Many companies now use boardrooms or conference rooms for important meetings and discussions, and with the rise of video conferences it is a good way to collect an entire team together to speak to clients and colleagues located elsewhere. But if you’re creating one for the first time, what is the best way to go about it?
Step 1
Take the measurements of the room so you can work out roughly how big the furniture you choose will need to be. Also work out how many people you would like to seat in the room so that you can account for the number of chairs and the amount of desk space you’ll need.
Step 2
Figure out a rough floor plan. Don’t cram too much furniture in – if the room looks a little empty, you can always buy something else at a later date, but too much furniture from the start will make the room feel claustrophobic and cramped, which will be unpleasant. If you are using video facilities, work out where this will be so you can position the main desk in the middle of the space in front of it, and make sure there is enough room for the surrounding chairs.
Step 3
Locate all of the plug sockets so you can figure out where your equipment will go. Remember you will need several power points for laptops, along with places to plug in the TV for video conferences, the main computer for the room and possibly a printer. A spare socket for the cleaner to plug in the vacuum cleaner is also useful so other things don’t need to be unplugged.
Step 4
Come up with a colour scheme. White can look too stark and bright, especially in video conferences, so opt for something more muted and neutral. Greys, beiges and pale blues are formal enough to look professional, but won’t be too clinical. Choose furniture which will complement this, and don’t opt for anything too bright – you want something you can update in future without too much hassle.
Step 5
Once all the boardroom furniture is in place, work out where the lighting would be most effective. Remember people will be sitting on both sides of the boardroom table, so don’t blind anyone with wall-mounted lights. Subtle overhead lighting is best, but don’t install lighting too close to the projector or screen as the glare will make it difficult to see what is going on. Also work out where the speakers can most effectively be placed.
