Collection

Reception & lobbies

Reception desks for lobbies and front-of-house, in U-shaped, L-shaped, and straight layouts. Transaction counters, lockable drawer storage, and height-adjustable models for seated and standing reception work. Built to order in Dallas and Los Angeles with thermally-fused laminate surfaces, free freight shipping, and the 15-Year Warranty.

Read our guides to the best salon reception desks of 2026 and reception desks with a transaction counter.

For the four L-shaped layouts side by side, including the one that ships in 2 to 3 business days, see our L-shaped reception desks.

19 products1 Ready-to-Ship

Buyer's FAQ

Reception desk questions, answered

What size reception desk do I need?

Start with the lobby, not the desk. Behind the desk you need room for the chair to pull out, and then a clear path past it: 36 inches is the federal accessible-route minimum, measured from the back of the chair in use rather than from the desk itself. In front, leave enough space that a person standing at the counter is not blocking the entry door, and 60 inches anywhere two people have to pass. A straight desk suits a narrow lobby, an L-shape gives a second work surface without extending across the room, and a U-shape gives the most storage and work surface but needs a genuinely open floor.

What is a transaction counter?

A raised section of the desk facing the visitor, set higher than the work surface behind it. It gives visitors somewhere to sign, set down a package, or rest a bag, and it screens the receptionist's monitor and paperwork from view. Several models here include one, in laminate or glass. Product pages state which.

Do you offer height-adjustable reception desks?

Yes. Several models in this collection are height-adjustable, so the work surface raises and lowers between seated and standing use. For front-of-house staff who are at the desk all day, this is the single most requested upgrade. The adjustment range is stated on each product page, and it refers to the work surface, not the transaction counter in front of it.

Is there lockable storage?

On most models. Reception is a public-facing desk with private material on it, so drawer locks matter more here than at a private desk. Product pages state the drawer configuration and whether the pedestal locks. If a specific model does not list a lock and you need one, get in touch before ordering.

How does a reception desk ship and arrive?

On a pallet, by freight, in a handful of large pieces. This is worth being specific about, because it is not how imported office furniture arrives. There is no box of screws, loose panels and printed instructions to build a desk from scratch. The sub-assemblies are already done at the factory, and what shows up is a small number of finished modules that connect to each other. A large U-shaped desk may take more than one pallet.

A few specifics for this collection. Stack-on transaction counters arrive as two pieces, and because they are two pieces the wood grain will not line up perfectly at the seam. Hang-on counters and glass counters come with their brackets and stand-off supports to be fitted on site. Accent panels are already installed. Height-adjustable bases arrive unassembled but use tool-free quick-install components.

Delivery is free anywhere in the continental US, curbside or to a loading dock. Inside delivery, white glove placement and assembly are paid add-ons if you would rather not handle it.

What does shipping cost and what is the warranty?

Free curbside and dock freight shipping to the continental US. Inside delivery and white-glove placement are available as add-ons. Every desk carries a 15-Year Warranty with tiered coverage by component. See shipping and warranty.

Reception desk buying guide: layouts, counters, and storage

Choosing a reception desk

A reception desk is the only piece of furniture in the building that has two users with opposite needs. The visitor wants a clear place to stand, be seen, and set something down. The person working there wants storage, a monitor that is not on display, and somewhere to put the things a lobby accumulates. Most of the choices below are about balancing those two.

Layout. A straight desk is the smallest footprint and suits a narrow or shallow lobby where the desk sits against a wall. An L-shape adds a return, which gives a second work surface for a printer, a scanner, or a visitor log without pushing further into the room. A U-shape wraps a third side, giving the most surface and the most storage, and reads as the most substantial from the door. It also needs the most floor, and in a small lobby it will dominate.

The counter. A transaction counter is the raised front section. It does two jobs: it gives visitors a writing and package surface at standing height, and it hides the working surface behind it. Glass counters do the same job while keeping the lobby feeling open, and they suit brighter, more contemporary spaces. A desk without a counter is lower, friendlier, and more open, and works where the receptionist role is closer to a host than a gatekeeper.

Height adjustment. Three models here adjust between seated and standing height. If someone is at that desk eight hours a day, this is worth the upgrade. Note that the adjustment applies to the work surface behind the counter, not the counter facing the visitor, so the front of the desk keeps a consistent line as the surface moves.

Storage and locks. Reception collects things: deliveries, visitor badges, keys, petty cash, files that should not be face-up on a public desk. Decide what has to lock before you decide the model. Most desks here offer pedestal drawers, and product pages state the configuration.

Accessibility. If you need a section of counter at accessible height, tell us before you order rather than after. It is a build-time change, not a retrofit.

Desks in this collection run from about $1,699 to $15,099 depending on layout, counter, storage, and whether the surface is height-adjustable. Everything is American-made and custom-built to order at our US factory partner in Dallas and Los Angeles, with a 2 to 4 week build before it ships. Freight to the continental US is free, curbside or dock.