“How do I create a boardroom that isn’t boring?” In this guide, we’re going to explore the why and how of conference furniture. First, why effective conference room settings are worth investing in. Then, how to make the most of your meeting space with tips for conference furniture: conference tables, conference seating and meeting accessories. Why Buy Conference Furniture? Effective Conference Furniture Can Be Catalyzing Environments have an effect on the conversations that take place there. While traditional boardrooms may be a fading bastion of old-school business, modern meeting spaces still serve as a resource to be leveraged during those conversations. Increasing your chance of a successful conversation by tailoring the environment is idealistic, but feasible with forethought and thorough examination. After interviewing the innovation leads at three top organizations, a design CEO concluded that “the [conference] room is the place where innovation starts to grow up. Instead of being a place to play or model or ideate, the room creates rules…that require you to take innovation seriously every time…and, eventually, become a core part of your company’s culture from the bottom to the top.” Conference Room Complaints An architecture firm’s 2014 study suggested meeting spaces were too large, citing the average utilization as a relatively low 29%. In the same year, WSJ reports a shortage crisis, claiming that “meetings are multiplying while private office space shrinks”. However, trends in fewer designated workstations may point to the scramble for conference space being symptomatic of broader feelings of displacement. Frustrations aside, a 2017 study found that employees waste an undue amount of time finding places to meet – 160 million days per year in the United States alone. Similarly, a 2014 study found that “$60 million – 20 percent of the total cost of meetings – was squandered in unproductive activity.” Many articles exist that expound such statistics to demonstrate the hidden costs of lost time to organizations. The bottom line is that effective conference rooms are accessible and enable productivity. Now, let’s take a look at how to make the most of your meeting space. We hope this was helpful - read the rest at http://www.ofwllc.com/conference-furniture-why-how/ !

2. “How do I create a boardroom that isn’t boring?”
• In this guide, we’re going to
explore the why and how of
conference furniture.
• First, why effective conference
room settings are worth investing
in.
• Then, how to make the most of
your meeting space with tips for
conference furniture: conference
tables, conference seating and
meeting accessories.

3. Why Buy Conference Furniture?
• Effective Conference Furniture Can Be
Catalyzing
• Environments have an effect on the
conversations that take place there. After
interviewing the innovation leads at
three top organizations, a design CEO
concluded that:
• “The [conference] room is the place where
innovation starts to grow up. Instead of
being a place to play or model or ideate,
the room creates rules…that require you to
take innovation seriously every time…and,
eventually, become a core part of your
company’s culture from the bottom to the
top.”

4. Why Buy Conference Furniture?
• An architecture firm’s 2014 study
suggested meeting spaces were too
large, citing the average utilization as
a relatively low 29%.
• In the same year,WSJ reports a
shortage crisis, claiming that
“meetings are multiplying while
private office space shrinks”.
• However, trends in fewer designated
workstations may point to the
scramble for conference space being
symptomatic of broader feelings of
displacement.

5. Why Buy Conference Furniture?
• Frustrations aside, a 2017 study found
that employees waste an undue amount
of time finding places to meet – 160
million days per year in the United States
alone.
• Similarly, a 2014 study found that “$60
million – 20 percent of the total cost of
meetings – was squandered in
unproductive activity.”
• The bottom line is that effective
conference rooms are accessible and
enable productivity. Now, let’s take a
look at how to make the most of your
meeting space.

6. How Should I Buy Conference Furniture?
• ConferenceTables
• Shape
• Size
• Base
• Style
• Conference Seating
• Style
• Size
• Upholstery
• ConferenceAccessories
• ConferenceTable
• Presentation
• Storage

7. Tips for Buying ConferenceTables - Shapes
• Rectangular conference tables come
in a wide range of widths and depths,
meaning a tailored fit for your
conference room can often be
achieved.
• They define a clear “head” of the
table, which introduces a power
element to the conference setting.
• Because the rectilinear shape is the
easiest to fabricate, rectangular
conference tables will often be the
most economic option.

