and with more lighting plus the painting in the seating area

If the room is 8 feet, then the 9 foot side of the red Diandra rug would fit along the wall with either configuration for the reception desk....the one where it is now, or the one by the doors.

Get a slimmer desk if you must, in order to fit the rug with the pair of black chairs.

You only have a 8’ x possibly 12’ space given door opening at end of long wall. So oversized chairs won’t work in this space. Is a work station needed in this area? If so, probably don’t need console but just desk. Maybe smaller desk. I will play with some layouts and post later today. Please post length of the wall from right corner down to doorway on right.

The width of the nook where the credenza is about 7 feet

Okay, thanks but we also need the measurement for the long wall.

And if the nook is 7', then the space is 7'4", not 8'. I think that's why the rug is overhanging.

Even tighter than I thought. Ok. We will see what we can come up with.

The current chairs look fine to me but if you decide to replace them please do not get new chairs that sit lower to the floor even if they are handsome pieces. I was recently in a doctor's waiting room which had both upholstered chairs that were lower to the floor and small couches that were higher. All of the latter were taken while the lower chairs were left empty.

Following. Like the layout suggestions. If you float the desk, switch for one with an attractive back to hide what is underneath. Ditto on having signage on the wall and on a different rug.

Do you like this contemporary style or do you like more traditional?   

I think contemporary! The space is small. Y’all are amazing.

I agree flipping the 2 spaces could work and for sure a much more professional vibe in this type of office . Real flowers are nice but only if they add to the feel of professionalism. I agree the monitor needs to not be visivle if possible.

I think having guest seating in the 7' nook where the credenza is currently may feel a little tight.

I just sketched up this rough scale drawing to start discussion of detail measurements. I put signage on nook wall. Then desk 3’-4” away from signage wall to be able to push back desk chair. Desk out facing entry with the credenza in front of it (need measurements length and depth and height. Need desk measurements too. Then use two current chairs along with lamp and greenery and some books on credenza. A plant on long wall to shield clients a bit from traffic patterns. A small rug to anchor the seating area is all that is needed. Once final layout is selected, big art on long wall would create the atmosphere you desire.

I love this, thank you so much!

Do you have furniture sliders? They make moving furniture around super easy.they come in all sizes. For hard surfaces and carpet/rug. You need for hard surface. I move all kinds of furniture by myself with these great little aids.

Wayfair is having a sale on reception desks $200-400. Here is a link and image of one . 4 ft wide, comes in black , light wood, or white.

https://www.wayfair.com/shop-office-spaces/pdp/hongyan-person-rectangular-wood-reception-desk-w100254814.html

If you prefer to keep your desk, you might want to try Flo's idea of putting the credenza in front.  

I found some different chair styles on Houzz. But with the small space, you might  want to paint and reupholster the ones you have in a lighter color.

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Making over your current chairs . . .

Oh wow this is amazing!

I think I'd start your redesign with a desk you love.

Keep in mind that reception chairs should hold a minimum weight of 250 lbs which eliminates a lot of chairs you might otherwise like.

Hi AP! This has the look of a hard-working and busy office! Peering….

Lol! All right, hope you budget a few weeks of shopping! Do not panic! No pressure! lol! ❤️

Logistics: Clear out an unused room to store your finds until the Great Unveiling, and this will be work! Each item in the list will take at least one (hopefully none too harrowing) shopping trip! And I highly recommend you do all the following from higher end thrift — antique stores will not carry the slightly more modern look needed, although fun for a few pieces. This space, like the practice, will grow!

And have a big party at the end! Because someone’s mother may need to pinch hit with the shopping. The Great List Follows! And Good Luck! ❤️

Basics Post PRINT ME ❤️

Color Palette

Structure: Eggshell wall with watered satin? surface, golden-tone wood floor.

Recommended: Red, White and Blue In cooler shades/tones.

Use green sparingly — a touch teal or lime for a pop, but, in general, mute or discard all greens.

A primary color scheme is fine, muted yellow if going this way.

Recommend navy as the base color structure, choose either magenta or coral for accents, with cream for architectural-echo elements.

Fabrics

Client chairs

Cotton finish recommended, brushed twill (the fabric appears to have a diagonal weave), canvas if slipcovered, suede or faux-suede.

A favorite of mine is cream corduroy.

Professional chairs may have a leather-look fabric finish.

Wood Finish

Black Gloss, White (off-white, cream cream) in High Gloss, or Dark Cherry (magenta or cooler purple undertone — floor is golden tone). No Ash Brown or Oak tones.

Metal Finish

Should the building fixtures be a variety of metals, black cast iron or nickel. Otherwise, you guessed it! Bright brass.

Ceramics Finish

If going classic, pick a high glaze.

If more contemporary, stay matte - plain terracotta or rough distressed finish.

