Building better boardrooms: Choosing furniture that supports business

Custom corporate furniture makes a difference in how clients perceive businesses. Furniture design and materiality reflect the culture of a company and instill senses of trust and respect, with a boardroom table often serving as the centerpiece of that identity. Boardroom tables further position shareholders to engage with one another and provide the technology to inform and drive decision making.

Today, we'll discuss how WallGoldfinger Furniture helps clients make choices to create the best possible boardroom environments.

When and why leaders update their boardrooms

Designers decide to purchase custom furniture when they refresh spaces, more people are added to teams, they experience technological changes, or they want greater reconfigurability. Some clients have maintained our boardroom tables for decades, but others may have tables that no longer meet their needs.

Fun fact: One notable project was tables for the White House Situation Room. The tables lasted through several presidencies, and we’ve heard that one of these tables is making its way to a presidential museum, providing a unique opportunity for the public to view this piece of history and our work.

Why designers choose WallGoldfinger Furniture

"We do very custom work that many other shops cannot, with a level of quality and detail that is followed through with project management. That’s why designers come to us. They may have a great idea that hasn’t been done before, and we’ll always give something unique and challenging a shot. They’re the designers, we’re the engineers, and we’ll work to make their design a reality." – Curtis, Director of Sales

Factors clients consider

In simple terms, choosing a boardroom table or any other custom piece of furniture is about size, aesthetics, and technology. But depending on the goal and the project itself, there are more nuanced factors.

First impressions

While this article is mainly focused on boardrooms, it should be noted that strong impressions can be made as soon as visitors step through the door with the right reception desk.

Reception desks are often statement pieces. Stone transaction walls, an ADA level that’s lower, and elaborate curves that break up the planes are dynamic and immediately engaging.

Project highlight: "Sometimes an executive events space can be made to stand out and form an impression as influentially as a boardroom. We made one this year for a successful tech company, where even the founder and CEO came out to admire it and express his approval," said Curtis.

Scale

It's important to consider chair numbers, the room's size, sightlines to see people across the way, and whether screens are a factor when choosing table sizes.

Materials

Material choices say something about a business. White, gray, and black materials, such as glass, metal, and ebonized veneer, may evoke a high-tech feel, while lines like Doko or custom projects choosing wood offer feelings of warmth and integrity.

Integrated technology

Some clients need monitors embedded in the table, even at every seat, or certain power and data placements. We consider that need, then decide on how to make it beautiful.

Accessibility

Sightlines can affect lip-reading and engagement. A round, elliptical or boat-shaped table allows everyone to see each other. It's also important that everyone has equal access to resources like technology. We follow ADA guidelines for reach and otherwise strive to position technology so everyone at the table has access. In recent years, a favorite place for clients to add power and data connections is right under the table edge, so components can be felt and also don’t clutter the tabletop.

What's on trend

What's happening in the boardroom table space right now?

For decades, rich woods and veneers – both domestic and exotic – often in impressive sketch face layups, defined the boardrooms of law and financial firms. Over the last 15 or 20 years, the trend has moved to modern and monochrome. White glass and marbles, metals, and manmade materials are often specified with pops of color coming from art and chairs. Increasingly, however, wood is making a comeback.  

Custom furniture versus product line furniture

We understand that not all clients want custom.

Specifying custom furniture requires greater decision-making and interaction than choosing from a catalog. The WallGoldfinger team assists clients with decision making and helps them visualize their final design by providing photo-realistic concept illustrations. But for those clients not wanting a custom solution or to take the time to collaborate on one, WallGoldfinger has remarkable product lines.

These product lines are of the same high-quality, diverse in material and technology options, and still customizable for a client’s unique space.

Customization and competitiveness

For those wanting something truly unique, however, the WallGoldfinger team loves taking on challenges.

In the boardroom, WallGoldfinger is known for creating large, highly complex furniture.  

WallGoldfinger’s work expands far beyond boardroom tables. Benches, credenzas, lecterns, waste receptacles, and laptop tables can all be built by the WallGoldfinger team to match a boardroom table. Conference and multi-purpose room tables built in quantity become much more cost competitive, and WallGoldfinger café tables fill corporate spaces around the country.

"Our COO is fond of saying that we’re not a furniture company; we’re a service company. We make the furniture work for the client's needs and the designer’s vision," said Curtis.

Furniture fact: Our tables are built in sections, so that they fit in elevators and through doors. We ask about and engineer around obstacles to make the install seamless.

Custom furniture can be yours

Custom furniture is a smart choice for any business. "We’re here to help businesses find out what will work for their space," said Curtis.

Do you have a space that needs furniture? Review our product lines and custom offerings. Contact us to get the discussion started.