You need to buy a meeting table for your office. You might need a stand-alone meeting table or one you can put with other tables to make a larger, meeting room table. With what is often called ‘modular flexibility’, meeting tables can be put into conference, meeting, office or even business dining spaces.

Buying meeting room tables online

If you want to order a meeting room table on the Web, it’s not so easy to see what each table looks like. One aspect of meeting tables is what type of table finish to opt for.

So, what sort of table finish should you consider? Well, the most popular meeting table finish types are described below. As you’ll see, it depends on what type is finish is placed onto the table top board.

Melamine finished tables

Melamine meeting tables consist of a decorated paper sheet imbued with a melamine resin. Using heat, the paper sheet is applied to the table top board resulting in a melamine finish that offers abrasive and scratch abrasion resistance.

High protection coating (HPC) finished tables

HPC finishes are similar to melamine finishes but an additional sheet is applied. This finish gives much greater protection and higher scratch resistancy than most melamine finished tables.

Wood veneer finished tables

Tables with wood veneer finishes are made by glueing thin sheets of wood to the table top board. The resulting surface is sanded, stained and then painted with two or three coats of durable varnish for long lasting protection.

Ordering meeting tables or other office furniture online …

When you’ve found meeting room tables you’re keen on – do ask the office furniture retailer for advice. Let’s face it – you’re unlikely to have the indepth understanding of meeting tables that they will have.

A good online office furniture seller should give you key points to base your buying decisions on. This will make your furniture buying a smoother process underpinned by practical considerations.

When you buy an office meeting table you need to ask yourself:

• what meeting space you have
• what you plan to use the meeting space for and
• how often it will be used.

This will help you make key decisions about this office furniture, picking a meeting table to match your business needs.

Table for important meetings

If the room is purely for large, important meetings, you’ll need to search for larger model meeting tables. But always check your meeting room space. Make sure you can accommodate table chairs and space for them to be pulled well away from the table as well as fitting in other office furniture.

Table for inhouse staff meetings

Will the meeting room be used for staff meetings and closed meetings which involve limited numbers of people with the odd larger meeting?

If the answer’s “yes”, it’s worth buying mobile, modular meeting tables. Not a large fixed conference style meeting table. With a modular, sectional table you get flexibility to put the table parts together to make a table suited to different types of meetings.

On this point, if you have the occasional ‘high numbers’ meeting, it’s worth considering the option of renting meeting space.

What type of table finish?

You’ve decided which type of meeting table you want. Now think about what table finish you want. The main choices are man-made or wood veneer finished tables.

Decisions about finish will be dictated by how durable you want the table to be plus your budget. Man-made finishes like melamine give much more durability than wood veneered tables and are normally much cheaper. Given growing office space constraints, wood veneer modular meeting tables are becoming increasingly popular as are modular melamine meeting tables.

Finding the right conference table is important. It has to be durable and suit your business.

Before you buy a conference and boardroom table

Consider these key tips ahead of buying a executive conference table:

What table dimensions will be suitable for your conference room? It’s an important starting point.

Making decisions about dimensions will lead you to consider table features.

If you have space constraints or special needs, you may need to consider folding, flip or modular conference tables also online

What colour will be suitable? Pick a shade that will be practical too – and will not involve extensive cleaning.

What messages do you want to send out to your clients and staff? Your conference room and your reception room may be the only areas that clients see when they meet you. Pick your conference table with this in mind.

When you do this, think carefully about the business image you want to project.

For example, you may wish to purchase a modern, contemporary table if you run a design or IT company. Or you might want to buy a traditional conference table with a classic style, if you want to project a different type of image.

So think carefully about what colour and style of conference table you are looking for.

Consider how the table will complement existing conference chairs and other furniture in the conference room, if these are to be retained

On a bigger scale, think how the table fits in style-wise with the rest of your office furniture suite

If you decide to purchase a custom made conference table, it is worth considering whether you require power & data points within the table.

If you are looking to purchase a quality office desk for a managerial or executive office, it is important to determine the features required.

In the first instance look at the space you have to work with, take measurements or sketch the space available

We will be happy to provide a free space planned drawing of the area you wish to furnish (where new furniture is to be provided by Southern Office Furniture).

If space is restricted, modular furniture offers great flexibility. If you need some further guidance on finding the right executive office desks, please see our checklist below:

Checklist for executive desks

Executive Desk Style

When furnishing your office, have you decided on modern or traditional executive desks and are you looking for a specific style and colour to blend with general office décor?

