Law firm reception graphics
The person in your reception might be closing a deal, or might be there because a marriage has ended. Whatever you print has to sit comfortably with both.
Think about who is waiting.
A commercial practice in a tower and a high-street firm handling conveyancing, family and crime do not have the same reception. One is selling reassurance to a board. The other is receiving someone on a difficult day, perhaps with children. Decide who your most vulnerable visitor is, then design for them. Anyone else will be perfectly comfortable with that too.
Privacy comes before style
Glass-fronted meeting rooms look modern, and they also let a waiting client see who is sitting with whom. Frosted film across seated head height fixes that. Include the band in the design, with your name or a pattern cut from it, and it looks intentional. Check sight lines from the street as well, particularly on the ground floor, where a passer-by might read a screen or recognise a client. See frosted film or printed window vinyl for the options.
Names change, so plan for it
Partners retire, firms merge, and a name in the reception can be out of date within a year or two. Keep a firm's main name in the permanent piece, and put individual names on separate plates that can be replaced singly. Do not put anyone's name into a large single print unless the partnership is prepared to pay to replace it.
Choosing a finish
| Finish | Impression | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Cut vinyl on a painted wall | Clean, understated, and inexpensive to change | Wall must be smooth and sound |
| Print face-mounted on Perspex | Deep, polished and clearly premium | Reflections from windows and scratches from bags |
| Metallic silver print | Subtle sheen, good for a logo or a pattern | Changes with the light, so look at a sample |
| Print on 3mm Dibond | Flat, solid and quietly modern | Needs proper fixings |
| Fabric or canvas art | Softer, warmer room | Dust, and less crisp for text |
Art for the waiting room
Choose subjects that will not take sides. Abstract work, architecture and local landscapes are safe, and they tend to age well. Photographs of your own building or street can work well. Avoid family scenes in a practice that handles divorce, and any image that hints at conflict or winning.
Clichés to skip
Scales, pillars and books say nothing about you. The judge's gavel is a particular pitfall in England and Wales, since courts here do not use one, and a lawyer's eye will catch it on your wall.
Check the words
A reception sign is still a public statement about your firm. If you add a strapline, an award or a claim about your expertise, ask your compliance lead to check it against your regulator's rules on publicity. Any regulatory wording your firm is required to show is also theirs to confirm. Keep it simple, and let your reception graphics do the quiet work.
Restrained finishes.
Your questions.
Can you match our logo colour exactly?
Cut vinyl is available in Pantone colours. Send your brand guidelines and we will find the nearest match, and ask about a sample if colour is critical.
Can graphics be installed out of hours?
Fitting arrangements are agreed in your quote. Tell us what suits your building and your client diary.
Can we show historic photographs of the firm?
Yes, and they can look very good. Old prints and negatives can be scanned at high resolution, and we can talk you through the best way to handle originals.