Selecting Artwork for a Healthcare Office: My Tips and Tricks
The Impact of Artwork
Art can transform a healthcare space and is an excellent way to create a connection with patients. Our goal is to transform our clients spaces into professional, yet calming environments for both employees and patients.
For example, a piece of art can remind a woman that she’s in a safe space by incorporating feminist art pieces. Or members of the LGBTQIA+ community can be reassured that they are welcome with artwork that celebrates them. We as designers are taking the extra step to make our clients spaces feel relaxing. During my time as a designer I have compiled a list of tips that I live by when selecting artwork for healthcare environments. As a healthcare provider you can use these steps to ease some of the worries about the quality of your interior design choices.
Patients are often feeling anxious and worried when they enter a healthcare space. The goal is to make their experience less daunting by incorporating decorations and uplifting artwork that provides comfort and instills trust in the provider.
Pro Tips
Heather's Pro Tip 1: Buy artwork pre-framed
Buying pieces online that are already framed allows you to save a lot of time and energy. Dark frames can bring in unnecessary heaviness to a room. While white frames allow the artwork to pop and draw the eye to the picture. Consider placing artwork so that visitors immediately see it in order to reflect the values of your organization.
Many art websites will frame pieces for reasonable rates. Framing yourself can help to save some money, but it’s often not enough to make it worth your while.
Heather's Pro Tip 2: Celebrate Diversity
Artwork in the office is a great opportunity to showcase values that are important to your organization. These pieces can include people of color, the LGBTQ+ community, and female friendly pieces. It’s not uncommon for individuals to enter a new space and feel intimidated or nervous if the artwork is outdated or doesn’t show an inclusive point of view. Artwork serves as such an easy and stylish way to communicate to people that they are welcome.
Your selections can be catered towards certain patients, such as members of the LGBTQIA+ community. By choosing artwork that highlights these individuals, patients can be reassured they are in a safe space where they are celebrated for who they are. Make sure that you understand who your patients are, and then use artwork to display your values and how your organization supports those people.
Heather's Pro Tip 3: Brighter/Lighter Colors are Mood Enhancing
Colors are extremely important to consider in every aspect of designing a healthcare facility. We want to enhance and uplift a patient’s mood, not diminish it or depress them. Excellent colors to utilize include blue, green, yellow, pink, and neutrals. This color range brings a sense of calmness or empowerment to a space, depending on what type of artwork you select.
Using this range of colors in bright and light tones creates a better experience for the viewer. The clinic we designed on the left utilized some abstract, bright artwork paired with artwork with an empowering message. This corner lifts the mood of whoever passes by.
It is generally recommended to avoid direct use of agitating or depressing colors such as red, black, or dark tones. Red is a color that can make a patient anxious which should be avoided. Although there are always certain clients that come along and love the color red, so be open minded too! Dark tones and colors can depress patients that may already be scared or sad. If your client is interested in experimenting with dark colors, maybe it’s an accent color or it’s utilized in art with a lighter color backdrop.
Heather's Pro Tip 4: Be Positive
An excellent go to theme for healthcare office artwork is positivity, positivity, positivity. You can showcase slogans, empowerment, and unity themed pieces. When designing offices that work mainly with women, I decided to use pictures that highlight feminism. This included fun prints with female figures or quotes that are targeted to female empowerment. Another positive theme to consider, includes artwork centered around mindfulness. We’ve used art that reminds people to breathe, or let go. These gentle reminders can make a difference in someone’s day.
Utilizing positive themes can make all the difference in a patient’s mood when visiting an office. Choosing a print that has a bright uplifting quote may be more effective than a still life. Uplifting patients is always our goal and incorporating positivity is the most simple and effective way to do it.
“I think works of art—any form of culture—have the capability to give people a certain hope and passion and belief and conviction that nothing else can. I think there is something about creativity and the imagination that is ultimately very primal, and it can be incredibly moving and provoke people in all the right directions.”
Heather's Pro Tip 5: Create a peaceful atmosphere with calming artwork
To help ease the anxiety associated with health care concerns, design a calming environment that will let your patients know they are in a safe space. This can include color choices, as well as, calming language and images. Choosing peaceful artwork can help your patients to feel more relaxed and comfortable in your care.
Incorporating biophilia, such as images of nature is a great way to create a calming environment as shown in the image on the left. Landscapes, images of plants or flowers and beaches all serve your clients with relaxing artwork that provokes a sense of peace.
On the other hand, peaceful doesn’t have to mean boring. Artwork can have a calming affect while at the same time spark interest by incorporating unique pieces. You can add interest by combining pieces that compliment each other in color but add variety in the type of images. Or consider pairing a muted color piece with artwork that has a brighter color.
Typically blue is used in healthcare settings and it’s a good tried and true color that will inspire tranquility. Green is another calming color that evokes our connection to nature. You can also blend neutral tones or mix calming colors with neutral tones to generate a peaceful environment.
Heather's Pro Tip 6: Think Modern, Update your Space
Selecting artwork that is modern can help make a space feel fresh and recently looked after. Pieces that feature more recent artistic styles can cater towards a larger audience as well. Artwork can serve as an easy way to update the room without spending lots of money or undergoing renovations. Instead of using a generic still life, try swapping that out for a positive endearment or bright graphic.
This tip is one of my favorites as it is so easy and so, so effective. Painting walls a new color and adding some updated artwork can transform a space successfully. The photos below illustrate this point. A clinic had some great walls, but did not utilize the wall space in an effective manner. The walls were virtually blank which made the room not interesting and lacked personality. In order to breathe some life into the walls I picked a variety of modern artwork to update the space. Several fun pieces immediately lightened the area up and gave the viewer a more interesting space to look at.
Before: Use Your Space Wisely
This clinic featured a poor use of bright colors on their walls and exhibited little to no artwork.
After: Make it Stand Out
The office was given artwork that highlighted women through a much better way than just using a pink wall. The white frames allowed the viewer to focus on the bright, feminist inspired photos.
Heather's Pro Tip 7: Buy local and support BIPOC artists
One of the best ways to build connections in your community is to buy directly from local artists. This gives them exposure, supports local business and helps to stimulate pride within your community. When patients are waiting in a waiting room or consult room they might be pleasantly surprised to discover a piece of artwork that speaks to them is from an artist in their local area.
Also take a little extra time to seek out artwork from BIPOC artists. It might not be the first or second piece of art that you come across, but you can make a difference by making a conscious effort to support BIPOC work. Visit your local galleries, watch for art events that showcase BIPOC artists, and search instagram for independent artist pages which often display an artists recent works.
Design with Intent
These tips can serve as a great foundation for a designer to build upon when creating a space. Although it is important to make your own design that caters to your client to achieve their intended atmosphere. Whether you’re designing an office in an urgent care or an oncologist’s wing, make the artwork a significant piece in establishing your clients environment. For example, this piece of artwork to the left features abstract cats and was placed in a veterinary office.
My best and final tip to give you would be to have fun with this aspect of the project. Artwork is such an expressive piece of a room and should reflect the joy you got from choosing them. Create your space while enjoying the process. Design with love and love what you design.
Are you interested in our design process and artwork selection service?
We offer an array of design services that include artwork consultation, selection and installation for your healthcare office. This is one of our favorite aspects of the design process!
If you’re interested in our services, simply email us to book a free 15 minute discovery call to discuss your project and how we can best serve you.
References:
Beete, P. (2021) The Wisdom of Artists: A Collection of Quotes by BIPOC Artists. [online article] National Endowment for the Arts
Árnadóttir, N. (2014) Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir gave a moving speech at Toronto's WorldPride 2014. [online article] Reykjavik Grapevine.