You may need to think about how well the desk will match the rest of your office furniture. It is quite important to project the right image.

Good office furniture suppliers will offer matching furniture options to help you achieve a co-ordinated executive office.

Think of what shaped office desk you would like and explore the options. You don’t just have to purchase rectangular desks, as there are stunning bow fronted, curved and radial shapes together with modular desks to give different configurations.

Executive Desk Finishes

Executive Melamine Desk:Hard wearing, scratch resistant and cost effective

Executive Wood Veneer Desk:Fabulous real wood veneers from sustainable and renewable sources often with solid wood lippings and profile edges

Executive Desk Worktops

Work surface thickness should be manufactured to provide adequate strength, usually 25mm to 40mm.

Most executive desk systems offer a simple vertical wipe in wire tidying facility on the panel end frames. Optional cable trays along with worktop cable ports provide a cable management solution for most situations.

Finally, if searching for executive desks online

We have a huge selection of  executive veneer office desks on line and you will find there are some fantastic designs to choose from.

Purchasing modern office chairs

Buying the correct computer office chairs is of great important as many people sit for eight hours of more per day, and great care should be taken in selecting the right model. Office chair comfort is the key, where comfort is combined with ergonomic features to provide execellent supportive seating.

Seating Design Features

Seat

The modern office chair seat needs to adjust in height to meet the needs of a range of users. The size of the seat needs to be wide enough to seat big people comfortably and deep enough to support the legs of tall people, but not so deep that shorter workers cannot use the backrest. The surface of the seat should not be hollowed or deeply shaped, as this makes it harder to get up or change position.The front edge of the seat needs to be rounded-over and well padded to prevent it digging into the thighs.

Backrest

The best office desk chairs need to have backrests which  give firm support to the lower and the middle part of the back. Height adjustment is recommended unless the backrest is high and provides complete support for the back. There should be adequate space for the buttocks, this is usually achieved by leaving a gap between the seat and the backrest. Backrests which tilt with the worker, or whose angle can be adjusted, can improve comfort by providing support for the back in a range of working positions.

Armrests

For most jobs armrest are not essential on office task chairs. They can restrict arm movement, although for many jobs they can provide comfort. They should be set back from the front edge of the seat, or be adjustable to allow the chair to be drawn up close to the work surface. The height of armrests should not be too low or too high to cause discomfort.

Footrests

Any worker who cannot easily place their feet flat on the ground, when using the seat adjusted to the correct working height, needs a footrest. This should be large enough to allow for foot movement. Adjustable footrests of a selection of heights are preferred. Free standing footrests should not be so light that they move accidentally.

Swivel Chair Mobility

Swivel-action computer desk chairs provide flexibility when the worker needs to conduct a variety of tasks and move from one location to another. Ensure that chairs with castors do not slide away too easily when the user gets up or sits down. This is a common problem when they are used on hard floors, or with chairs with a high or tiliting seat. Different types of castors are available for different floor types , such as hard floors and carpented floors. In certain situations glides are safer to use than castors. Ensure that the correct ones are chosen to meet workplace needs.Some seating is designed so that a brake is applied when the chair is sat on, or when the user gets up.

Adjustability

The commonest adjustments included in seating design for ergonomic office chairs are seat height, backrest height and tilt. In some chairs the seat and backrest can tilt forward together, this feature can reduce neck discomfort and also improve the workers reach over the work surface. Backrests should be adjustable backwards and forwards and a seat slide should be provided for adjustment to the length of the persons legs. Armrests can be designed to be adjustable to aid work that requires a steady arm position, and provide for a better match between the needs of the user, their workstation and the task.

Upholstery

Chair covers need to be non-slip, easy to clean or wash, and of a fabric which breathes (permeable to moisture). Good quality, durable covers will aid comfort and prolong the service life of the chair. Moulded armrests can be a good alternative to the upholstered sort.

Chairs with removable covers are useful in dirty and dusty environments because they can be washed and cleaned regularly. Alternatively, PVC-covered or moulded plastic chairs can be used since they may be easily wiped down or spot cleaned, although they are less comfortable to sit in for long periods particularly in warm or humid atmostpheres, or in very warm or cold conditions.Designer office chairs are generally leather upholstered or have mesh backs and seats.

Chair bases

Five star chair bases good stability and reduce the chances of an office chair tipping over. The base castors give easy mobility and fall into two categories

• hard wheel castors are good for carpets or solid floors whereas
• soft wheel castors suit hardwood floors.

