Creating a Good Ambience in the Hospital Area

Factors that decide the interiors

The interiors differ from building to building. The interiors of a hotel will differ from that of an office building or a hospital.

The colours, curtains, tapestry, etc. will depend on the place and the climate. eg. we will not use a wall carpet in a place that has a hot climate.

This plays a vital role in planning the layout.

It is easier and more economical to use materials locally available. Hence plans should be made accordingly

The building should fit in with the general economic conditions of the area. A very ornate building in an area that is economically backward will look out of place.

Components that make up interiors

Selection of furniture should be based on

• - Size of the room
  A large room with very little furniture looks bare and unseemly. Similarly a small room with large pieces of furniture or too much furniture looks cluttered
• - Comfort
  Furniture should be comfortable rather than ornate or fashionable. When buying furniture, thought should be given to the fact that people of different heights and girths, and different backgrounds will be using the room
• - Affordability

Draperies, which become a part of the background contribute to the appearance in the following ways:

• - Blend various colours used on the walls, floor and furniture
• - Soften or accentuate the lines of a room
• - Can be used to offset architectural problems

Carpets lend elegance and class to a room. A large carpet or a number of small rugs tend to break up the floor area and reduce the room space. However, in the end they can bring colour, pattern and texture to an otherwise plain floor. A patterned carpet is usually chosen for larger rooms with plain walls.

  When selecting a carpet the following points need to be kept in mind:

• - The colour of the carpet should match the walls and the table in the room
• - A carpet with a lot of design is not suitable for a hospital room. The carpet should be simple with very little or no design

• - When the carpet is new, small bits of thread will fall from it when brushing or cleaning. Hence the cleaning should be done carefully and gently
• - If any thread is protruding, it should be carefully cut with scissors, and not pulled out by hand
• - The furniture on the carpet should be gently lifted when moved, and not dragged. Dragging will spoil the carpet

Pictures and photos can be used to add colour to a room. The colours in a picture can be used to complement another colour. The size of the picture depends on the wall space available and the general décor of the room.

Pictures and photos usually are used to
• - Enhance the walls
• - Can be used as fillers on shelves In order that the photo/picture fulfills its purpose, care should be taken when framing it. The mount and frame should be carefully chosen, not only to make the picture attractive, but to go with the walls or shelves

Colours

Colours play a vital role in interiors, as colours have healing as well as disturbing effects. They can be introduced into a room by the use of pictures, cushions, lamp shades, flower arrangements, and other accessories like waste paper baskets, and ash trays.

• - Red, peach and yellow give an illusion of warmth. They also make the room seem smaller
• - Blue and green appear cool, and make the room seem larger
• - Red and gold are associated with formal occasions
• - Purple is associated with status
• - Black is looked upon as a colour of death and depression

Hence colours have an effect on emotional health, and affect both mood and behaviour

This makes use of values and intensities of a single colour eg. light blue, medium blue and dark blue. Sometimes an accent colour (contrast) is added in the form of pictures, pillows, or drapes. Eg. with blue (cool colour), the accent may be red or yellow (warm).

This a combination of any two complementary colours (colours opp. to each other on the colour wheel). Complementary colours are best used in unequal amounts - one colour is dominant and the other is used as accent. eg. bright red and bright green cannot be used in equal amounts. They must complement each other.

This is achieved by using colours adjacent to each other on the colour wheel. This is pleasing to the eye as they are related by a common colour.eg. blue, bluegreen and green.

Artificial lighting is an important factor of designing.

• - The type of lighting and the intensity of lighting in an area depends on the specific function of the area
• - The type of fixtures used should be such that they are easy to clean

• - These are used to enhance the look of shelves, corners and table tops
• - They must have a theme eg. one should not mix terracotta items with marble statues, or cut glass
• - They should not clutter a shelf or the room. They should be well spaced out, and blend in with the rest of the room

Of all the various skills that go into making a room look beautiful, flower arrangement is the most important. Flowers and indoor plants add colour and beauty to a room. Flower arrangement is an art, but can be learnt. The arrangements may be circular, semicircular, or triangular.

