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.

All too often, meeting furniture ends up in the conference room because it’s the stuff nobody really wants to use all day every day. It might be not quite as comfortable as the regular chairs and tables or a little on the old and shabby side. Letting meeting room chairs and your conference table get battered and aged is a big mistake- the meeting room might be out of sight and out of mind most of the time, but when you need it, you need it to be clean, tidy, comfortable and sleek.

It’s not just about impressing potential clients and business partners (although that should be something to think about). Meeting room chairs don’t have to be chosen from our range of the finest executive chairs, and most businesses don’t need to invest in a hugely expensive table for the meeting room, but everything in there does need to present the right image. Remember, when your staff walk into the meeting space they should feel comfortable, professional, and ready to do their best even if it’s only an in-house gathering. The right surroundings will encourage them to give 100% every time.

Don’t wait for that big meeting date to get any closer. Take a look at what’s in your conference room right now. If your meeting furniture is unmatched, uncomfortable, grubby, or just not as bright and new as it once was, now is the time to think about replacing it. Make the right choices and your whole workforce will feel more professional.

There are several reasons to choose glass or glass-topped office furniture instead of the more traditional metal, wood, and plastic options. The first is ease of cleaning. It’s very hard to stain glass even if you actively try. Even the hottest, most sugary coffee spill will wipe straight off. It might even be allowed to try first. It doesn’t matter- almost anything will come straight off for a cleaner armed with nothing more than a damp cloth.

Glass can also appear more modern than an opaque material. If you want office furniture that builds an impression of a forward-looking, sharp, dynamic company, it’s a very good choice. Glass-topped meeting tables can be especially effective. There is nothing quite like a sparkling expanse of glass to make a room seem clean and bright. And of course, a glass table will show off your sumptuous yet business-like office seating to best effect!

Glass meeting tables are the perfect choice for conference rooms that aren’t quite as bright as they could be. A large, dark wooden table can make a space with limited natural light seem even dimmer. Pick a pale wood finish with a high shine or go for glass, which will make the absolute best of the available light.

The glass used in modern furniture is toughened to the highest standards so you don’t have to worry about compromising on safety or product lifetime. Our tables are beautifully constructed from very high quality materials, to offer durability and strength as well as stunning good looks.

Conference rooms can be an integral part of your company as they play host to meetings, interviews and presentations that are often vital to the success of your business. Therefore, it is essential that your conference room feels like a place where decisions can be made and things can get done. To this end, it is vital that the table you have as the main feature of your conference room is shaped in a way that will adequately suit your business needs.

Rectangular

Rectangular tables offer a classic shape that provides more in the way of practicality than it does in originality. Rectangular conference room tables are a good choice for formal meetings as they are very effective at accommodating large numbers of people.

Round

Round tables are great for smaller conference rooms as they take up less space than rectangular tables. Because of this, round meeting tables generally offer a more intimate experience that can be particularly conducive to team meetings and one-on-one interviews.

Racetrack

Racetrack conference tables combine contemporary styling with classic sensibilities. Their clean looks and smooth lines make them a popular choice for various different uses as they are very aesthetically pleasing.

“Bow tie”

These tables look like a bow tie when seen from above and therefore are more visually striking than more traditionally shaped tables. Bow tie conference tables can be large or small and are generally found in the offices of younger, more ‘hip’ companies.

Prestige hotels and purpose built conference centres equipped with specialised meeting furniture have had to become more competitive in their pricing, but even so remain beyond the price range of small businesses. In Cheshire a coalition of independent professionals has come up with a novel solution to this problem that is both practical and sociable: they meet in the function room of a town centre bar.

The group consists of business people who come together to pool their knowledge and experience. The location that hosts their meetings is the appropriately named Boardroom which is more than happy to accommodate these business clients. “We’re all passionate about our own ventures and it’s great to swap ideas and advice in an environment that differs from a regular conference room,” says photographer Rebecca O’Donnell. Indeed, the sofas and leather chairs of the Boardroom may differ greatly from conventional meeting furniture, but who says you can’t do business in comfort?

Nevertheless, the Boardroom is able to provide clients with more conventional facilities: the business community in Wilmslow has become such a regular supporter of the bar that management have created a small but formal conference area equipped with the leather chairs one might expect in a boardroom rather than a bar as an alternative to the relaxing sofas set out in the more informal areas.

If you own a small business in Cheshire you can view the Boardrooms facilities at theboardroomwilmslow.com. Alternatively, if you are interested in creating something similar in your area why not take a look at what we have available on our website.

Choosing suitable conference furniture is more than providing comfortable meeting room chairs. Meeting furniture needs to be chosen and arranged to enable the most effective transfer of knowledge between delegates. When planning for such an occasion your first priority should be to determine the exact nature of the meeting and what layout of conference furniture best suits the occasion.  If the CEO is addressing the company’s senior management then it may be best to arrange your meeting room chairs in a traditional lecture room pattern.  However, for a conference which requires a more active contribution from participants you need to arrange the layout of your meeting venue in a manner that will encourage rather than discourage communication. As with most things, the simple and most obvious factors are the often the most effective, but often overlooked.

