foam.

Memory foam is an adaptable material. It moulds to the user’s body shape, activated by its temperature. Memory foam is hypoallergenic, mite-resistant, and offers an excellent level of customized support. 

Pocketed coil systems comprise a large set of individually pocketed coils, designed to distribute the user’s weight evenly. The system is typically sandwiched between layers of foam for a more cushioned feeling. 

Club Chairs Upholstery

Fabric upholstery provides a cosy look and feels, available in a plethora of colours and patterns. It’s suitable for use in all environments except medical waiting rooms, due to the woven fabric’s porous nature.

Mesh is exceptionally breathable and durable, ideal for hot climate environments. 

Genuine leather is a classy upholstery, often found in executive chairs and top-notch reception furniture. Full-grain leather boasts an organic feel that looks well even with signs of wear, while the more common top grain leather offers more flexibility of use and a polished look.

Faux leather and vinyl share properties as budget-friendly alternatives to genuine leather. They are typically made of polyurethane or polyvinyl chloride. 

Reception Area Seating Layout

Proper planning is the key to creating a successful seating layout. Corporate offices can afford some creative flexibility, but it needs to remain consistent with the overall office design. Their lounges may include larger-scale chairs, sofas and love seats, accompanied by coffee and side tables. 

On the other hand, institutional waiting areas, such as medical or education facilities, typically have a higher traffic concentration. They require plenty of seating space, ideally filled with smaller side or tandem style seating. 

For organizations with frequent regular visitors, it’s a good idea to set up a small waiting/conferencing area in the lobby or a nearby room.

Things to Consider When Buying Reception Furniture

When choosing reception furniture, it’s important to take into account the available space, along with all functions the waiting area needs to offer. Apart from budget and style, essential factors are the desired layout, furniture durability, and plans for future growth.

Armless chairs are space-savvy. The absence of arms makes it easier to place many units close to each other.

Motion back chairs provide additional comfort with tilting back support. The ergonomic chair shape makes it ideal for areas with extended waiting periods, such as healthcare facility waiting rooms.

Tablet arm chairs feature a portable, often moveable work surface on one or both arms. Chairs equipped with tablets are perfect for waiting areas where some paperwork is required.

Green chairs are certified eco-friendly solutions.

Stacking chairs are ideal for areas that require frequent cleaning or different layouts. Stackable seating typically comprises deck chairs designed to be quickly moved, stored away, and rearranged whenever needed.

Nesting chairs feature a seat that flips up to allow nesting into one another rather than stacking up. These chairs often feature wheels to promote more compact transport and storage.

If you need assistance to find the right reception area seating for your home or office, ArchiPro provides a connection to the various professionals, ready to assist with all requirements and questions. Simply click "Contact supplier" on the product's page, or visit the supplier's website directly from the product's page.