Furniture Showrooms

With all the wonders that the internet brings, it's easy to forget that it can have some drawbacks too! Buying your office furniture on the internet can save a lot of time and hassle, but it does mean that it's not always easy to see/try things before you buy them. Whilst we find that a lot of people quite like this approach, it can cause a bit of a stumbling block for others who want to get a proper feel for the furniture before buying.

We have a selection of showrooms that give you the opportunity to get 'hands on' with your options, to get a feel for the style and quality of the available ranges. Whilst we'll always give you honest and genuine feedback about the quality of the options that we have available (because it does fluctuate between various ranges), and the guarantees are also a useful indication, it always helps to see them for yourself to make your own judgement.

In our experience, the most
important furniture to sample before you buy is a chair. Whilst we can always advise you about what we think are the best options (and be right more often than not!), seating is a very personal thing for each user. In our sales office in Northampton we all have different operator chairs - and none of us agree about which is most comfortable! Generally, it's quite a safe bet to go for a chair with a range of adjustable options which will give you the flexibility to mould the chair to your needs - although if you do get the opportunity to have a sit on a few options then we would always recommend taking advantage of that.

We have a selection of manufacturer showrooms available across the country, or for a more broad experience you can visit our head office in Duston Village, Northampton. We have a selection of our most popular ranges of desks, seating, screens, modular tables, storage and receptions, which can give you a more broad overview of some of your options. All you have to do is g nive us a call to let us know when you're dropping in, and we can make sure that someone's available to help you, and that our desks are tidy too!

Whilst we appreciate that it's not always possible, we do recommend having a look around some sort of showroom if you get the chance. This way you'll have a better understanding of your options beyond the product pictures, and you'll be able to make the best judgement for your office.

How to Choose the Right Reception Furniture

Circular 'Receptiv' Reception

Everybody knows how important a the right reception can be for a business, but knowing how to achieve it is something entirely different and more complex. We've put together this handy guide, which should help you to narrow down your choices and make sure you're looking for the right sort of reception for you and your office. Of course we're always on hand to help and advise you, but these useful tips should help you to stay ahead of the game!

• First of all, you need to establish how the reception is going to be used. For instance is it an operational workstation that needs lots of desk space and storage, or will it serve exclusively as a greeting point? This will also make a difference to the height that's required: a working reception will need to allow users to be seated, whereas a more basic greeting point would probably be better suited to a standing height reception. 

• You also need to consider the size of reception that you can use. It's very important to make sure that your reception is large enough to be the central focal point of your space, but likewise you also need to be sure that it's not over powering your reception space. We have a free space planning and design service that can help you make the most of your reception area. 

The Foro Reception

• The finishes of the reception are also essential for sending the right message. We have a huge variety of finishes available, from MFC wood finishes, to a modern and very popular white and a selection of bright and vibrant colours. These allow you to customise your reception to complement your space and ethos of your business. We also have some fantastic real wood veneers available if you want to show more than just a finish. These exude quality, and make a real statement of intent about your business. 

• The customer/guest facing nature of receptions mean that you need to factor in things such as top boxes and shelves to make sure your reception desk is as welcoming as possible. We often recommend using top boxes to allow the user some privacy when working (and to potentially hide away any messy paperwork!), with glass shelves positioned to guide guests to the best part of the reception to be served from. 

The MDD Reception



• The shape of the reception is also integral to the style you want to create. Traditionally designed receptions generally have two basic options - curves or straight lines. Large sweeping curves can look very effective in a bigger reception area, whilst compact and tight corners can make the best use of a smaller area. More modern designs are also available if you want to create something really special. Our most popular range for this style are the EMDD receptions, which has some really exciting designs available to catch everybody's eye. 

• Bear in mind that an effective reception area doesn't just require an eye catching reception desk - complementary seating is essential for making customers feel welcome and at home. We have a huge range of reception and breakout seating available, most of which can be upholstered in your choice of fabric to match the exact style you need. Complete your perfect reception area with matching seating, coffee tables and even plants to welcome all guests to your office in style!

