Dental & Medical Office Design Tips: Seating Area
As much as no one enjoys waiting at the reception area for a long time, there is a way you can make your patients’ waiting time stress-free by designing a comfortable and appealing seating area. A great seating area will add positivity to the whole reception area, especially if it looks/feels attractive, professional, and comfortable.
The most important thing to consider while planning for a seating area design is the measurements. Why is this so? Measurements determine many things during dental office reception area design. First on the list is the size of the furniture you desire to have. You cannot bring in furniture without considering the amount of space it will use up. This is why the first step to getting an excellent medical office seating area has everything to do with measurements.
First, measure your intended seating area to ascertain that all your furniture will fit in properly. It is during this stage that you ought to cater for space for easy movement within your reception area. To know how many pieces of furniture you require, figure out how many clients you are likely to have on the busiest day.
The other factors to consider during the seating area design are:
1. Comfortability
It is no brainer that an uncomfortable chair makes the client’s waiting time seem longer. Therefore, how do you know you are purchasing comfortable chairs? Try sitting on them and imagining how the effect will be if you sit there for an hour or so. A good chair is one that will support your clients well for the entire waiting time, making them comfortable and relaxed as they wait for their turn to see you.
2. The Guests
The other thing you should consider for a perfect seating area is the kind of guests/clients you are likely to have. What are their ages, sizes, and mobility? What brings them to your office? Answering the above questions will go a long way in determining the kind of chairs you need i.e. the sizes and the style.
3. Upholstery
Instead of going for chairs made out of natural fabrics, go for those with engineered or combination fabrics. They are much better when it comes to durability, especially in high traffic areas. Also, fabrics will hold up for longer if they have tighter weaves. One of the fabrics you ought to look for is the vinyl seating. This fabric is quite cost-effective and your upholsterer can treat it with PERMABLOK® finish to make it germ, stain, and abrasion resistant. Another fabric that works well in dental/medical offices is the healthcare vinyl. Cleaning this fabric is quite easy, partly because it resists urine, common stains, bacteria, and moisture.
4. Attractiveness
You cannot succeed in impressing your clients if you go for standard, boring seats. There are so many options out there you can choose from. Go for a style that will positively speak volumes about what you do.
The seating area is one of the most important spaces in any medical office. A good seating area makes clients feel at ease, which is important for a dental/medical practice. Don’t hesitate to utilize the above pointers during medical office construction.
