This is the 13964th most frequent German word.
förmlich
"Förmlich" means "formal" or "literally" in English, depending on context.
Here, "förmlich" emphasizes that the surprise led to an almost complete state of being speechless, approaching but not reaching a literal condition.
Er war förmlich sprachlos vor Überraschung.
He was virtually speechless with surprise.
In this context, "förmlich" refers to the decor being in a formal style appropriate for a specific professional role.
Das Büro war förmlich eines Anwalts würdig eingerichtet.
The office was most formally furnished, befitting a lawyer.
Here, "förmlich" conveys that the action almost resembled a strong demand, yet was phrased as a polite request.