8. Tips for Buying ConferenceTables - Shapes
• Square conference tables are
slightly more formal than round
ones, but offer the same
collaborative benefit of having
equilateral sides.
• Square conference tables also
come in compact configurations,
perfect for private office settings.
• Another benefit to square
conference tables is the ability to
reconfigure multiple into a
rectangular conference table when
need be.

9. Tips for Buying ConferenceTables - Shapes
• Boat-shaped conference tables
can also occupy space efficiently,
and set a similar tone with the
head of the table.
• The unique benefit of boat-shaped
conference tables, however, is that
the bowed shaped allows clear
sight lines to either end for
everyone seated.
• Boat-shaped conference tables are
ideal in spaces that leverage visual
presentations.

10. Tips for Buying ConferenceTables - Shapes
• Racetrack conference tables
are one of the most common
shapes, despite using space less
efficiently than rectangular.
• Racetrack conference tables’
rounded ends can allow a few
more attendees to crowd at
either end, but ultimately afford
less usable workspace than 90°
corners.

11. Tips for Buying ConferenceTables - Shapes
• Round conference tables rarely use
space efficiently – while they offer
more seating space, the ratio of
workspace to footprint occupied is
less than a rectangular or square
table.
• However, compact round conference
tables can be optimal for smaller, less
formal meeting settings.
• Round conference tables are
synonymous with collaboration
because, with equilateral sides, they
give everyone an even standing.

12. Tips for Buying ConferenceTables - Shapes
• Furniture manufacturers have
come out with a virtually-infinite
number of custom conference
table shapes, and there are still
other organizations that have their
conference furniture fabricated.
• This list is hardly comprehensive,
but should give you a solid starting
point for your decision on
conference table shape.

13. Tips for Buying ConferenceTables - Size
• Broadly generalized rule of thumb: the linear
length of a conference table equals the
number of people it will seat. Of course, that
doesn’t make much sense with a 5′ rectangle.
• Allotting 30″ per person for linear space is
typically a comfortable fit, depending on your
conference chairs.
• Another broadly generalized rule of thumb:
you need minimum 36″ of clearance between
your conference table and the wall (or other
conference furniture!).
• We suggest allowing 48″ between your table
and the wall, and a full 60″ for any type of
main aisle. Keep in mind that groups will be
shuffling in and out of this room.

14. Tips for Buying ConferenceTables - Size
• Since we’re talking about measurements,
we’ll consolidate the guidelines for other
conference furniture and accessories here.
• When pushed in, chairs that are 16″ from the
wall will allow attendees to squeeze through
sideways.
• A 24″ gap will allow people to pass without
turning.
• Roughly 60″ between a whiteboard or mobile
presentation board and the table will allow
attendees to view the materials comfortably.
• 36″ or so of free space will help facilitate a
presenter displaying materials on the wall.

15. Tips for Buying ConferenceTables - Size

16. Tips for Buying ConferenceTables - Base
• Slab base conference tables are
some of the most common, and
are exactly what they sound like.
• Rectangular uprights support
sections of the conference table,
and can extend all the way to the
edge.
• Most manufacturers avoid this, but
it has the potential to block a
seated position near supports.

17. Tips for Buying ConferenceTables - Base
• Pedestal base conference tables
have at least two uprights that
don’t extend to the edge of the
table, and give rooms a more
formal look and feel.
• The most common shapes are
cylinder and cube bases.
• A trestle sometimes connects the
uprights, bearing the weight
between them, and can be used
for cable management.

18. Tips for Buying ConferenceTables - Base
• Traditional leg (or post leg)
conference tables have supports
near corners and connections –
often columns, traditional table
legs or more modern conference
table bases.
• While “table” legs may conjure
images of an old dining room set,
many modern conference tables
are making use of traditional leg
conference tables because of the
visual accessibility post legs offer.

19. Tips for Buying ConferenceTables - Style
• Traditional conference tables
generally place an emphasis on
impressive presence and
intricate details, reminiscent of
Victorian-era furniture.
• Most often wood or veneer,
traditional conference tables
typically come in deeply stained
wood finishes and meticulously-
crafted inlay patterns.

