Lighting Design – The Truth About the Effects of Lighting on Productivity

The best experiences are the ones that we remember as everything coming together as expected with more. As a designer, it’s our job to create an outstanding experience for all. In healthcare design, you can imagine the dilemma. A visit to the hospital is never going to be remembered as a good experience but as designers, we can do are best to make it so.

Delivering on the Details

No matter how small, details make an impact. The small attention to details found in your surroundings will have a huge impact on the productivity and overall mood of patients and caregivers. For example, soft chairs and comfortable furniture puts patients and their families at ease. Decorative art work distracts and soothes patients in all age groups. Well organized layout and easy to access bathrooms, waiting rooms and cafeterias help patients and their families focus on what is important instead of navigating the hospital. One of the most important details in interior design, particularly healthcare design is light. Lighting delivers the most impact when discussing experiential design and how it effects the productivity of the patients and their caregivers. Lighting is one that you don’t want to get wrong.

How Lighting Effects the Experience

Gentle, warm lighting has a soothing effect on the patients, their families and the staff.

To compare, harsh, glaring lights against gloss-bright walls can instigate feelings of:

• lifelessness
• anxiety
• lack of productivity
• depression

I don’t need to state the obvious but those are not feeling you want to promote in a healthcare environment!

Improve Wellness and Productivity with Light

The concept light and it’s effects on psychological and physical health goes as far back as ancient Egypt, when colors and light were used to treat mental and physical conditions.

Today, choosing the right lighting and color for a room may not cure a patient, but it can help create a more comfortable and stimulating environment for both employees and patients.

How-To Choose the Right Lighting Design

When choosing lights in a design, consider the following:

Muted over Bright: Bright lights can be a visual shock and continuous exposure to them can increase feelings of anxiety. Keep the shades on the softer side to create a more relaxed environment.

Warmth over Chill: Warmer colored lights tend to make people feel more comfortable. If you are using a cool color scheme, combining warm lights with a cool colored accent wall will still work. In fact, the contrast of the two will be visually stimulating and comfortable.

Matte over gloss: The effects of lights can be absorbed or reflected by the walls. When choosing a finish for the walls, choose matte. High gloss and even semi-gloss can cast annoying reflections that might make people edgy. Matte finish will help to absorb that extra light and create a more visually soothing environment.

Creating a more relaxed environment visually can help patients, their families and hospital staff  focus more on the goal at hand – getting better!