Squared 'Receptiv' Reception

First impressions are crucial, and you only get one chance to make them, so be sure that your reception is sending out the right messages! We'd love to help you create the perfect reception space, so whether you've seen some ideas that you like, or you'd like us to create a package for you, then just let us know and we'll show you what's out there to help you 'wow' your guests. 

How to Choose a Chair: Top Tips

We all know how important it is to have the right office chair, and it's such a unique and personal purchase for each user that it can become a bit of a minefield. Everybody is different, and as such will have a very different criteria for what they need from their chair. We know it's not possible for everyone to try every chair on offer, so we've put together some 'top tips' that you can follow to make sure you're getting the best chair for you and your office!

1. Know the sort of style you want. Whilst we're always happy to advise you on your options, there's such a huge variety of styles available that we do need some guidance on where best to start looking for you - whether you want a mesh chair, a high back chair, an executive chair, a leather chair or anything else, just let us know.
2. Take advantage of made to order ranges. Many of our ranges are made to order, so if you're looking at any of these options then make sure you make the most of the chance to personalise the chairs. You can choose from a range of different fabrics, often at no extra cost, to bring vibrant or corporate colours into your office.
3. If you need lots of chairs for lots of different users then you'll probably need some adjustable options to maximise everybody's comfort. Optional extras such as adjustable arms, lumbar pumps, seat slides etc. allow each user to customise the chair for their own body shape, which is essential for keeping everybody comfortable. 
4. Consider any special requirements you may have. For example, does anybody in your office have back troubles, or are there any unique body shapes that need to be catered for? Whilst it can sometimes be a sensitive subject, we can accommodate people of any shapes and sizes. 
5. Consider matching ranges for meeting or canteen areas. Many of our office seating ranges have matching cantilever or four leg options for meeting rooms, offering you continuity throughout your office. 

Whilst it's important to consider all of these factors, we're also on hand to help guide you through any queries or issues that you might have concerning which chair might be best for you. We have such a huge variety of options available that we know there'll always be something to suit your needs, it's just a matter of narrowing your choices down to what's appropriate for you and your office.

Client Stories - MK Community Foundation

The Client
We were recently approached by the MK Community Foundation, a charitable organisation who provide meeting facilities and resources for the voluntary sector, to see if we could help them to renovate their offices in the heart of Milton Keynes. They have thirteen meeting rooms, two conference suites and an exhibition space, all of which needed to be refurbished.


The Brief
The client wanted to create a fresh, bright and flexible environment for their meeting spaces. It was really important that the furniture and interiors matched their vibrant corporate colours without being too overpowering. The meeting spaces had to be inspiring and innovative, as well as flexible to cater for the variety of different organisations that would be operating out of them.


The Process
We put together come CAD designs to show the client how various elements of their space could look, with various configurations and finish options available. Having assessed the ideas, it was unanimously decided that the furniture should be finished with a white MFC to maintain the light and open feel in the offices. Most of the tables also had flip-tops and castors to make them flexible and mobile. These were then complimented with a range of made to order seating - which was upholstered in a variety of pinks, purples, greens and blues to match in with MK Community Foundation's corporate colours.

We created a modular reception which continued the light and open theme: lots of storage meant that the area could be kept tidy and inviting, whilst the glass shelves made it feel welcoming and approachable.

The large conference rooms were filled with over 200 upholstered black chairs. These were contemporary chairs with a stylish sled base, as well as being lightweight and stackable to maintain the flexibility. Trolleys were manufactured to make them all easily transportable around the building, to create a truly malleable office space.

The Reaction
"Verve were a great choice for our organisation. They were very knowledgeable in helping us to select the right furniture for our needs, discussing options that suited our venue and our budget to provide exactly what we needed for a very competitive price The fitting service is also excellent and tailored to accommodate us and our working hours.
Everybody that has seen the new space, from clients to staff, have made comments on how fresh and light the facilities are, with many people saying it's a pleasure to hold meetings in rooms that are furnished to such high standards.
Since our initial order we have used Verve again and will continue to do so. We are very impressed with the whole service from start to finish." - Vanessa Bradley, MK Community Foundation