• - The vase should be positioned in a prominent place
• - The table cloth should be selected to blend well with the colour of the vase and of the flowers
• - The flowers should be 1.5” above the neck of the vase
• - Adding a pinch of salt and sugar to the water keeps the flowers fresh
• - A wooden stick helps climbers (money plant) to grow in the direction we want
• - Before placing the flowers in the vase, cut the stem in a slant and immediately put it in water. This helps the plant take in water and remain fresh. Never break the stem or bend it
• - Wash the flowers and check for worms and insects before arranging them
• - Do not keep the flower vase directly under the fan or directly in the sunlight. The flowers will wither and die

Making beautiful articles for interior decoration

Decorative articles play an important role in the interior decoration of a room. They may be wooden, clay or metal articles with minute artistic work done on them. Simple clay articles can be decorated and used to beautify a room by

• - Pasting figures
• - Egyptian artifacts
• - Printing
• - Glass and “chamki” work

Using our imagination we can make figures and paste them on the vases and pots. This enhances the beauty of these objects.

Mud pot, white cement, fevicol(glue), enamel paint, varnish, kerosene, artist’s paint brush (no. 0 or no.1)

• - Rub the outside of the pot with sand paper to make it smooth
• - Prepare dough with white cement, water and a little fevicol
• - Prepare figures using this dough. This should be done before the dough becomes dry and hardens. You can prepare flowers, dolls, animals or birds with the dough
• - Paste these figures on the pot using fevicol
• - After these images dry, paint them using the artist’s paint brush with vibrant colours
• - Paint the pot with black enamel
• - Varnish the pot after the paint has completely dried up. This helps to make the pot look more attractive
• - The pot is now ready for use as a decorative piece or a flower pot in any room
• - Ensure that the flowers put into the pot do not clash with the colour of the figures painted on the pot
• - These would look very good in the reception area, classrooms or the dining hall

This type of hand work helps to convert a simple and inexpensive mud pot into a beautiful and expensive looking pot.

White cement, fevicol (glue), plastic cover, rubber band, big flower pot, enamel paint, metallic copper, gold and bronze fabric paint, varnish, kerosene, paint brush (no.0 or no.1)

• - Make the large mud pot smooth by using sand paper
• - Mix white cement, water and fevicol to form a batter of the consistency of idli(pancake) batter
• - Pour this batter into a plastic bag
• - Twist and fold the plastic bag to form a cone and close it with the help of a rubber band.
• - Cut a small hole at the apex of the cone
• - Using the cone like in applying mehendi or icing on a cake, use your imagination and draw images on the pot
• - After these images are dry, paint the pot using the black enamel paint
• - Then brush the pot with metallic bronze or gold paint
• - After the paint dries, varnish it
• - The plain mud pot has been transformed into a beautiful and seemingly expensive bronze one

Mud pot, sand paper, lady’s finger, enamel paint, varnish, blade, paint brush (no.1)

• - Make the outer part smooth with the help of sand paper, and then paint it with black enamel paint
• - Cut the lady’s finger with a blade, into two parts.
• - Take one part and push the seeds inside using a stick
• - Now dip this in metallic gold paint and stamp it on the pot
• - Do this several times till the pot is printed all over
• - Now varnish the pot

• - Smooth the pot with the help of sand paper
• - Paint the pot neatly with black enamel paint
• - Using our imagination and paste the mirrored glass or “chamki” to form patterns on the pot

• - The pot should be evenly painted. Move the brush either length wise or breadth wise. If the direction is not maintained, it will show in broad lines and will look ugly
• - It is important to wash the brush in kerosene after use. Otherwise the bristles will stick together and the brush will become useless

For a demonstration on painting and decorating flower vases, please watch the video of the CD.

• Why is interior decoration important in a hospital?
• What are the factors on which interior decorations depend?
• What are the components that play an important role in decorating the interiors?
• Explain the effect colours have on the mood and behaviour of people
• What are the points to be kept in mind when arranging flowers?
• Explain any one method of decorating a simple clay pot.