Frames Finish

Announcements (Firm Name) Letters in Black or White (off-white, cream) in High Gloss, Same Finish as Wood (sic) OR Solid Metal.

Announcements in solid metal, all other frames in same or distressed metal, same tone.

Sounds like a small fortune so far? This look must be carried into the office and the lavatory as well, if possible! Extra pieces a must!

To be continued…❤️…

Back! On to Shopping! You can DO THIS!

Oh, by the way, apologies!

Artistic nature plus late nights lately mean a scatterbrain! As a decorator, my usual consultation is domestic interior or medical office, and only one attorney office. I prefer home decoration. Never have I been brave enough to ask if the attorney liked the look. But the office looks EXACTLY the same five years later! Someone did! So i feel confident sharing some ideas with you! Please bear with my likely typos. I can be wordy! It’s so clear that you all are working hard, so let’s get you looking right!

This advice will not be a repeat of the lol! only legal office I have done. I gather from the picture submitted you all prefer more contemporary pieces.

Truly, decor is meant to make your clients feel at ease and in the hands of an excellent professional.

I must beg pardon of the excellent looks shown above — really fantastic!

However, and I say this gently —

An attorney’s office is NOT a medical facility or a gym. Clients do not check in or sign a waiting room form. No standing desks.

Multiple activities and parties are involved, sometimes for very long hours, and sometimes months or more duration in time commitment. While your office cannot resemble a den or living room, it MUST have some elements as familiar and relaxing. TOO contemporary can make people feel like just another number, and too formal? While better to be overdressed than underdressed lol! this is not an appropriate decor philosophy for any public service sector. Too new, or all new, creates discomfort! No interior should make guest or, in this case, a client, start calculating the cost of the decor, or mentally redecorate the area!

In short, a few antiques Are Required, but No Persian Rugs Allowed 🙂

Working late here, so list to follow!

Truly! ❤️

Recommended Decor, Furniture PRINT ME ❤️

Furniture in Matching Style (means legs match)

Professional Furniture, ANTIQUE LOOK

Small Desk and Professional Chair

(Attorney Desk and Professional Chair for Inner Office, to match)

Seat Fabric may be leather or suede

Client Seating

3 medium chairs OR

1 medium size chair and 1 slightly larger armless (called Parson-style) chair if clients have mobility issues and require a wheelchair or walker OR

2 large chairs with stacked chairs VISIBLE

Coffee Table, Rectangular or Oval

Client Mobility Notes

Clients with mobility issues may find it easiest to push a walker or chair in a straight line rather than make multiple pivots transferring to a chair, so a rectangle or oval coffee shape is recommended, as well as small wheels.

I truly prefer the wider Parson slipper chairs to chairs with arm rests, this serves elderly and family clients much better.

No wheels on chair legs.

Bureau or Medium Height Cabinet, ANTIQUE LOOK

Notes

The easiest way to achieve this look:

Preferable if all service surfaces match in shape and proportion (desk and bureau/cabinet countertop). The exception may be the coffee table, more on this in a moment!

The easiest way to achieve a cohesive effect is matching leg styles. Square, curved curved, cabriole, or needle (triangle shaped, these are called pin legs when you go to a dealer).

Make sure, at the least, the coffee table and all chairs have matching leg styles.

A dining room set, altered, is the simplest way, for multiple seating — pull off the legs and add a narrower rectangle top to make the greeting desk, and make sure the serving bureau has the same shape and finish as the greeting desk.

The coffee table, while having the same style legs, may be a different material — iron work with a glass top, even a coordinating color!

Not recommended the surface match the greeting desk or serving bureau!

No rolling office chairs!

Service Bureau Notes

Preference here is a cabinet with one shelf open, but a bureau with a created shelf above will do. Surface serves beverage makers, yes lol! right there in the lobby! Two even — coffee and decaf. Shelf above may hold the golden 3 of great decor - plant picture plant, or lamp picture lamp. Oh yes! Placement! Next post! ❤️

I think I got carried away. What's your budget??

Wow I love this!!! My budget is $3-5k. Hope that doesn’t ruin things 😝

Hi there AP and Co.! Apologies in advance lol! Away from tech and tools atm but still somewhat in civilization — have phone, will travel! Following are floor plans, really scribbles!

The last few have 2/3 wall height partitions. As a decorator, I do not plan structural alterations to architecture in the manner of interior designers, but do advise the use of temp. screens or rolling partition walls.

Recommend #7 especially! Here’s why: Attorneys have opposing the opposing party in office occasionally — think neutral territory in those service bureaus! Seating for 4 may be necessary, so some of the client seating is small couches, loveseat-size — but again! Parson’s slipper chairs!

