Commercial Sound and Video Systems
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Published: Oct 18, 2022

The Ultimate Conference Room Setup Guide

You’ve got a conference room, and it’s ready for business. But is it ready for you?

The conference room is one of the most important places in any office – it’s where you hold meetings, conduct presentations, and work with clients and colleagues. But if your conference room is not set up correctly, it can be a distraction—and even a deterrent—to everyone who uses it. 

Whether for a meeting or a call, having a proper conference room setup is key to making the most of your, your employee’s, and your clients’ time and productivity. 

We’ve created this guide to help you create the ultimate setup for your conference or meeting room. We’ll walk you through everything from the best seating options to ideal lighting, temperature, and technology requirements. You don’t have to be an expert to make your office space more comfortable and functional — follow these tips and tricks instead!

Meeting Rooms and Conference Rooms: What’s the Difference?

Before we begin, you should know the difference between a meeting room and a conference room. A meeting room is meant for small groups of people who will only be in the room for a short time, and a conference room is for larger groups who may also be there for several hours at a time. Whether you have a meeting room, a conference room, or both, ensuring that it is set up professionally is vital for business success.

What Do I Need to Set Up My Conference Room?

The best conference room setup includes all the right furniture, technology, and supplies to make every meeting a success. But if you’re starting from scratch or are looking to upgrade your existing space, it can be challenging to know what exactly you need.

Before you start, it’s essential to think about what you’re trying to do with your conference room. Is it for meetings? Training sessions? Video conferencing? Or something else entirely? Once you’ve determined your goals, it’s time to get down to business. Here are some things that you’ll need and some considerations to make to get started:

Room Space

Room space is one of the most critical elements in a conference room, and the space must be large enough for all your guests without feeling cramped or crowded. You can use dividers or other furniture items to section off different areas within the room if needed. You can also arrange chairs and furniture in patterns such as u-shapes, traditional “classroom” setups, or square setups to make the most of your space.

Conference Table

If you plan on hosting large groups, you might consider purchasing a conference table. A conference table is typically meant for seating at least six people comfortably but can hold more if necessary. If possible, choose one with built-in power outlets in each seat so that attendees can keep their devices charged throughout the day if needed. 

Chairs

Chairs are the most fundamental piece of equipment you’ll need for your conference room. The perfect conference chair should be comfortable, ergonomic, and stylish. You’ll want to consider the number of people using the chair and how long they’ll be using it when selecting your chairs. If you have a large conference table or have many people who will be sitting at the conference table for long periods, you’ll probably want to invest in more expensive chairs with more padding and support. If you only have a few people in attendance of meetings that won’t last longer than an hour, then less costly chairs might be sufficient.

Lighting

You want the lighting in your conference room to be bright enough so that everyone can see each other well but not too bright so that it causes glare on the screen or camera lens. If possible, avoid having windows behind participants as they may cause reflections on screens or cameras due to sunlight shining through them; if this is unavoidable, make sure windows are covered with curtains or blinds.

Comfort 

Next, you’ll want to control the climate in your conference room. This includes temperature control and air quality, which can affect how comfortable people feel while meeting with others.

How Do I Create a Professional Conference Room?

If you’re rethinking the setup of your conference room, here are some tips on how to make it look professional and ready for business.

The first step in creating a professional conference room setup is removing clutter. Clutter can distract people from the purpose of their meeting, so it’s important to eliminate it by making sure that any wires or cords are out of sight. You may also want to invest in cable management solutions such as cable raceways and wire covers to keep wires out of sight and organized.

Make sure there is plenty of space between the seats so that people do not feel cramped when sitting down during meetings. This also helps them avoid bumping into one another when they’re moving around during meetings or getting up to grab something from another part of the room.

Consider adding seating options outside of chairs such as couches or bean bag chairs if necessary for certain meetings like brainstorming sessions where brainstorming happens.

Finally, you’ll need to choose the right technology for your conference rooms, especially if you plan on utilizing video conferencing.

Video Conferencing Basic Requirements

conference room setup

Video conferencing is more than just sharing a PowerPoint presentation. It’s an excellent way for your team to interact and collaborate, no matter where they are. You must have the right equipment and a good setup for a successful video conference. Your attendees will be able to see and hear you, but if the quality of their experience is poor, they might not be able to follow along.  

But if you’re new to video conferencing, it can be hard to know where to start. Here are a few tips to help you set up your office for success in video conferencing.

What Kind of Equipment Do I Need?

There’s no single answer here — it depends on your company’s needs — but we recommend starting with the following:

A High-Quality Camera

First and foremost, you’ll need a high-quality camera. This will ensure that the people you’re speaking with can see you and vice versa. The higher the camera’s resolution, the better quality your video will be. Make sure that the camera points directly at you so that when others look at it, they can see you without having to strain their necks or move around too much to get an optimal angle on what they’re seeing.

High Definition Monitors or Displays

Having a clean, high quality display or multiple displays within your conference space is critical to carrying out video conferencing meetings. Whether it is projection system, monitors, ceiling retreating monitors, or video walls – these types of displays support your meeting and are imperative to ensuring you have a successful presentation during your conference meeting. 

Microphone and Speakers 

Audio is just as important as video when it comes to video conferencing. For conference rooms that are smaller in size, a sound bar or video bar may be the right solution for you, as some computers have built-in microphones, but they aren’t always high quality. For medium size or large conference rooms and boardrooms, having ceiling mounted microphones and speakers may be more appropriate to ensure better sound coverage. It is essential to make sure your chosen system has clear audio so participants can hear each other.

High-Speed Internet Connection 

Video conference calls can take up a lot of bandwidth, so your internet connection must be capable of handling large loads without any issues. If your connection is slow or unreliable, it could cause problems during your call. You’ll need a computer or laptop connected to the internet via Wi-Fi or Ethernet cable. With this connection in place, you can use any of your favorite video conferencing applications to create a meeting room that anyone worldwide can join.

Set Up Your Conference Room with Professional AV Solutions

As you can see, there are many different options for conference rooms—and that’s okay! You don’t have to pick just one. Ensuring you have the right equipment can enhance your meetings and make them more productive.

With the proper setup and AV integration you can ensure that everyone in the room hears and sees what’s being said and that you can connect with remote employees and clients.

And if you’re looking for professional AV installation company for your workplace or guidance on where to begin, we have a whole team that can help you! 

Click here to receive a Free Systems Analysis or give us a call today to learn how we can help you achieve a professional conference room setup with professional AV solutions: 732-577-0077.

Category(s): Tech Tips Video Conferencing Systems

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