Monday's induction needs rows of chairs facing a screen. Wednesday's planning day needs a U-shape, and Friday's awards dinner needs round tables. Knowing the main room set-up styles, and the furniture each one takes, turns those changeovers into a short job instead of an afternoon of carrying.
This guide explains theatre, classroom, U-shape, boardroom, cabaret, banquet and cocktail layouts, what each suits and roughly what it needs, with seven products and their stated specs. For tables that change shape quickly, start with our folding and flip-top tables.
Theatre style: rows of chairs facing the front
Theatre style puts chairs in straight rows facing a presenter or screen, with no tables. It fits the most people into a room, so it suits briefings, launches, AGMs and talks. Leave a centre or side aisle, and keep rows straight so people can reach their seats.
The chairs do all the work here. The Focus Chair ($111) is a stackable sled base chair with a linkable frame for straight, secure rows. It has a fully welded frame on a chrome sled base, a strengthened plastic back shell and a 120kg weight limit. It is made for indoor use and carries a 4 year warranty. More options are in our stacking and event chairs.
When people need to take notes, swap in tablet arm chairs. The Focus Chair with Tablet Arm ($179) comes with the tablet on the right or left side, so left-handed people are not left out. It shares the sled chrome base and 120kg weight limit, and its page names courses, seminars and classrooms.
Classroom, U-shape and boardroom: flip-top tables
These three styles use the same tables in different shapes. Classroom style sets tables in rows facing the front, with two or three people per table, for laptops and workbooks. U-shape sets tables on three sides with chairs on the outside, so the presenter can step into the open end. Boardroom style joins tables into one block so everyone faces each other.
Mobile flip-top tables make all three possible in one room. The Agile Flip Table (from $586) rolls on swivelling castors, two of them lockable, and its flip mechanism has safety stay upright locks. It comes in sizes from a 1200mm round to 2400 x 1200mm, with a 720mm worktop height and a 10 Year warranty. Two pairs of table links are included to hold runs together.
As a general guide, allow about 600mm of table edge per person. An 1800mm table then seats three people along one side in classroom style, or along the outside of a U.
Cabaret, banquet and cocktail: round tables and bar tables
Cabaret style uses round tables with chairs around most of each table, leaving the side facing the front open. It suits training with group work and awards nights with speeches. Banquet style seats the whole round for a dinner, and long trestle runs also work.
The Manhattan 1800DIA Banquet Table (Pack of 10) ($5,544) is priced per pack of ten tables. Each measures 1800mm across and 740mm high, with a shock-proof polyethylene top on a powder coated steel frame. The legs fold, slip-resistant fasteners let the tables stack, and each weighs 32kg. They arrive assembled, are made for indoor commercial use and carry a 2 year warranty.
Cocktail style is mostly standing, with bar tables scattered through the room and a few chairs at the edges. It suits launches, networking and end-of-year drinks. Browse our cafe and bar tables for bar-height options.
The furniture that makes changing styles quick
Every changeover starts with the chairs. The Focus Trolley ($88) is a metal chair trolley on lockable wheels that fits a maximum of 20 chairs. It suits the Focus Chair and Focus Chair with Arms, doubles as storage between functions and carries a 3 year Australian warranty. Browse our chair trolleys and accessories for other ranges.
Presenters need a writing surface that moves with the layout. The ALPHA AD1 Double Sided Mobile Porcelain Magnetic Whiteboard ($1,350) has a magnetic, scratch resistant porcelain surface on both sides, 1800mm high and 900mm wide. Its A-shaped frame folds flat to store, it weighs 28kg, and the writing surface carries a conditional 25 year warranty.
A lectern gives the speaker a home at the front. The Black Lectern ($279) is black powder coated steel on four locking wheels, with a middle shelf for notes and water. A clip-on LED light and an A3 magnetic signage sleeve for your title or logo are included, and it arrives flat-packed. Our guide to training room furniture covers tables and lecterns in more detail.
Room set-up styles at a glance
Use this table to match each style to its uses and the furniture in this guide.
| Style | Best for | Furniture | Products in this guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Theatre | Briefings, AGMs, talks | Chairs in rows, an aisle, a lectern | Focus Chair, Black Lectern |
| Lecture with notes | Seminars, exams, inductions | Tablet arm chairs in rows | Focus Chair with Tablet Arm |
| Classroom | Training with laptops | Tables in rows, chairs on one side | Agile Flip Table, Focus Chair |
| U-shape | Workshops and discussion | Tables on three sides, a whiteboard at the open end | Agile Flip Table, ALPHA AD1 whiteboard |
| Boardroom | Meetings and planning days | Tables joined into one block | Agile Flip Table with its table links |
| Cabaret | Group work, awards nights | Round tables, front side left open | Manhattan 1800DIA Banquet Table |
| Banquet | Dinners and celebrations | Round tables fully seated | Manhattan 1800DIA Banquet Table, Focus Chair |
| Cocktail | Launches and networking | Bar tables, a few chairs | Cafe and bar tables range |
Australian venues: one room, many jobs
In many Australian offices, schools, council buildings and community halls, one room does everything. It might host training on Monday, a community meeting on Thursday and a fundraiser on Saturday. Furniture that folds, stacks, links and rolls is what makes that workable for a small team.
Whatever the layout, keep aisles and exits clear and stay within the venue's own limits on numbers. Deliveries go to the ground-floor entrance, so plan where the new furniture will be stored. Every product here is delivered to metro Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, while Perth and Adelaide depend on the product's Delivery line.
Room set-up styles — frequently asked questions
What are the main room set-up styles?
The main room set-up styles are theatre, classroom, U-shape, boardroom, cabaret, banquet and cocktail. Theatre and classroom face the front, U-shape and boardroom face each other, cabaret and banquet use round tables, and cocktail is mostly standing.
Which room set-up is best for training?
Classroom style is best when people work on laptops or workbooks, because everyone has a table and faces the front. U-shape suits smaller groups that discuss a lot, and cabaret suits courses with group work.
How many people fit at an 1800mm round table?
As a general guide, about ten people fit at an 1800mm round table for a banquet. In cabaret style, seat about seven or eight so nobody sits with their back to the front.
What is the difference between cabaret and banquet seating?
Cabaret leaves the side of each round table facing the front empty, so everyone can see the presenter. Banquet seats the whole table, because the focus is the meal and the conversation.
Shop the range
Every product in this guide is listed below, in the order it appears. For more choice, browse our folding and flip-top tables, stacking chairs and chair trolleys.
- Focus Chair ($111): a stackable, linkable sled chair for theatre rows and banquets
- Focus Chair with Tablet Arm ($179): a left or right tablet arm chair for lectures and exams
- Agile Flip Table (from $586): mobile flip-top tables with links for classroom, U-shape and boardroom
- Manhattan 1800DIA Banquet Table (Pack of 10) ($5,544): per pack of ten, folding rounds for cabaret and banquet set-ups
- Focus Trolley ($88): moves and stores up to 20 Focus chairs between functions
- ALPHA AD1 Double Sided Mobile Porcelain Magnetic Whiteboard ($1,350): a double sided porcelain board that folds flat to store
- Black Lectern ($279): a mobile steel lectern with a shelf, light and signage sleeve
Metro delivery is a flat $75 per order, and prices include GST.
