A Colorful Delivery

In the past few years there has been an increase of births, motivating hospitals to expand or renovate. Healthcare facilities are building specific suites and departments for birthing centers and infant care. This particular patient experience is unlike any other experience within the hospital. In order to promote a sense of calm for the patient, labor and delivery suites can take a cue from a Caribbean getaway. Utilizing colors such as Aqua-Sphere SW 7613, Watery SW 6478 and Cotton White SW 7104 provides patients with a spa-like environment. These tranquil tones are reminiscent of a beach vacation; dipping one's toes in the crystal blue water. Some hospitals are also providing their patients with fluffy robes, spa products and aromatherapy to help create a more serene environment. They invite patients to bring playlists to listen during labor, and offer bathtubs for water labor deliveries creating a relaxing, respectful, and unique patient centered experience.

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Creating welcoming family zones within patient rooms are also great ways to incorporate that homey feel while being away from home.

Another way to promote a relaxing environment is to create a space that reflects a beautiful home retreat. Most people are comfortable in their home environment, and although being in a hospital can be stressful, creating suites that are designed with refreshing bursts of color can help patients forget that they are in the hospital. Mythical SW 6550, Exuberant Pink SW 6840 and Copper Harbor SW 6634 are colors that when paired with a variety of hard surface flooring options or a sophisticated patterned carpet, can make a hospital room or waiting area feel fresh and vivacious. Convertible sofa beds and small kitchenettes are new amenities that healthcare systems are incorporating into the birthing centers to encourage family interaction during the patients' stay.

Color Through The Eyes Of A Child

Infant and children departments provide an ideal setting to have fun with color and design. Specifically focusing on younger children and babies, color and how it functions is integral in the learning and development of the child's perception of their world. Newborns to four month old infants can see high contrasting materials about 8-12” away from them. Placing a bold high contrast accent wall helps them focus on the object in front of them. Good color vision occurs around 5 months of age. Color has the ability to act as a positive distraction during a diaper change, a round of shots or even during a routine exam. For a fun twist, paint stripes on the wall closest to the exam table, either vertical or horizontal. Bright and cheerful colors such as Frank Blue SW 6967, Nifty Turquoise SW 6941, and Coral Reef SW 6606 are great eye-catching tones that capture the imagination for a deep sea adventure or a tropical rainforest trek. Rubber is a great flooring material for pediatric departments and compliments many of those brighter bolder colors. This type of flooring also provides good sound attenuation, comfort for staff, great for infection control and comes in a variety of styles and colors.

Child's Play

Tranquil Comfort

Botanical Retreat

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