While this subject is a little different than the office space design posts we have done in the past, I hope you find it of interest.
Though many little ones fear the doc, there are many office space design choices that you can use to warm their little hearts and make them feel ten times more comfortable during their visits. Though most physicians don’t have the time or the means to turn their office into a replica of the latest Pixar movie, there are simple ways to give your office that feeling of wonder and whimsy that can make any child forget his or her fears, and feel like the doctor is sometimes kind of a place for,…well,..fun.
The Color Pallet
Chance
s are, your local home improvement store like Home Depot or Lowes has done the work for you when it comes to choosing a color scheme. Simply give the office space you plan to use a once over. There will typically be a base color in the carpeting or wall paper you will see like grey or tan.
Simply find a color card that matches that base color and take it to your local home improvement store. There will likely already be a child-like and whimsical color scheme worked out in a paint pallet brochure that coordinates perfectly with that base color. Choose one or several of the colors on that brochure, (depending on how much work you feel like doing or hiring someone else to do), and create a few accent walls. There is no need to paint your whole space.
Comfortable Furniture Options
Though every medical waiting room needs standard chairs and magazine tables etc., it’s a great idea to have a few couches and basic lazy-boy type chairs in your waiting room for kids to cuddle up in with a good book or magazine. Having a few cozy furniture pieces in your office will instantly make kids feel more comfortable.
Make-Believe Toy Area
One of the most exciting things about being a child is that your imagination works in an amazing way. Though most toys are interesting to children, when you activate a child’s imagination with the type of toys that they can use to act out characters, (like capes, pretend crowns, pretend tool belts, pretend kitchens and food etc.), you will help your little patients forget where they actually are. After all, make-believe is really the top game that kids play, when you really think about it.
Murals & Fatheads
Though you could invest in tons of expensive and/or miscellaneous decor items to create your office theme, one large, well-placed mural or a few large Fathead wall stickers, can completely give your space the theme you’re looking for.
With all the Disney and children’s movie and TV characters out there, it would be way too expensive and tedious to try to include every one of your patients’ favorite characters in your office theme. However, there are generic themed Fathead stickers that appeal to all kids; and for a more powerful and realistic effect, you can consider one of Fathead’s business or total coverage solutions.
Alternately, you can hire a professional artist to paint 1-3 large murals in your office to create the same effect in your space. Oddly enough, this might even be a less expensive idea, if you find an artist or college student that really needs the money through Craigslist or a similar site.
Take Home Toys
In addition to your pediatric office space design, you can do other things to distinguish your office visits in a pleasant way for kids. Instead of only giving away stickers or lollipops, why not give kids a choice of stickers, lollipops and small safe toys. There are many teacher supply magazines like Oriental Trading where you can buy many cool and interesting doctor’s visit favors for your patients.
Let us take the guesswork out of your search for a new medical office. Contact us today to find the perfect space for your office, in a prime community location.