Design for the visitor and the staff
A good reception desk balances appearance and function. Visitors want a welcoming surface. Staff need space for screens, keyboards, phones, documents, printers and storage, plus comfortable heights and clear sightlines to the entrance.
Desks come in many forms: a single counter, a curved feature piece, a multi-station layout or a lower accessible section. Barrier-free design is a common requirement, so at least part of the counter often needs to meet accessibility height and clearance rules. We raise that during design.
Services behind the counter
Most reception desks hide more technology than any other millwork. Power for monitors and chargers, network drops, phone lines, door release buttons, panic alarms, cameras and sometimes card readers all need a home.
HSM's electricians and low voltage team, led by Adam Mason, plan these services together with the millwork. Conduit and boxes are placed in the floor or wall before the desk arrives, and the desk is built with the right cut-outs, cable paths and ventilation. Our carpenters then set the desk over the services and finish it cleanly.
- Power and data in floor boxes or walls
- Cable management and access panels
- Security devices such as door releases and alarms
- Lighting under or behind the counter
- Lockable storage and workstations
What to plan for
Surfaces are a key choice. Stone, solid surface, laminate and wood each wear differently, and the top of a reception desk takes a lot of use. Corners, edges and kick panels are frequent damage points, so durable materials are worth the extra cost.
Floor conditions matter. A heavy desk should sit on a level base, and if floor finishes are not finished, the desk and flooring must be sequenced carefully. We schedule millwork and flooring so neither damages the other.
Finally, think about change. Staff numbers, technology and security needs change over time, so spare conduit and accessible cable paths are inexpensive to include and difficult to add later.