Whilst waiting rooms are not usually a place people want to spend much time in, the reality is that in many establishments patrons may have to wait for significant periods of time. Whether it’s waiting for a hospital or dental appointment, or waiting for a job interview or meeting, waiting rooms can often be locations where people feel uncomfortable or apprehensive about what’s to come. As the owner or manager of an establishment with a waiting room there are several things you can do to build a more positive environment and make the waiting experience more comfortable. Whilst the waiting room décor may be the first thing you think about changing, the waiting room chairs and their layout are also key factors perhaps of even more importance. Planning the Layout of Waiting Room Chairs When it comes to the seating in a waiting room it’s equally important to consider the layout as it is the type of seating itself. How the waiting room chairs should best be configured will depend on the type of establishment, the number and type of visitors you have and how long they may have to wait on average. You also need to ensure the area is accessible for wheelchair users and if relevant, pushchairs and prams. If your waiting room gets very busy and your seating is positioned in rows you need to ensure there is both sufficient leg room and space for people to comfortably pass each other so that patrons are not having to squeeze past others to get to a seat. You also need to take into account fire regulations. If you plan to position your seats facing each other it’s important they aren’t too close together as this could make people feel uncomfortable if sat opposite strangers in close proximity. If you often have children in your waiting room, think about whether you want to create a separate play area or corner for them where there are distractions to keep them entertained whilst they wait. Many hospitals even have separate family waiting rooms where there are toys and activities to keep children occupied without disturbing others. If your visitors tend to be groups of people rather than individuals then a more relaxed seating layout may be preferred where they can engage with each other whilst waiting. Even if this is not the case, a more relaxed and informal style of seating is usually a lot more comfortable than a row of chairs and can help to put patrons more at ease whilst they wait. Choosing Waiting Room Chairs For waiting rooms which are effectively in a corridor then bench or beam seating is probably the most suitable option where it can sit against the wall in a single row. This type of seating can usually incorporate tables if required. The other benefit of beam seating is that it can include flip-up seats which are also a space saving solution in narrow areas. If you often need to change the configuration of the seating in your waiting room or have different volumes of people visiting at different times then stackable seating could be a good option. This type of waiting room chairs can often be supplied with a storage trolley, allowing you to put out the quantity of seats you need and easily transport any spare chairs around a building or store away in a separate area. There are a variety of different stacking chairs on the market and many can incorporate padded seats making them much more comfortable than traditional plastic stacking chairs. In medical establishments where many patrons may be elderly or have mobility issues, a more spacious and padded type of chair may be required. Chair arms can be an aid to helping people sit down and get up and it’s important that seats are not too low down as this could cause problems for those who cannot easily get up and down unassisted. In offices and corporate buildings your reception area helps set the first impression of your business when visitors first walk through the door so it’s important that the style of seating reflects the image you want to portray. Whether this is modern, traditional, relaxed or formal you need to consider how the seating you choose fits in with this. Whatever type of establishment you have, low, padded seating is generally more relaxed whilst standard height chairs usually present a more formal image. If your visitors are often required to wait for long periods of time then it’s important you provide seating that will offer long-term comfort as this can have a big impact on their impression of the environment you create. A lightly padded chair may be comfortable for 5 minutes but after 40 minutes it may start to feel a lot less so. Checklist of considerations when choosing waiting room chairs:
Plain white walls may be a simple and clean solution but they don’t offer much stimulation for the visitor sat looking at them! Green is well-known to be a calming colour and is also currently on trend with ‘Greenery’ being named the Pantone Colour of the Year 2017. Of course you can choose any colour, but a splash of colour does brighten things up and makes the area more stimulating to be in. Dependent on the type of establishment you may want to incorporate a feature wall decorated with wallpaper, a mural or a selection of images. If this seems a step too far then simply painting walls in 2 different colours can help make the room more interesting. Adding pictures or posters is a simple and cost-effective way to break up a blank wall and make the room more visually appealing. A noticeboard is a common feature in the waiting rooms of many medical establishments and can offer a distraction to patrons if there’s something of interest for them to look at or read. Think about how you display information on the board and keep it up to date so that the information remains relevant and current. In corporate offices a waiting room is usually also the reception area so could include images on the walls showing the company history, or the company’s products and people at work. If the company is a manufacturer or supplier of products then a reception or waiting area is also a good place to showcase the company’s product range to visitors. Once you’ve planned the décor, seating layout and choice of waiting room chairs you can add the final touches to keep patrons occupied or distracted whilst they wait. This could include magazines, books, information or advice leaflets, corporate brochures, a television or radio, and childrens’ toys. Considering all the elements discussed will help ensure your waiting room is a more pleasant place to be and will help you build a positive environment. About Evertaut Evertaut is a leading UK manufacturer and supplier of waiting room chairs. The company’s seats can be found in offices,hospitals, educational establishments, and a range of other public buildings across the country.
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