When planning the layout of conference furniture place yourself in the position of delegates and ask yourself would I be able to hear every one from here? Would I be able to see all the other attendees? Will everyone be able to see and hear me? If there is to be an audio-visual presentation how easy is it for me to see and hear it from this position? Taking a few minutes to address these simple questions could mean the difference between a positive and productive meeting and a frustrating experience for all.

At Southern Office Furniture we have assembled an array of office and meeting furniture so that you may select the conference furniture that suits your requirements. The full range can be viewed on our website.

Running a business is no easy task, and the last thing you want to be worrying about is the state of your boardroom furniture. But, you’d be wise to give it some thought – having the right furniture in place can portray an air of professionalism that will instantly be picked up upon, showing any clients that you mean business.

You need to think about everything from the meeting tables to the boardroom chairs, and if you get them right it can make the world of difference to the look and feel of the room. You should try to opt for tables that have sleek lines and a solid look and the accompanying chairs should be comfortable and sturdy, and don’t be afraid to splash out a bit. The boardroom is where you’ll conduct important business meetings that can transform the state of your company, so if you want to come out on top it’s essential that your boardroom conveys the look of professionalism and quality that it needs to.

If you’re looking for someone to accommodate your furniture requirements, you need to come to us. We know how important the right boardroom furniture can be and that’s why we’ve got everything you need to transform the space into something that screams success, and with so many styles of desks, tables and chairs to choose from, you’re bound to find something that perfectly suits you and your business. So why go anywhere else? Come to us for boardroom chairs and tables and show the world that you mean business.

The diverse life of the meeting room is likely to mean most companies require a layout than can be both formal and informal, host large and small meetings, and cater to various hierarchy requirements (e.g. separate meeting room table and executive furniture for directors etc).

In our experience, an effective relationship between adaptability and professionalism is the crux of great meeting room layout and design.
The layout and decoration of your meeting room can affect a client’s mood, morale, interest, trust and opinion of your brand. Take colour psychology, for example. Orange and purple are viewed as creative colours, grey, white and neutral as staid, blue relaxing, green representative of health, black can be both elegant and oppressive, and red can elude to connotations of both fear and money.
In terms of layout, a little research into what shape is most fitting for your particular meeting needs is advised. For example, the typical U-shape of meeting rooms is ideal for in-house meetings, however, it may be that a standard single surface best suits client meetings.
Modular meeting and boardroom furniture is often the most resourceful, budget-friendly option for most companies. Choose from our huge range of folding, non-folding, flip top models in a range of styles and materials.
Expert tip: Avoid using meeting rooms as temporary storage. Having to drag a few banner stands and superfluous executive furniture items out in front of a client appears both disorganised and unprofessional. Keep meeting rooms free from clutter and ready to go at a moment’s notice.

1.    Defining boundaries can help ease the appearance of chaos. Utilising office screens to create zones within an open plan space is a great way to allude to a more conspicuously defined office. Our range of office screens is diverse, cost- effective and can help in the battle of noise reduction too.
2.    First impressions count. Creative offices are legendary for an “order within chaos” approach to office layout. However, within most sectors, visitors can often find a hectic, messy office to be unfavourable and a signal of a disorganised company.
3.    Don’t skimp on storage. Along with things like appropriate meeting room tables and comfy office chairs, storage is one of the most significant elements within the office environment. Open plan offices are often rife with I’ll-just-leave-this-here-a-moment piles of folders, products, used mugs and discarded items. Install adequate, easy-to-use storage and politely enforce its use to keep clutter out of the office environment.
4.    Afford privacy. The busy, open plan office gives very little in the way of private space or sanctuary. Desk-mounted screens and glazed floorstanding can provide valuable solace for your busy employees.
5.    Enforce ground rules. Nobody enjoys being the office nag, but insisting all staff follow a few basic ground rules concerning things like phone etiquette (when LOUD is too loud!), returning used mugs to the kitchen, washing up, waste disposal, returning office chairs to their original position and so on, could make more difference than you realise.

Aside from perhaps an e-commerce presence, the reception area of your office is likely the point of first real world contact between your brand and a visitor. Creating a design and layout scheme – considering factors such as colour, reception furniture, reception desk height, etc – conducive to promoting your brand image, company ethos and message in the best possible light is crucial for a number of reasons.
• First impressions count. Is your reception area difficult to find? Do visitors have to walk past other staff to reach the reception area? Do you have a member of staff manning the reception desk at all times? Is the area bright? Is it clean? Have you used meeting room furniture unsuitable for the space? We make up our minds about first impressions in an instant.
• Like a website homepage, the reception area of your office can speak volumes about your company. If a visitor finds it difficult to understand simple elements like how to summon assistance or where to sit , brand reputation ramifications could be damaging.
• How a visitor is handled in the reception area could provide an instinctive template of what they can expect later in a relationship with your company. Factors such as shoddy reception furniture, bad lighting and (the cardinal sin) an un-manned reception desk makes your company appear shoddy, shady and unprepared.
If you’d like some advice concerning reception area layout, contact our fantastic space planning team for a free CAD layout of the most fitting design for your space.