If you’re thinking about purchasing leather desk chairs for your office workspace, it is best to consider both the chair style, the features required plus the hide colour to suit your work environment.

Typical leather office chair features include:

• Fully reclining lockable tilt mechanism
• Tension control for chair adjustment to the weight of the user
• Gas lift for seat height adjustment
• Chair arms manufactured from ‘heavy duty’ polypropylene, often with fabric or leather arm caps
• All chairs supplied with 5 star bases in either black polypropylene, wood, chrome or silver finish.
• In particular look for chairs with lumbar support for prolonged periods of seating

All chairs with either be delivered fully built or will require easy limited self assembly.

Check with us for the guarantee on each chair.

If you’ve been tasked with the job of providing new office chairs for your company, then here are a few key points to assist.

• ergonomic computer desk chairs with multi function adjustability.
• designer, executive chairs for a classy office look.
• 24 hour office chairs with multi adjustability features for prolonged seating.
• back care/ergonomic office chairs suited to staff with back or posture problems.
• factory office chairs with polyurethane seat and backs designed for durability.
• technician chairs, specifically created for static safe, clean room and task sterile areas.

• when you’re ready to purchase, please check the small print and in particular the guarantee details.
• all our prices include delivery to your company or home address, which can help with your budget.

Prices exclude vat, which again has to be taken in account.

There are many benefits to working from home: no commuting, no boss, no need to shave, etc. However, one disadvantage of working from home is that it is all too easy to get distracted. Thankfully, this can be easily dealt with by installing a home office.

Home offices are available in several different styles:

Traditional
Deep woods such as mahogany and walnut are very effective for creating a traditional work space that has an opulent feel as the detailing and deep finish help to achieve a timeless look that will never look or feel old. The simple addition of a few vintage lamps, bookcases or rugs can help to round off a traditional looking office with some style.

Contemporary
Contemporary office furniture is ideal for a light and vibrant looking home office. Indeed, contemporary computer desks and office chairs have smooth, clean lines that create a sleek and relaxing style. Contemporary styling generally works best in offices that are open, spacious and free of superfluous additions. Contemporary furniture designs are available in pine, oak, dark wood and painted finishes so regardless of your home’s decor, there will always be an option to suit your needs.

Practical
Because the limits on space, the type of office furniture required for home offices often needs to be practical in design. Therefore, office tables and desks that have a ‘hide away’ element are a perennial favourite in this category as they provide home-working pragmatists with a simple and practical fold away solution.

Although office desks and chairs are very important, it can often be the smallest of details that can make the biggest difference when creating an organised and aesthetically pleasing office space.

Organisation
Of course, office tables, desks and chairs are obvious and essential additions to your office workplace as no work would be possible without them. However, less obvious items such as desk tidies, monitor stands, cable tidies and multi plugs can all help to make your office a more organised, and therefore less stressful, place to work.

Aesthetics
Simple aesthetic touches like plants, wall prints and display cabinets can all help to make your office feel more relaxed. Indeed, plants can soften the often hard edges of an office and the art chosen for wall prints can reflect your business as well as look nice. In addition, display cabinets can allow you to show off awards or achievements that will not only impress visiting clients but also make staff members feel proud.

If you’re not sure - ask
If choosing office furniture isn’t your strong point and you don’t have access to professional advice; do the decent thing and ask your employees what they would like. After all, they are the ones who will be there 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, so it stands to reason that they should have a say on what they would like to have in their work space.

So remember, when choosing office furniture; don’t forget the details.

Every business has the ability to grow and develop. Therefore, when choosing office furniture and designing your office layout, you need to consider two things: will the style you choose still be suitable in the years ahead and; will the build of the furniture meet the needs of a potentially expanding workforce and their evolving technological needs?

Style
When designing your office, you must consider what is likely to be stylish in a few years as redecorating your entire office every year can be expensive, time consuming and disruptive. Therefore, it can often be wise to choose a classic design but give it your own firm’s twist; that way your office can look independent and stylish for many years to come.

Build
Naturally, workers’ desks need to be able to comfortably accommodate monitors, telephones, keyboards and mice whilst still allowing plenty of space to do work and store various items. However, by investing in larger office desks you can ensure that your office will be ready to accept any new developments in the technological world as and when they become available. Furthermore, office tables and desks that can be assembled in different ways can also offer you much more choice in the future as they can be completely separated or added together to accommodate evolving work space requirements.

Nobody can predict the future, but choosing office furniture that is durable in both style and build can help ensure you get the best value for your money.