Boardroom Design Trends
6 minute read
A hub for meetings, brainstorming sessions, welcoming external visitors and delivering presentations, a boardroom is a central point in any office space. As technologies get more advanced with video conferencing, working with team members from anywhere in the world, and collaborative spaces that thrive with innovation and creativity, modern boardrooms are certainly heading in a new direction for the better. Collaborating with a professional office interior company can help bring your vision to life and leave a lasting impression on guests as well as increase productivity for employees. With a wealth of meeting room design inspiration to choose from and a checklist of essentials to include for a high-performing conference room, there of plenty of ways to transform your office spaces.
Video Conferencing
As flexible meeting options have become more popular over the last few years with staff or clients dialling in remotely, it’s essential to have a modern meeting room that can facilitate video conferencing. Not only do you need to have a strong internet infrastructure for the system to cope with incoming and outgoing communications for software such as Zoom or Teams where you can utilise interactive whiteboards and share screens, but there are other assets to include too. Standard equipment such as cameras and speakers are a must, but also think about the quality of your picture with better lighting and a professional-looking background that showcases your brand.
Interactive Whiteboards
As mentioned with video conferencing, interactive whiteboards are a great addition to meeting spaces because the output can be shared remotely, but they open up new opportunities to deliver impressive and dynamic presentations too. Available in a number of sizes depending on the space you have to work with, there’s also the option to have single or multiple display screens and systems. Intuitive from its first use you’ll be able to annotate documents and photos with notes and comments, record meetings, save and send files and work collaboratively in a virtual way. Digitally linked with applications such as Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint they truly improve meetings in an interactive way.
Technology Integration
With so many different technologies on the market and accompanying wires, access points and features for them to function, it’s vital that your boardroom is future-proofed for all circumstances. Whether that’s connectivity options with wireless screen sharing, USB and HDMI ports, or integration with laptops, tablets and smartphones so that you can share content with ease, it’s helpful to have a list of what assets you’ll need for a range of different meetings. High-quality displays and projectors are also worth considering, as well as audio systems for the full multi-media offering. Make sure you or the operator knows how to work the room though because you don’t want a case of all the gear and no idea, as you want to ensure a seamless meeting from the moment you begin.
Branding and Identity
Interior design is all about demonstrating your characteristics and personality, especially in an office space where you want to proudly integrate your branding and brand colours within the area. Boardroom design no longer needs to look corporate and uninspiring with dull colours, now they can feature dynamic assets, business logos, mantras and ethos of the company, a portfolio of some of your finest work or elegant photos that complement your identity or milestones. Interior designers will be able to consult on what will be eye-catching and out-of-the-box, but it needs to be driven by your brand to make it personal to you.
Art and Accent Pieces
To really make an impression, art and accent pieces are always a great talking point and can help to break the ice for new visitors coming through the door, or a feature that is instantly recognised by employees or followers of the brand. There is a huge range of fantastic local artists around the country, and some can even make a bespoke design that meets your specifications that you’re hoping to achieve for a real one-off piece that gives your boardroom an identity. Alternatively, accent pieces such as statues, models or centrepieces create a focus in a space that illustrates your brand to another level in a unique way.
Flexible Furniture
One minute you’ve got a boardroom full of 30 people and the next you’re having a one-on-one meeting. The need for furniture to be flexible is key so that you can accommodate for the number of people required but also the activity that is taking place. Do you need a stack of spare chairs that can easily be brought in from storage, can you divide tables quickly if you have break-out sessions, and is there easy access to get to exit doors, toilets and food and drink facilities to elevate the meeting but also make it a relaxed and comfortable environment? Preparing for a range of possibilities will help you in the long run when an unexpected or last-minute meeting is scheduled.
Versatile Lighting
Finally, lighting plays an important role in any office space, particularly in boardrooms. You don’t want to feel like you’re boxed in and claustrophobic, especially when the meeting is booked for a number of hours, therefore having a decent amount of natural light coming into the room is key. Also, when you’re showing a video or presentation, harsh strip lighting will bleach out the visuals making it difficult to see the screen. Ensuring that you have high-quality blinds installed will mean that this challenge will be a thing of the past. Finally, if you’re planning to use the boardroom for other activities such as social events, is it worth investing in mood lighting that will help to set the atmosphere?
With so many areas to look at when designing a board room or transforming your current one with a fresh refurbishment, it can be difficult to know where to start. At Cobus Spaces, our dedicated interior design team are there to assist with their eye for style and innovative ideas who take on board your wishes and turn them into an outstanding display. We’ll then get to work in supplying and installing your new boardroom with our professional and fully qualified team whose leading reputation in the industry for office fit-outs delivers projects with perfection.
