Sneak in some meeting space

“Where are we meeting?” It’s a question you hear over and over again at work, in offices both big and small. No matter how how your offices are set up, it seems like there’s always a need for more meeting space. But you can’t make room for extra conference rooms just magically appear. And no one likes an impromptu stand up hallway meeting. It makes it really hard to take notes. So what do you do? It’s a question we recently had to ask ourselves when we were planning our new offices. We came up with some clever ways to sneak in some extra meeting space that might just work for you.

Lateral files and worksurface by Maxon. Toby chairs by Indiana Furniture

Rework what you have

Our sales team hosts a lot of meetings, so we wanted to be sure that they had a meeting space of their own. Unfortunately, by the time we put in their cubicles, desks, library bookcases, and files, we weren’t left with much room. There wasn’t space for even a small conference table. What we did have was two lateral files in the center of the common area. So rather than leave them as dead space, we added a work surface, support legs, and a couple of bar stools. Now instead of a dumping ground for paper piles, we have a perfect drop-in meeting area. And it only added a few feet to the overall footprint.

Lilly Lounge chairs by 9 to 5 Seating. Jot table by Indiana Furniture

Use your corners

Every office has one – the awkward empty corner where nothing really fits. Too small for a desk. Too visible to be home for the supply cabinet or files. We had a spot just like that. It wasn’t big enough for any major furniture and we didn’t want to block off a window. Why not use the space to create a little meeting nook? Drop in a couple of chairs and an occasional table and you have a spot tailor-made for talking with visitors or catching up with team members. Expert tip: take advantage of any available window areas. Natural light helps boost focus and concentration, so you might actually finish a meeting on time for once.

Launch a pop up

We said earlier that you can’t just build a room but actually, you kind of can. With open plan offices becoming more common, many furniture manufacturers have come up their versions of a “privacy pod.” From ultra-high-backed seating to free standing paneled pods, there are options for any space. Their modular designs means you can build something that fits your exact needs. Many styles pop together with no tools and their acoustic panels excel at muffling sound. That means you will hear less of what’s going on outside. What more could you need?

If you’re feeling inspired by any of these ideas, contact your account executive today. They’ll be happy to talk to you about your meeting space needs. Or, if you’ve had one too many meetings today and just can’t face talking to anyone else, fill out our online furniture project form. You’ll get the same friendly help, no talking needed. At least for now.