How to Create an Impact in Your Waiting Room

Hospital waiting room with bright orange walls, row of 3 seats in bright pink and purple colours, large feature wall light and wall decoration

Whatever type of establishment you run, your waiting room is the gateway to your organisation. It’s often here where your visitors will gauge their first impression of your organisation and this could have a big influence on their overall perception of how you operate. 

Even if the majority of your offices or facilities are looking tired and in need of renovation, a knock-out waiting room can help create a positive first impression which can compensate for what your visitors might see elsewhere in your premises. 

Whilst you may not have the budget available to upgrade facilities throughout your building, your waiting room could be the best place to invest a little and it doesn’t have to cost a fortune to create striking results.

Reception Desk

Reception Desk In A Spa Waiting Room

Your reception desk is usually the largest piece of furniture in your waiting room so is a key piece you can use to create an impact. This can often be the most expensive item you might purchase for your waiting room but there are a lot of budget-friendly options available which still look great. 

If your reception isn’t always manned, a small, standing-height desk can accommodate a phone or intercom which visitors can use to announce their arrival and a visitors book where they can sign in, and it also acts as a focal point in the room. Even the most basic reception desk can be enhanced with the help of some LED lighting in your corporate colors or a sign with your logo on. Alternatively, signage or artwork on the wall behind can help compensate for a plainer style desk.

Waiting Room Chairs

The two important factors when choosing waiting room chairs are that they look good and are comfortable. Dependent on the type of establishment, it’s often a good idea to provide a few different types of seats to accommodate individual needs and preference.

Grid of images depicting different styles and colours of waiting room chairs

Seats with arms are helpful to those who struggle to sit down easily whilst a small sofa or double width seats are appreciated in places where children are visitors, allowing them to sit next to their parents or carers. In hospitals or medical establishments, chairs need to be easy to clean and it’s wise to opt for an anti-microbial vinyl covering. It’s essential to ensure there is suitable access and space for wheelchair users and those with a walking aid, and also prams and pushchairs where relevant.

Wheelchair and row of blue seats in waiting room with plants in corner

Whilst your reception desk is a focal point, your waiting room chairs are a key element that help create an ambience and set a tone, and the colours you choose for your seating have a big influence on this.You can co-ordinate your chairs with your corporate colours, use different colours to create zones of seating or choose a single colour for a more relaxed vibe.

Storage

To make things easier for your visitors and keep your waiting room free of clutter, you could position coat hooks and umbrella stands by the entrance. In larger establishments there may be space for a small cloakroom or wardrobe and this could be accessible only by reception staff if security of items is a potential issue.

Décoration

Waiting room reception decorated in bold orange and green colours

A new lick of paint can work wonders in cleaning and brightening up a space as well as helping to change the tone if this is what you’re aiming to do. If you want to opt for bright and funky furniture it’s often wise to keep the walls plain and neutral, or you can go wacky on the walls and simple on the seating!

Wall décor is another key element that can help make a room feel more welcoming and provide some visual stimulation to those who are waiting. With a wide selection to choose from you can use artwork, photographs or prints to make your waiting room look more interesting and again this can help with creating an ambience.

Waiting room with turquoise sofa matching turquoise feature wall and brightly coloured artwork 

In corporate environments you may want to use imagery of your company’s products or service or you could create a display of physical products on a shelf or in a cabinet. In smaller waiting rooms you could use mirrors to create the impression of a larger space. 

The use of plants is a good way to break up a space, create some height or simply make the area look nicer. Whilst real foliage can be high maintenance there are a wide range of realistic looking artificial plants on the market which will have just the same effect.

Waiting room with blue waiting room chairs and range of plants and foliage on table

Lighting

Natural light is always best but even if there are windows in your reception area it’s likely you’ll still need some form of artificial lighting switched on to make the area bright enough. In public waiting areas you may have to stick with the original ceiling lights but in corporate offices and private businesses you could use floor, table or wall lights to soften the mood. Free-standing lights also serve as additional items of decoration. 

If it’s possible, before committing to purchase any items of furniture, create a visual of the area so you can see how everything will look when put together and how the colours work in the space. There are lots of apps available which will allow you to do this and it’s worth investing the time before investing the money to ensure you will be happy with the results.