Conference Room Furniture: From “Design” to “Done”
In our post “Balancing Office Design With Company Growth” we discussed how we worked with our client, 30 Degrees North, to phase the furniture purchases for their growing small business. The last phase of their furniture purchasing was to fit out the main conference room in their 2500 square foot office suite.
Design, delivery and installation and dealer support are all individually important steps in the design process, but together they make the synergy that get’s the job done in an efficient way with the best outcome for our clients! Here is how we applied this process to this conference room design for 30 Degrees North!
Design:
Taking into consideration that this space will be used as the primary location for in-person existing and perspective client meetings, the design had to reflect the brand and creative energy, as well as professionalism, of this full service marketing and growth agency. We achieved this by specifying a customized conference table to meet their spacial and technology needs, modern conference chairs in a unique and durable upholstery and an ultra-functional credenza to keep them organized.
We worked with local furniture representative group, MDI Resources, to specify all the details. They provided the client with a furniture plan and renderings to help them visualize the furniture in their asymmetrical conference room space.
The credenza we selected was highly customizable. Virtually any combination of doors, drawers and pull-outs was possible. We worked to identify the clients’ needs based on location and anticipated usage. It is equipped with space for a built-in beverage fridge, supply storage and a concealed pull-out trash drawer. MDI provided drawings to verify that all of the aspects were correct and in the right location prior to the order being placed.
MDI also made recommendations for the coordination of power, data and video conferencing solutions in our conference table. Due to changing technology and design considerations, this client opted NOT to interrupt the gorgeous, two-piece walnut veneer, knife edge, table top with boxes for table top access to power or data. Instead, power blocks are mounted below the edge of table top keeping the surface clean and clutter free. The power boxes the connect to power at the wall through cable runs in the table and a short piece of over-the-floor cord protector that is out of the main traffic pattern. We ended up with a visually well designed space, but more importantly it meets the functional needs of the users.
Delivery and Install
Our furniture rep connected us with a nearby furniture dealership. The dealership then placed the order with O.F.S., the furniture manufacturer. Dealerships handle the ordering, shipping & receiving, inspection, warehousing and coordinate delivery of commercial office furniture. They are the valuable link in the project process between “design” and “done”.
Once the client signed-off on the order, the furniture was ordered. It always seems like weeks of waiting, but there are a lot of things that happen behind the scenes. The furniture is made to our specifications, then the order is assembled, packaged and shipped. It makes its way to the furniture dealership where it is inspected and warehoused until all of the components are ready for delivery to the client’s office space.
Here’s a little peak into install day!
Dealer Support:
As with everything, there is always the chance that an item can be damaged in transit. The dealerships take great care in handling and warehousing furniture, but incidents can happen. If they happen before furniture arrives at the warehouse, the dealership can help assess the damage and take action to correct the problem before it is delivered to the client. In our situation, some damage occurred to the conference room table top during the delivery process from the warehouse to the client’s office. The installers still brought in the table top and installed it for the client to use until a new replacement top could be manufactured and sent.
Conference room table tops are often quite large and come in multiple pieces to be assembled on-site. This particular top came in two pieces. Unfortunately the two pieces were made of grain matched veneer (so that they looked like one piece visually) and both had to be replaced even though there was only damage on one corner.
The dealership offered exceptional service and was great to work with through this mishap. They had the top re-ordered, shipped and installed in no time, at no additional charge to the client. Now the 30 Degrees North team is fully functional in their new conference room space that supports both in-person and video meetings!
Ready to bring your workspace up to speed with new furnishings that meet your growing business’s brand identity, functional and technology needs? We can help guide you through the process from “design” to “done”!
