Seven Key Interior Design Ideas for Decorating a Doctor’s Office and Waiting Rooms

Decorating a doctor’s office is a fun and creative task that need not break the bank.  Decorating a doctor’s office is a warm, welcoming, stylish and sophisticated manner is also a great way to build rapport with patients and establish a credible medical professional image.  

Anyone who has experienced the waiting area of a doctor’s office knows it can be a stressful place to be.  Decorations such as beautiful artwork, photographs, calming paint colors, and comfortable furniture can help to put patients at ease.   Interesting objects such as aquariums and plants can also be soothing, distracting patients from their possible ailments.  

If you are responsible for decorating a doctor’s office, or if you are simply seeking imaginative, effective, reasonably priced interior design ideas, here are seven terrific tips that may help you to brainstorm and eventually commence the process of redesigning a medical practice.

1)    Identify the type of Medical Service the office provides.

Before you start on the project it is crucial to have a clear understanding of the type of medical service the office provides.  Ideally, decor should reflect the demographics of the patients.  For example, a pediatrician’s office could include durable toys, interesting mobiles, activity tables, colorful murals, a television set with cartoon movies, or other items that serve to entertain children.  Someone designing the waiting room of a pediatrician’s office would also be well advised to partition off a private area for nursing mothers.  

2)  Start with Decorating the Waiting Room

 An interesting idea for decorating a doctor’s office or waiting room is to select artwork or decor for an office that reflects the interests, hobbies, or tastes of the head doctor.  These personal touches can set a unique tone for a medical practice.  For example, if the doctor competes in sailing, consider decorating the walls with photographs of her sailboat, displaying models of ships or graphics and pop art of boats or her boat trips.  

If the doctor grows orchids as his hobby, displays floral photographs, and decorates the medical office with live orchids.  If the doctor enjoys classic movies, decorate the walls with vintage movie posters.  These personal touches can be terrific conversational pieces.  Unique, personalized decor can also help patients to connect to their doctor on a deeper level.

3. Display Diplomas and Certificates

Decorate a doctor’s office with framed diplomas, certifications, awards, or other forms of medical recognition and achievement. It is a powerful way for doctors to win the trust and respect of patients.  A similar method for building trust and establishing personal connections is to display a bulletin board with family photographs, holiday cards. You can also display thank you notes, or other forms of communication that have come from patients.  

4. Add colors to the room

Select paint and upholstery colors and patterns that set a tranquil or calming mood.  You may wish to further research the correlation between color and mood.  For example, studies have proven that light blue can have a calming effect when used as the primary color of a room because it lowers blood pressure and slows both respiration and heart rate.  Dark blue, on the other hand, has the opposite effect.  Dark blue has been shown to evoke feelings of sadness.

5. Beautify the room with plants.

Plants can be a delightful addition to waiting rooms for medical offices.  Studies have proven that plants can generate a feeling of vitality and safety.  A plant’s health and appearance can make a statement about the dedication of the doctor or medical practitioner occupying the office space.  When patients notice a healthy, thriving plant in a doctor’s office, it sends the message that their doctor truly cares.  

6. Add accessories and appliances for convenience

Be sure to consider the comfort and needs of patients when decorating a doctor’s office.  Hang a coat rack, be courteous and ensure that several Kleenex boxes are always available in the waiting room.  Access to water, such as a drinking fountain or water cooler can be a wonderful touch for any waiting room.  Provide a wide selection of interesting, up-to-date reading material including books and magazines.

7. Sanitize the room always

Last but certainly not least, the health of patients is an imperative issue for anyone. Thus, you need to consider it when decorating a medical or health care facility.  Because waiting rooms can be a breeding ground for the germs of various sick patients. So, make sure to select vinyl upholstery for furniture and waiting room seating that can be quickly, easily, and frequently sanitized.  Provide a bottle of hand sanitizer on counters or waiting room table tops.