A conference table is the final piece of the puzzle every office and business building needs during the furnishing process. While various conference table design styles and shapes are available, the best furniture for your space will always be the desk that matches your office aesthetic. So, to help you make the perfect choice for your boardroom, we have designed this brief guide that makes it easier to choose a conference depending on your workplace’s design language.
Traditional Office Aesthetic
Most companies that prefer a traditional office aesthetic have a fixed structure and hierarchy established decades ago. These businesses tend to favor luxurious but sturdy furniture that uses natural hardwood and durable materials. This design language means that they stay away from minimalistic styles and designs and prefer traditional, hand-crafted furniture.
This blend of hierarchy and traditional designs makes rectangular and square conference tables ideal for these businesses. This desk features smooth lines and straight edges, making it a perfect fit for companies with a traditional aesthetic. Its rectangular design also leans into the hierarchical nature of traditional businesses, as the meeting lead can sit at the head of the table. Meanwhile, the junior members of your company can stay at the tail end of the desk.
Contemporary Office Aesthetic
Companies with this aesthetic have been established for decades but have more liberal operations than traditional businesses. While they have structured their companies around leadership and hierarchies, they also value teamwork and communication. So, while these businesses may use hardwood furniture, they are also comfortable with lighter and neutral tones like grey and white.
This lean toward modern values is what makes contemporary businesses stand out and also shows why they may opt for a bot-shaped or race-track conference table. With this desk style, your meetings can still have an established head or leader, but its subtle curves promote a sense of communication. Its shape allows lower-level members to play a more active role during meetings, as they can be seen by all participants.
Modern Office Aesthetic
Companies with a modern office aesthetic promote openness and minimalistic values. They favor communication over hierarchies and often host team brainstorming events where all members can speak openly. Companies with this aesthetic prefer minimalistic designs, and most hardwood furniture will be coated with a neutral finish that is not too imposing or distracting.
If your company’s furniture already features these minimalistic and modern values, then a round conference table will be the best fit for your space. This type of table ditches the role of a defined leader, favoring equality among participants instead. This means that any team member can contribute freely without feeling like they are speaking out of turn or talking over others.
The round shape of this conference table also means that all team members can be seen by other participants easily. Being able to watch everyone encourages all participants to contribute or pitch in a thought, regardless of their status within the company. So, you can expect to receive more dynamic ideas from all participants instead of having only a few people contributing during each meeting or brainstorming session.