Cutting up the rug was soooo much fun lol. Try it! May be a keeper! No? Nautical Theme ❤️

Accessories include a few plant pots with perhaps bright geraniums, double entrance umbrella stands, and if you like the leather look, find a leather look desk blotter and put matching leather look trays with coasters on the coffee tables.

A few secret weapons in decor for professional spaces — six sided mini-console cabinets! Brass studs bring together mismatched chairs! Big Chinoiserie Lamps, one in EVERY ROOM (just one) oh and (get these from thrift if no relative is handy to volunteer one)! Chrome Yellow looks great in any professional office, as do Matisse abstract prints. And, last but not least, crayons and cough drops in the service bureau lol!

The moral of the Thrift Story: No One Knows What All This Cost. Vintage says: My (Your, His, Someone’s) Grandmother Loves Me and Gave Me This Giant Lamp. THAT is the look you wish to achieve lol ❤️

And with a coat of black or white high gloss, only the Salvation Army (Goodwill) Knows (yes, furnishings, less than $1000 thrift lol!). If you want a set, same set in every room — CONTACT A DECORATOR, explain the budget, ask for advice!

Your cost may come in slipcovers, paint jobs and a new rug, but never ever spend highly on vintage/new/antiques. This furniture will be destroyed in two years, no matter what you spent. A layered, collected look is best for high end professional offices. lol lol I recommend Queen Anne with cabriole —- must stop typing or may pass out!

AP, JUST HAVE FUN! The practice will grow and change, as will the office! So will your ideas about what’s best for your clients and employees! Budgets FORCE you into great ideas, let it happen! No office should ever spend over $2000 on non-tech. And very best of luck in your new design adventure! ❤️ EK

p.s. Round Conference tables are terrible. ALSO: if it all gets to be too much, Google Dorothy Draper, Decorating is Fun! Laugh very hard at the time warp, and then read it all again 🙂

Not sure it is posting photies — i went too high volumes so just a few ideas ! ❤️

Last and Lucky? Good Luck! ❤️

Wow thank you!

When are you going to start making changes A P?

Lots of suggestions and I'm sure folks would like to see your progress.

So far all we’ve done is swap out the chairs! I’ll post a picture this afternoon. The hard part is finding a desk in budget that looks nice. We are ordering a small rug too for just the sitting area (was in some photo suggestions)- I’ll post a pic as soon as it’s in place!

Lol! You’re welcome! On vacation, oficially away from tech, rusty sketcher! hope something here made sense! I posted MUCH looool. I just cannot not work, so I sneak on here lol! All or none of this may be of use!

For those reading all my volumes, who might be looking for ideas for a first professional office design job, now, don’t try to do a big medical office for $2000 lol! I live in a historical register town, our vintage stores are truly surreal, nearly wholesale. They cannot move stock fast enough, and we get there at open!

Go ahead with mid-century modern or an Ethan Allan Office look as budget permits. While geometric prints imply modern/contemporary/Science for medical, just say no!

I may have been a little harsh about the new faded Persian looks as far as office or lobby use. They are simply gorgeous, and pair with batik in a magical, all-Orient way, but — well, i will likely fall at some point lol!

AP I ❤️your enthusiasm and The Stripes! Truly, if you get stuck, call a decorator (in a pinch, take your floor plan to the best furniture store in your area) or interior designer and ask if they could do a consultation for $250. Caveat: Interior designers WILL insist you make additional physical structural additions and likely wire you for theatre lighting (sorry, IDs, you know you will do this!) but they will have valuable ideas should you stay in this location and need to make bigger changes at some point!

A few things to remember before i sneak back out (I ❤️Houzz! A weee bit of professional conflict of interest for me to be on here so…anonymous it is lol lol):

Choose a hero color, neutral (can be in wood or metal tone), and go 70/20/10 with color scheme.

Divide the space vertically into 3 planes, top, mid, knee-floor, and match heights on each.

Matching chair legs, no exceptions!

HIGH GLOSS is your best friend, and HIGH CONTRAST WORKS in professional settings! lolol tip: Do not take too much high gloss into your home, or try high contrast there, either. These are looks for work ❤️

And no more than 5 lamps in the lobby 🙂

Did it again!

Oh no, gotta goooo!

AP please post pics sometime this year of whatever you do, if you like! Now we really wanna see!

EVERYONE HAVE A GORGEOUS SUMMER ❤️

Hello! Any updates?

We got rid of the credenza and are shopping for a desk now!!

Hello! Any updates?

We ordered the desk but it hasn’t come yet! Should be here by the end of the month!

Ok it’s not perfect but here we go!!

Much better!

That desk makes a huge difference!

Big improvement. I don’t like how the tables are crammed with books/magazines. Maybe consider something to hold the books and magazines on or along the wall?

Already a world of difference! New desk, plus new rug and chairs! Thanks for sharing, it is looking good in there!

Where did you get that desk?

Custom from a local commercial supplier!