Your reception area is your firm's first opportunity to make your clients feel confident in their choice of attorneys, as well as welcome and comfortable. That's why you should take advantage of feng shui, the ancient art of balancing energies in a space, to ensure it reflects your firm's personality, integrity, and value.
Contemplate what you want to convey, and then follow these common-sense rules of good feng shui:
- Post signage in the hallway and on the door. Make your name clear and easy to read. If other law firms occupy the building, include your specialty in the signage.
- Say “Welcome,” whether on a doormat or a small sign on the reception desk, especially if a receptionist is not always present.
- Choose a reception desk with a defined front to stop energy flowing from the doorway, and to create a boundary between public and private areas. Your receptionist’s feet, briefcase, and similar items should not be visible to clients entering the office.
- Have a coat rack or closet available, especially in cold climates.
- Offer comfortable seating with all of your clients in mind-provide children’s seating and a small play area for a family law firm, or sturdy chairs with armrests if you routinely work with seniors.
- Supply current, topical reading material.
- Add healthy live plants to soften corners, and supply oxygen, energy and life.
- Display awards or commendations.
- If your building allows, include a small fountain with a soft gurgle. An aquarium works well. A water element will relax and focus waiting clients, but keep it fastidiously clean.
- Add a rug to hardwood or tile floors to dampen sound, warm the space, and slow energy. This also relaxes waiting clients.
- Keep the space well organized and uncluttered. A tidy space will telegraph your work ethic.
- Tell your firm’s story with décor, paint, furniture, and accessories. An environmental law firm might create an accent wall with a mural of a rainforest, and furnish their space with bamboo tables and chairs. A firm specializing in business law might feature a Wall of Fame with photos of clients’ products and services.
By using feng shui to create a reception area that expresses who you are and the value you provide, you'll make a meaningful first impression.
About the author
Lorrie Webb Grillo is a Certified Practitioner of Essential Feng Shui® and owner of Thriving Spaces Feng Shui. Her practice includes residential and business feng shui consultation, as well as teaching workshops and writing on feng shui.