Previously on our blog, we’ve written about how business owners can maximize a small office space. And we’ve also covered how to improve the look and feel of a waiting room. But we’ve never tackled how to optimize a small waiting room design –– until now. Indeed, it can be difficult to come up with solutions to small waiting room problems, since so many design upgrades rely on having lots of space –– or money. Don’t worry, though. We’re here to provide you with four small waiting room ideas that will enhance customer experience without busting your budget:
Ditch What You Don’t Need
It should go without saying, but the first step toward creating a better small waiting room design is to remove all furniture, artwork, and decorations that are detracting from your space. If you don’t have much real estate to work with in the first place, it’s essential to expunge any wasted design elements. For instance, if no one has touched a magazine rack in months, or your plants died from neglect ages ago, replace them with more functional design choices.
Focus on Perception
If you want to make your waiting room appear bigger than it actually is, you can use a few classic design tricks to make it “feel” larger. Most people already know that a well-placed mirror can increase the perceived size of a room. Yet, mirrors in waiting rooms don’t always make the most sense. Alternatively, you can focus on a few other elements such as color scheme and lighting. Keeping a consistent color palette from one room to the next will make your entire office –– not just your waiting room –– seem bigger. What’s more, opening a window and allowing natural light into your waiting room is always a great idea.
Make Savvy Furniture Choices
Obviously, small business owners want their customers to feel comfortable when they enter their office. Yet, when purchasing furniture for a limited space, entrepreneurs need to recognize those restrictions and make smart furniture choices that fit (literally) within their waiting room. What’s more, how you choose to lay out your furniture can have an effect on customer experience. You may even want to consider quasi-communal furniture options like benches or linked desks in extreme scenarios.
Modernize with New Tech
Small waiting rooms are problematic because they don’t allow for physical privacy. Short of knocking down walls and constructing an entire office from scratch, there’s not much business owners can do to give their customers or clients more personal space. The best way then for businesses to combat the issues associated with small waiting rooms is to provide their customers the chance to escape through their mobile phones and laptops. Free WiFi is a must. As are ample charging stations –– preferably one per seat. Lastly, in lieu of building a children’s play area, businesses that cater to families can save their customers plenty of stress by investing in a video game system or a few iPads to entertain any juvenile visitors to their establishment.
The Bottom Line
Small waiting rooms aren’t ideal, but they shouldn’t negatively affect how your customers think about your company. In fact, business owners can still form awesome and engaging waiting rooms with limited space. To help you do just that, contact the Key Interiors team today. We have decades of industry experience working with waiting rooms of all shapes and sizes, and can help you achieve the look you desire. Plus, when you partner with Key Interiors, you won’t have to worry about going over budget or dealing with frustrating delays. Check out our free eBook here and see how we handle office redesigns with the highest degree of professionalism.
