We work a lot with Healthcare Trusts up and down the country. We share their passion to make better spaces for patients and improve the healing journey. Our healthcare wall murals are entirely bespoke; designed, illustrated and printed to meet the needs of each clinical unit. We understand the requirements across dementia wards, psychiatric units and paediatric facilities. We’re sensitive to how graphics can affect patients and we’re able to create a calm and relaxing environment through graphics and wall murals.
We pride ourselves on recommending the best solution for every project. We assess each clinical setting, consider cleaning regimes and antimicrobial requirements to suggest the best, most cost-effective materials that will provide maximum durability for our healthcare wall murals. We often work with NHS estate teams to meet all standards before we install our wall graphics, using our in-house professional fittings teams.
This recent project was part of a double building development for two new psychiatric units in both the north and south of the County. Running concurrently, we were involved in the early stages of the construction, meeting relevant project teams, clinical staff and estate departments. The interaction was extremely beneficial to all parties involved. We were fortunate to hear first-hand what the staff needed and how the graphics could make a real impact to the lives of their patients. We explored the site at various stages of construction, understanding the dwell areas, visitor spaces and commonly used rooms. We aim to maximise budget for all our projects, so we were keen to identify locations that could be enjoyed by all patients and staff and deliver impactful coverage.
We have an experienced in-house studio team from a variety of creative backgrounds, specialising in graphic design, illustration, visual communication and pattern design. This project began at concept stage, where we developed a comprehensive visual resource, custom colour palette and bespoke illustrations. The brief was to strike a chord with the local area and incorporate a theme of nature and water, linked to the new unit names. The Carsington Unit is based in Derby and The Derwent Unit is based in Chesterfield. These concepts went through a rigorous evaluation process, receiving feedback from hospital management, clinical consultants and staff from the unit itself. We were keen to show our thought process and address specific issues related to psychiatric patients. Eyes – or the perception of eyes – can be triggering for users in this type of space. Overly abstract shapes and obscure proportions can also cause distress and confusion for some patients. Our proposals showed how we could create a natural landscape with water and related wildlife without being interpreted as threatening. Part of this research and development looked at suitable illustration style and submissive animalistic postures.
Once our design concept was approved and the locations agreed, we began illustrating the two large wall mural areas. One wall measured 14 metres, while the other was almost 18 metres. We chose to illustrate the upper half of the wall, above the bump-rail to avoid an unsightly break in the design and allow easy maintenance of the lower section. We used a range of painted textures within the vectorised illustration to add detail and deliver a sophisticated creative style. We used calming, flowing shapes with soft edges and and gentle gradients. We included ambient architectural elements and landmarks from the local area without drawing too much attention to them. The focus of the illustration was the flow of the water and the local wildlife, particularly birds.
A study in 2023 featured in the British Psychology Society made a positive connection between birds and mental health:
“We already know that nature can have a positive impact on our mental health. Gardening, being in green spaces, and being around water can all improve our well-being. A new study in Scientific Reports finds that seeing and hearing birds can have a positive impact on our well-being, even for people who are experiencing symptoms of depression. This was the case regardless of age, gender, and ethnicity, and whether or not participants had diagnosed mental health conditions.”
The large site at both units spanned several wards. Budget restricted the healthcare wall murals to just one large wall per site. To add extra detail to the site in a cost effective way, we took elements of the large graphics to create smaller wall art pieces that have been installed at different points around the building. The staff chose the designs they wanted and where they wanted them to be positioned. Corridors could be quickly transformed, keeping synergy with the main wall design. We chose a size that maximised the sheet size getting the most “bang for their buck” and create the biggest impact. Circles are a good shape for this type of unit. There are no sharp, pointed edges and can be fitted securely and finished with a seamless bead of anti-pick silicone. The circular system was also continued with the custom wayfinding strategy.
The final part of the project was a suite of custom-printed dusted window film. The windows in some areas needed to be completely covered for the protection of both visitors and patients. We wanted to make sure that the light was able travel into the rooms because the large windows had created a wonderfully light and airy space. We chose a dusted film and designed a soft flowing water pattern with watercolour paint textures. We also incorporated a white ink to add extra detail and add contrast. These white accent lines had a clever use too. Some of the windows were too wide and tall for the width of the roll of window film, measuring over 1700mm wide and 1800mm tall. The standard solution is to join the material with a small overlap. However our team felt that a harsh straight-line join would ruin the effect of the flowing design, so we found a better way. We cut the window film along the white wavy line and overlapped within the printed curve to hide the join and deliver an almost seamless finish.
If you’d like to transform your hospital, dental practice or doctors surgery with a healthcare wall mural, then drop us a line. We’d love to hear about your project and discuss how our wall graphics can make a real impact for both staff and patients. You can call us on 01332 613 900 or email us at ideas@mxdisplay.co.uk.
Or if you’re just looking for some inspiration then you can download our Healthcare Brochure below, packed with creative ideas to whet your appetite.
