Adding a reception desk to your office affects the look of your waiting room. It adds sophistication and an air of appeal to your business. However, this change also affects your budget.

There are numerous factors to consider when determining how much the desk will cost. Before you start looking for a specific reception desk, you should check the average reception desks pricing and costs for models you like. Consider the following suggestions when preparing your budget:

1. Determine the cost of the reception desk itself.

2. Figure out the cost of adding necessary upgrades to the reception desk.

3. Add the cost of a quality chair into the budget.

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Include the cost of the reception desk

The majority of the budget you set for the reception desk is going to go toward the actual desk. There are numerous factors that affect reception desks pricing and costs. The style of the desk and the finish you choose will affect the base cost of the desk. Generally, wooden reception desks are more expensive than metal desks, and a straight line reception desk is less expensive than a curved desk.

I recommend: Everything Furniture sells various office reception desks starting at around $3,000 for solid wood desks. You can find modern reception desks, contemporary reception desks and traditional reception desks at this company. This company offers numerous upgrades and styles to make it easy to find the best desk for your needs. StudentMarket.com has reception desks for sale starting at around $1,400. Some of these are small reception desks, and others are larger. This company offers free shipping on some of the reception desks they sell.

Factor in the cost of adding upgrades to the reception desk

Upgrades to reception desks, including locks, storage options and keyboard trays will add to the amount you have to pay. As such, it is important to take stock of what features you truly need. For example, locks on a reception desk that is purely for show may not be necessary. However, a reception desk at a medical facility may need locks, especially if a list of patients is kept there.

I recommend: Arnold Reception Desks sells custom reception desks. This company offers numerous upgrades and options for your reception desk. Some of these, such as under desk storage options that cost $1,100 and up. Design X Manufacturing offers various upgrades to the reception desks it sells. A cash register cut out adds around $90 to your total. Locks start at around $45. You can add a keyboard tray for just over $200.

Remember to add the cost of chairs into the reception desk budget

Your receptionist will need to sit down. While it probably isn't necessary to buy the most expensive chairs you can find, you should make sure to invest in a quality chair. If you have more than one receptionist or if your business deals with sick people, you should consider investing in an antimicrobial chair.

I recommend: Modern Office has a varied selection of chairs for receptionist desks. Antimicrobial chairs, which are ideal for hospitals and businesses with more than one receptionist, start at around $300 per chair. This company offers free shipping on most items it sells. Hertz Furniture offers a good selection of office chairs that will match almost any receptionist desk. Multitask chairs are priced from around $130 to $700, depending on the style, fabric and options chosen. Free shipping is offered on certain items.

The first thing people see when they walk into an office is the reception desk. The look and style of this desk gives your clients their first impressions of your business. Match the desk to the image your company wants to portray.

Find reception desks for sale by going to local office furniture stores first. If you can't find anything that way, you can most assuredly find something you like on the Internet. Here are some things to think about before making your purchase:

1. Put a small reception desk in your office if you don't have a lot of space. You don't want the desk to overpower the room.

2. Bring a contemporary look to your lobby by installing modern reception desks. Some of these desks are modular and you can put two or more desks together to create a bigger work space.

3. Showcase your professional abilities by using a really nice reception desk. This will give your office a luxurious atmosphere.

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Buy a small reception desk to avoid cluttering your lobby

Some offices just don't have the space for a huge reception desk, but your customers can still be taken care of in style if you buy a small, elegant desk for your receptionist.

I recommend: Maximize space with the L-shaped reception desk from School Outfitters. JTE SYSTEM Co. offers two different small reception desks.

Show off your style by using modern reception desks

If your office is very forward-thinking and innovative, a modern reception desk will give off that attitude. New designs include incongruous shapes accented with metal or glass.

I recommend: Install any of the metal and wood Xeno reception desks from Topdeq. StrongProject has a wide selection of contemporary desks for you to choose from.

Class it up with high-end receptionist desks

Upscale professionals, like lawyers or architects, can afford to furnish their office with expensive and luxurious things. If a potential client was to walk into your office and see a tiny wooden desk that's falling apart, they'll wonder why you can't afford a nice desk for your receptionist. That might make them rethink your professional abilities and, of course, you don't want that to happen.