20. Tips for Buying ConferenceTables - Style
• Transitional conference tables
are probably the most common
on the market, and are an
easily-standardized middle
ground.
• Simple lines and fundamental
shapes paired with traditional or
contemporary finishes, often
laminate, achieve a comfortable
balance of budget and
aesthetic.

21. Tips for Buying ConferenceTables - Style
• Modern conference tables
prioritize clean, minimalistic lines
and visual accessibility.
• They most often feature polished
surfaces and sharp angles. Metal,
glass and acrylic are typically what
comes to mind (or an image
search)
• Many contemporary laminate and
wood options are also available.

22. Tips for Buying ConferenceChairs - Style
• Traditional conference chairs are
most often characterized by fixed
arms and fewer ergonomic
adjustments than for a dedicated
workstation.
• You can, however, expect tilt and
swivel functions for slight bounce
and mobility.
• These factors (theoretically) keeps
employees focused but away from
fidgeting during meetings

23. Tips for Buying ConferenceChairs - Style
• Training room chairs are a flexible
alternative to traditional
conference room seating,
leveraging mobility and storage
functions to make meeting spaces
more versatile.
• These chairs are typically
characterized by stacking or
nesting in a small storage
footprint.
• Training room chairs often also
have mobile casters to make
reconfiguring multipurpose spaces
easy.

24. Tips for Buying ConferenceChairs - Style
• Executive conference chairs
are fundamentally similar to a
basic conference chair, but are
typically heavier-duty, high-
back and leather-upholstered.
• Expect tufted buttons, wood
frames and (hopefully) an old-
fashioned.

25. Tips for Buying ConferenceChairs - Size
• It’s important to make sure your chairs are the proper size, and that’s
not just for executive seating.
• Standard chairs are generally rated to hold 250lbs, while heavy duty
conference chairs are rated to hold upwards of 350lbs.
• Also, standing- and adjustable-height conference tables will need
different seating to accommodate the change in elevation. Standard
seating (for 30″ high work surfaces) measures 18″. Counter-height
(36″) seating measures 24″ high. Bar-height (42″) seating measures
30″ high.

26. Tips for Buying ConferenceChairs - Upholstery
• Fabric conference chairs are available in a nearly infinite range of
upholstery colors, making it easy to balance budget constraints and the
aesthetic quality of your conference space.
• Routine cleaning and spot treatment will keep fabric conference chairs in
shape for years. Leather conference chairs have either top- or full-grain,
both of which require diligent maintenance.
• Top-grain is simply sanded full-grain to remove natural imperfections.
• Bonded leather conference chairs offer a similarly refined appearance as
genuine leather with a much lower price point and level of maintenance.
• Mesh conference chairs are very comfortable because of their
breathability, but the porous material can be difficult to clean.

27. Tips for Buying ConferenceAccessories – ConferenceTable
• ConferenceTable Accessories are
available for providing electrical
access and cable management
without extraneous furniture and
wires.
• Modules with power, data and
voice outlets can be dropped into
the surface of conference tables to
streamline connectivity.
• Power strips can also be
configured underneath to keep the
table clear.

28. Tips for Buying ConferenceAccessories – Presentation
• Presentation Accessories are vital
for visual communication.
• Both mounted and mobile
whiteboards are available with
options for magnetic, glass and
colored surfaces.
• Also, if your visual presentations
typically feature a live speaker, we
highly recommend investing in
podiums and pointers.

29. Tips for Buying ConferenceAccessories – Storage
• Storage Furniture for your
meeting room is often an
afterthought, which can be the
downfall of an effective
conference space.
• Just remember to figure in a 36″
berth between conference table
and your storage furniture.
• Storage credenzas, cabinets and
mobile carts are favorites for
facilitating meetings without loose
clutter.

30. Thanks for Reading!
• We can’t help you plan, engage and delegate around your meetings.
But, we can help you cultivate an environment that puts people in
the right frame of mind.
• Here are some idea starters for conference furniture 
https://hubs.ly/H0fGbN40
• Or, you can tell us about your project here 
https://hubs.ly/H0fGbYt0
• Thanks again!