Your boardroom or meeting room is an important space within your organisation. It’s like the hub of the company, much like the kitchen is the hub of the home. So often a place where great ideas are born and important decisions are made, the boardroom should never be overlooked when it comes to making sure it is comfortable, inspiring, and somewhere that reflects your brand values.
This is precisely why choosing the right boardroom furniture is crucial. But where to start? With so much to consider, from the design of the room to conference room table sizes or boardroom table dimensions and more, we always recommend beginning with a good look at the individual needs of your organisation to help you on your way to smart conference room planning. For example, who will be using the space, and for what purpose?
Choosing a boardroom table
At the heart of the boardroom is the boardroom table. Aim to get this right first before dealing with everything else.
The first thing you need to consider when choosing a boardroom table is its size, and how it will work within the available space.
Boardroom table dimensions
The size and layout of your boardroom will dictate your boardroom table dimensions to some extent, but you’ll want to ensure that you can seat enough people at the table. Your boardroom needs to allow people to comfortably walk around the table, and have enough space to sit and work too.
As a rule, you should allow at least a metre of space around your boardroom table to keep it clear of any other furniture such as bookshelves or cabinets. This comfortably allows everyone in the room to sit, stand walk around the room.
A standard boardroom table height is 76cm, so you can use this to make sure you position any screens at the correct height for when people are seated.
If you’re restricted on space, you could look instead at meeting tables, which are generally smaller in size, but still come in a range of different styles and designs.
Type and style of boardroom table
The type and style of your boardroom table will make an impact and give the room its atmosphere. For example, a round table tends to offer less seating, but gives a cohesive sense of togetherness which works well for internal, informal or more private meetings.
Conference tables often take on a circular or horseshoe shape, which can be beneficial for meetings involving lots of discussion and it’s necessary for all participants to see each other.
Rectangular tables are popular because they can accommodate a larger number of people and are the most efficient with the use of space.
Consider the style of your boardroom table and how this links to the culture and brand identity of your organisation. For example, if you’re looking for a table in a school meeting room, you might consider the Cambridge Retro Boardroom Table, which is a classic rectangular table that is hardy and robust.
If, however, you work in an office environment that has a strong focus on presentations, you may want to consider the Format Height Adjustable Boardroom Table. With an electronic touchpad, you can change the standard boardroom table height from 650mm when seated to 1280mm when standing.
Choosing boardroom chairs
Meeting and boardroom chairs need to be comfortable and in a style that matches your boardroom table. Think about whether you want your chairs to be finished in leather, fabric or wood to match the decorative finish of your space.
Another consideration is whether you want your boardroom chairs to be static or swivel. This is a personal matter, but again relates back to how the room will be used.
Training or presentations may work better with static chairs such as the Juliet Padded Leather Boardroom Chair. This classic leather chair folds down for easy storage.
Interactive meetings might work better with swivel chairs such as the Millennium Mesh Back Meeting Chair, which is smart and stackable.
When it comes to calculating how many people you can seat around your boardroom or conference table, it will depend upon the size of seats you choose.
Wider chairs will take up more room than narrower chairs. As a basic minimum, we suggest you allow around 75cm for each person, but 90cm is more comfortable, especially if you have a round table. Allowing 100cm plus per person is more generous, allowing attendees to spread out a bit more.
The number of boardroom chairs you choose will also be dependent upon how you use your boardroom. For example, if you will be using a wall-mounted screen to speak to people remotely or for presentation purposes, you will need to consider how much space this takes up and adjust the number of seats to factor this in.
Need help choosing the right boardroom furniture? Talk to ADD Office!
If you need help choosing the right boardroom furniture for your needs, or if you’d like more advice about conference room table sizes or boardroom chairs or anything else boardroom furniture related, please get in touch with our expert team.
ADD Office is a nationwide supplier of premium office furniture. We offer free consultations and help with space planning and design. Whether you’re looking for advice, help with delivery and installation or a complete office refurbishment, our friendly team can help with all your requirements.