I recommend: Give an air of sophistication with a wood and glass reception desk from 247 Workspace. Choose the top finish and the body finish on the wood reception desks at Office Furniture Concepts.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If you absolutely cannot find any office reception desks that portray your style and fit your needs, try finding a company that makes custom reception desks. You just give the sales rep your measurements and tell them what kind of atmosphere you want to create for your clients and they'll draw up a prototype for your approval.

A reception desk adds a certain level of professionalism to an office. That is, as long as it fits in with the overall decor of the office and it is kept neat and clean.

There are a myriad of options available for reception desks. While many of these options add functionality to the desk, others are simply aesthetic. Sorting through the various reception desks types and styles to find one that works for you may seem daunting. Consider these suggestions to make your search easier:

1. Consider straight front reception desks if you are limited on space.

2. Think about purchasing a curved reception desk to add depth and style to your office.

3. Look into buying an L-shaped reception desk if it needs to be placed in a corner of the room.

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Make the most of the space available by choosing a straight reception desk

A straight reception desk, which is sometimes called a parallel reception desk, is ideal for businesses with limited waiting room space. Unlike curved or L-shaped desks, these desks only require a small amount of space behind the desk to accommodate a chair.

I recommend: Office Furniture Concepts sells straight, or parallel, reception desks. This company offers free shipping on many of the desks it sells. CSN Office Furniture sells a varied selection of straight front reception desks. This company offers numerous upgrade options and design modifications to help you make your reception desk work for your office.

Add depth to the reception area with a curved reception desk

If you have ample room in your reception area or if you need a reception desk to place in the middle of a large room, consider purchasing a curved reception desk. Some of these desks have a slight curve to them and others are almost a complete circle. An added bonus of these is that they make your receptionist appear available from any area in the room, which is ideal if you have multiple entrances.

I recommend: Arnold Reception Desks offers a varied selection of office reception desks, including custom reception desks and modern reception desks. This company offers numerous options to enable you to customize your receptionist desk. Executive Desk Company sells various styles of curved reception desks, including slight curve and full circle models. While these aren't cheap reception desks, they are quality reception desks. This company offers free shipping on most desks, as long as the delivery location meets certain requirements.

Increase functionality with an L-shaped reception desk

An L-shaped reception desk is ideal if your receptionist will be situated in a corner. These desks make her accessible from two sides. Functionality is increased because she can have one side of the desk for her computer and the other side can be used to place important papers or other items, including the phone.

I recommend: StudentMarket.com has a varied selection of L-shaped reception desks for sale. This company offers free shipping on some items. Everything Furniture offers numerous L-shaped receptionist desks, including desks with left or right arm extension options.

If you are in the market for a reception desk, there are many features to consider. One basic need is to get one that is the right size. You also might want to look for a style that reflects your office and your business.

When considering individual features, it's good to know the names of some common features. Reception desks may be wood or medium density fiberboard. They also may have a scuff guard, wiring grommets, a keyboard tray and a computer caddy.

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Medium density fiberboard

Medium density fiberboard, usually called MDF, is a type of manufactured wood that manufacturers often use to make office furniture, including reception desks. It's popular because it's usually inexpensive and durable. Companies can make it from recycled materials. Usually it comes painted or covered with a veneer when used to make desks and other furniture.

I recommend: At Ergo In Demand, you can read about the benefits of furniture made from MDF.

Dovetail joints

A dovetail joint is a way to join two pieces of wood to form a corner, such as the corner of a desk or drawer. Look for reception desks with drawers that have dovetail joints if you want strong, durable drawers.

I recommend: Check out a list of wood working terms and their definitions, including dovetail joint, at Royalton Millwork and Design.

Wiring grommets

Wiring grommets are a form of wire management that allows a computer cable, or perhaps several cables, to pass neatly through the desktop or other flat surface on a desk. This is a way to have a computer underneath the desk with accessories such as a monitor on the desktop.

I recommend: Look at examples of wire management grommets at Closet Masters.

Keyboard trays or keyboard drawers

A keyboard tray or drawer is a shelf, usually below the desktop, that holds the computer keyboard and sometimes the mouse. A keyboard tray is an important feature for a reception desk that will hold a computer, so that the keyboard can stay out of the way when not in use but be at the right height when needed.

I recommend: Find examples of keyboard trays and keyboard drawers at Fentek Industries.

Computer caddy

If your reception desk holds a computer, a computer caddy can make it accessible, yet out of the way and off the ground. Some computer caddies come built into the desk, and others are a separate piece.

I recommend: Check out an example of a rolling computer caddy at Everything Furniture.