One of the most important spaces in an office is the boardroom. It welcomes forward-thinking, problem-solving collaborative efforts of your team and clients.
A boardroom symbolizes the values and mission that reflect the business. It is where ideas happen, secrets are shared, problems are solved and goals are set.
Having the room set up for positive connections is a critical element when choosing your table. A boardroom instantly provides an impression to clients, prospects and visitors – an impression that can be about your organization’s level of success, attention to detail and culture.
And let’s face it. The table is the key element. Every business owner dreams of an impressive and functional boardroom table for great thinking, superb training, and focused meetings to happen.
Regardless of your budget, your boardroom table sizing is tricky business. We spoke with Heather Tessier, the lead interior designer of atWork Office Furniture London, to get her expert tips and practical guidelines for sizing up your boardroom table fit. Here’s some of her tips.
1) Picture the People
The first thing you need to do is think about how many people you envision at your boardroom table.
Generally, a table seats the same number as it’s length as a maximum (For example, a 6-foot table seats 6, 10-foot table seats 10, etc.). While different manufacturers may offer slightly different standard sizes, most boardroom tables come in standard sizes, in increments of 6 inches for width and increments of 12 inches for length, ranging from 36” to 60” wide and 72” to 240” long. That being said, custom sizes are always an option if needed!
The shape of a table makes a difference as well – you can fit more people at a large “Racetrack” shaped table because you can fit two people on each end (see image)
2) Measure, Measure, Measure
Regardless of how many people you want at your boardroom table, or if you have found your dream table style, it won’t matter if the table won’t fit your room! To figure out if your dream table will fit, calculating your space is crucial to avoid a lot of headaches later on.
Will It Fit? Here’s Heather’s measuring hints…
- Measure the length and width of the room
- Subtract any built-in or freestanding cabinetry
- For a small table, 84″ and under, allow a minimum 36″ from the edge of the table to the wall for chairs
- For a larger table, allow a minimum 42″ from the edge of the table to the wall
- For a REALLY large table, allow 48″ from the edge of the table to the wall.
- Expert tip – as soon as there are more than two people sitting on one side, give more room, so they can easily pass by if the other chairs are occupied.
3) Doors can be a Design Detriment
Pay attention to where the door is. In a narrow room, if the door is not at an end, it may swing into where chairs will be sitting.
One mistake architects and designers can make when designing a boardroom, is putting an impressive, grand double door in the middle of the wall … of a narrow room. If the room is not wide enough, the doors hit the chairs (see image). Heather reminds her clients with every office furniture design “form follows function!” Your boardroom should primarily be functional for the purpose it is intended above all else.
Need some help with sizing up your boardroom to find the right boardroom tables?
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