Healthcare is a very serious industry, and facilities that provide this service are often run much like a good business. Decisions made in hospitals, rehabilitations centers, assisted living homes and like facilities are meticulously orchestrated, from surgeries down to the floor plans. Everything is done to ensure that the institution is providing the best care that they possibly can to their patients. This can even mean something as simple as adding a bit of color to the walls to brighten someone’s day. While the color of the paint on the walls of an institution responsible for literally saving lives around the clock may seem like an unimportant and trivial detail, choosing the right color palette for the building is always a big part of health care renovations.
Colors that promote healing have been researched fairly extensively. Subtle differences in the colors, hues and patterns on the walls can make a big difference in the healing process. Because these differences can be so small, choosing paint colors for healthcare facilities is a process that should be done very carefully, to maximize effectiveness. Without careful planning, adding the wrong color or can actually even prove to be detrimental. An example of this would be adding vibrant colors to a physical rehabilitation room or recreation room. The extra zest of the wrong color can give patients a mental perk, keeping them more energized than they would be in a dark room painted in dull colors. Fantastic! However, that same spirited paint job and pattern would not fare as well in an operating room, as it could prove to be a distraction to the surgeons. Common area painting, for example, would not call for the same color scheme or pattern as the wallpaper installation in the hospice wing hallway.
It’s been noted that palettes should be chosen carefully, but what exactly are the magic colors that heal? An overwhelming majority of people feel that being outdoors and close to nature is stress-relieving and soothing. Taking this into consideration, colors are normally chosen from the palette that nature provides. Earth-tone colors are taken from all that nature has to offer, from flowers and leaves to mountains and oceans. These soothing but lively colors help provide a less stressful atmosphere for patients and visitors alike, promoting not only mental ease but a healthier healing process. 
Colors are of course not the only thing taken into consideration when hospital painting is being done. Medical office painting contractors know to utilize certain products, such as low VOC/odor paints. The bold odor of fresh paint is of course something that should be avoided in a hospital or healthcare setting, as is the use of paint that can release harmful toxins over time, for obvious reasons. Antimicrobial paint is also a product that can be utilized. This paint can prevent the growth of mold, which otherwise could have an adverse effect on a patient’s health and impair the healing process.
Large painting companies should be familiar with the complex planning that goes into using these colors that promote healing. Contact your local contractor if you are interested in learning more about this process, or if you would like to have a job done for your nursing home or doctors office! Colors have a variety of purposes, not only healing. A brighter tone in your medical facility may increase productivity, and a warmer tone in the waiting room may make it feel a bit cozier to relax in. Your local contractor can work with you to ensure you are getting the most out of the space that you have. Readers in NJ, NY, PA or CT can contact local contractor Alpine Painting directly, online or at 866-596-0349.
By: Dave Scaturro, Sales Director for Alpine Painting.
Credit to: Kovacs Silvis, Jennifer . "Healing Hues: Choosing Paint Colors for Healthcare." Healthcare Design . 11 May 2012: n. page. Web. 25 Oct. 2013. <http://www.healthcaredesignmagazine.com/article/healing-hues-choosing-paint-colors-healthcare>.
Richardson, Barbara, and Allen Novak. "Functional Color and Design in Healthcare Environments." Continuing Education Center . n.d. n. page. Web. 25 Oct. 2013. <http://continuingeducation.construction.com/crs.php?L=222&C=928>.
