Imagine walking into a hospital as a young child or with your young child. Probably scared, confused and in pain. Suddenly you are transported to a world of wonder and positivity. Our mission has been to transform the patient experience through innovative design that promotes emotional well-being and evokes positive emotions. That's exactly what bespoke printed interior decor can do!

By researching how our environment can impact our mental health we identified three key areas; colour, content & engagement.

Through meticulous planning and execution that spanned months, we transformed the cold, sterile walls into captivating landscapes, enchanting forests & whimsical underwater scenes. These captivating visuals, often combined with interactive elements, create colourful spaces that encourage imagination, engagement, and positivity.

The first areas to be transformed were within the Children’s Accident & Emergency Department including reception, the waiting areas & triage rooms. When visitors enter the department, they are immediately transported to an underwater environment. This theme was chosen due to the content possibilities and the calming colour palette. The ocean is full of sea creatures of all different colours, shapes and size which also promotes inclusion & diversity. 

Patients then travel through to the waiting areas. The waiting areas are split into two – babies/young children and older children/teenagers. As waiting rooms can often be boring, we wanted to add an interactive element to them. The younger children’s area is themed as a park that has airplanes, hot air balloons and skydivers. It also features an interactive "Where's Wally" activity with plaques giving a list of things to find within the mural which creates fun activities that can be enjoyed by all of the family. These wall graphics serve as a catalyst for imaginative play, inspiring children to create stories and explore their creativity while aiding emotional and cognitive development.

The underwater theme continues into the children’s day case unit. Bright colours and fun shapes adorn both the walls and windows creating an immersive environment. The printed window graphics were produced by double printing onto an etched/frosted effect vinyl. We found this method worked best to create a saturated print while still allowing natural light into the room.

The brand-new Children’s X-ray department has a jungle theme, the bright, contrasting colours of the animals with the blue skies and green plants create a fun and intriguing landscape that like the underwater areas can appeal to both younger and older children. This area also introduces a new painted illustration style that is more realistic and creates depth with the foreground full of larger animals and plants and the background showing the sky and mountains in the distance with some hidden animals. This depth means not only do the wall graphics add colour and excitement into the department but also makes it feel bigger.

The response from children, families, and medical staff has been overwhelmingly positive. Testimonials highlight how the wall graphics have transformed the hospital experience, bringing smiles, hope and joy to all who enter the children’s emergency department.

 

We believe we have set a new standard for hospital design, prioritizing the emotional well-being of children and young people. The interior decor has enhanced the physical space while positively influencing the emotional and psychological journeys of young patients, their families, and dedicated healthcare professionals.

 

Following on from the success of 2023 the project has now been extended into 2024 and will cover new additional areas due to its success.