The lobby is one of the most important parts of a building. After all, it’s the very first thing that visitors, employees, and potential customers will be seeing and experiencing once they enter the building itself. Once people enter the foyer, they’ll be automatically forming their first impressions on the property—and by extension, their opinion on the occupants as well. It’s in your best interest, then, to make sure that this first impression is a positive one. To help you get started with achieving this goal, here are some steps you can take to create an impressive building lobby.

Before you start on the beautiful features, don’t forget that the basis for a beautiful lobby is a secure and sturdy structure. Check the foundation and roof with a company, such as commercial roofing companies Denver. Then let the beautification begin!

Add an indoor water feature

When it comes to killer decorative elements or fixtures guaranteed to bowl over any visitor or customer, nothing gets the job done better than a water feature, such as a grand indoor floor fountain. It’s the ultimate in opulent decorating: a literal work of art that’s pumping water up and down upon itself all for the purpose of making an environment look more appealing. If you want your lobby to impress visitors the very moment they step through the front door, a water fountain is just what you need.

Fix the lighting

Lighting will always be an integral factor in how a space will look and feel like. While harsh overhead fluorescents may be the weapon of choice when it comes to keeping salarymen alert and productive in offices, they can make a building lobby feel unwelcome and cheap. To prevent this, simply replace your fluorescents with warmer and softer light sources, such as amber-colored LED lights. You can also dial down your current lighting system and then supplement with accent lighting fixtures like wall sconces, recessed lights, and chandeliers. The key here is to keep things easy on the eyes while also providing enough illumination.

Invest in proper signage

Depending on the foot traffic that’s going into and coming from your building, you might need to invest in proper and legible signs to direct first-time visitors and employees to where they want to go. Nothing sours a visitor to a new building faster than having to ask around inside it for directions, especially during emergencies. Adequate signage is therefore important and should not be ignored. A good standard to aim for is for a new visitor to be able to navigate your building without having to ask for help from your staff.

Invest in proper quality furniture and décor

Yes, you can cut a few corners and save a hefty amount by only getting cheap, plastic furniture and the bare minimum in décor, but your lobby will be anything but impressive when your visitors come calling. This will not only make you seem uncaring in the eyes of your ownemployees, it could also make you fail in terms of making a good impression on potential customers and business partners. Just like with lighting, make sure to spring for quality furniture and décor.

Study and remove bottlenecks

Study the foot traffic within your building lobby for a while. Do you see any pathways or corridors that tend to become choked with people during certain times of the day? If so, then you should take the time to remove them ASAP, whether by demolition, some clever rerouting, or just providing people an alternative path to take. This lets your visitors know that you’ve thought of practically everything at this point while also ensuring that any newcomer will not be put off by any huge commotion taking place inside your building lobby. Besides that, it also helps your lobby look a bit more organized and simpler.

Deciding on how to build an impressive lobby may be tough, but with these five steps, you’ll be sure to have an easier time doing so. Just remember that if you ever run into trouble or find yourself at a loss when it comes to designing your new lobby, do not hesitate in getting professionals involved, especially before you start construction. With any luck, they’ll not only be able to help you realize your initial ideas, they’ll also be able to suggest better and much more effective ways of pulling off what you want to happen.

Brought to you by our friends at kineticfountains.com.