The Pros & Cons of 5 Conference Room Setup Styles

Posted by Pallavi Mehra on

The interior décor and the seating arrangement of a Conference Room are very important to take up your business. The set-up style of a conference room majorly depends on the type of meeting you usually have in your business. One of the factors that play a major role in deciding the set-up is the number of attendees.

Thus, there are many options available to find the perfect fit for your business meeting. In this blog, we will be discussing 5 set-ups of conference rooms and their pros and cons so that you can choose the best for you and your business requirements.


5 Most Common Conference Room Styles:


Classroom-Style Set-up: As the name suggests, it consists of a presenter in the front, while there are rows of tables and chairs for the attendees. There is a chair for each one and a table in front of them.


Pros: Effective setup for a presentation as everyone faces the presenter, and this setup efficiently uses the floor space.
Cons: Groups cannot communicate with one another, which hindrance the discussion, therefore it may be difficult to work in groups.

U-Shaped Set-up: This set-up greatly resembles a closed conference set-up. In this, the tables and chairs are arranged in such a way that they form the letter while the audience faces inwards.


Pros: It is easy to engage with the attendees in this set-up as presenters walk in the open space through the opening. Therefore, it allows the presenter to commence an open dialogue with all as all can face each other.
Cons: It is not appropriate if you have more attendees and the valuable conference space is lost in the center of the U, limiting the audience.

Boardroom Style Set-up: A lengthy table with four sides is surrounded by guests. Instead of standing in the front of the room, the facilitator/presenter is frequently seated at the board table with the audience.


Pros:Positive for talks among all participants in the group.
Because everyone is utilizing the same table area, joint work may be accomplished.
Everyone is seated at the same table suggests that everyone there is on an equal footing.
Cons: It's challenging to split off and operate in smaller groups. If a projector is being used, chairs need to be arranged carefully to ensure that everyone can see. This might include utilizing only three of a table's four sides for seating.

Theatre Style Set-Up: It is just like the seating arrangement of a classroom with a difference like there are no tables and there is elevated flooring so there is no obstructed view of the presenter.


Pros: It allows for maximum seating capacity as there can be more attendees. It is best for the sessions where all the action needs to be done at the front. The guests would have easier access to their seats because of the aisle.
Cons: It is favorable for a monologue or one-to-many communications, therefore it is hard to achieve teamwork.

Banquet Style set-up: In one enormous space, participants are arranged in smaller clusters.


Pros: This is excellent for small-group work or promoting conversation during breaks or meetings. Participants can share ideas and thoughts, fostering community.
Cons: This is not the best option for a less interactive gathering when the speaker must command close attention and be the only point of emphasis. It is prone to side conversations and distractions.

Visit our website, Prince Seating, to find the perfect conference room arrangement. No matter which meeting format is best for you, our cutting-edge executive conference set-up can meet all of your demands. Call us right away.


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