The importance of colour in care environments
Christina Wiklund has fabric in her genes. Her affinity for textiles has been inherited via the maternal line since her great-grandmother was a seamstress at Swedish department store NK. As Colour, Material and Finish Manager Manager at Kinnarps, she’s responsible for all materials in the collections, in collaboration with product developers and materials experts. She’s also in charge of Kinnarps Colour Studio, which is Kinnarps’ range of materials with a focus on sustainability, quality and harmony. Her job involves not only being at the cutting edge on the materials front but also an in-depth understanding of the importance of colours. “When you work with textiles and other materials, colour automatically follows,” she says.
What’s the most important consideration when it comes to colour in healthcare environments?
“The colours surrounding us in our everyday lives don’t just have an aesthetic significance. They influence our experiences and behaviours, and can help us navigate the physical environment. For example, an item of furniture in a contrasting colour to the floor and walls is easier to see and thus to find. Similarly, you should avoid white tableware against a white tabletop. If you want to discourage the use of a door, you can paint it in the same colour as the wall, but if you want it to be used, you should paint it in a contrasting colour to the wall.”
By working consciously with colours and materials, you lay a foundation for well-being and security. “When selecting colour for care environments, it’s about choosing colour according to which activity the space will be supporting, rather than personal taste or current trends. It’s important to everyone at Kinnarps that we create sustainable and functional spaces, and we place great emphasis on guiding our clients to ensure they get the right material and the right colour in the right place.”
Colour and material choices
There are some do’s and don'ts when it comes to the choice of colour and material in healthcare environments. Did you know, for example, that you should avoid pastel colours and dark rugs against light floors? We have collected five tips for you to think about when choosing colours and materials for your care environment.
The expert:
“Choose colour according to which activity the space will be supporting.”
Work deliberately with contrasts in the colour scheme to facilitate navigation in spaces and between items of furniture. An attractively coloured item of furniture that stands out against the background is easier to see and thus gets used more. In contrast, painting a door in the same colour as the wall helps to conceal it and signals it should not be used.
Avoid rugs in dark colours against a light floor, since they may be perceived as deep holes by people with memory and dementia problems.
Did you know that…
...human colour perception is located in the limbic system, the part of our brain that manages emotional responses and subconscious thoughts? This in itself suggests a strong link between our perception of colour and our ability to process emotions, learn new things and increase our motivation.
Avoid patterns as they make navigation more difficult and can be disruptive to elderly people with memory and dementia problems, who may, for example, perceive them as tiny moving insects.
Avoid pastel colours in care homes, as older eyes are unable to perceive colours with the same intensity as younger eyes. In other words, a warm, deep red is a better choice than pink.
Choose tactile fabrics with structure, they feel warm and soothing when you touch them. Morris is a fabric from Kinnarps Colour Studio with a soft, tactile and inviting structure.
“By consciously decorating with colour and contrasts, you can facilitate navigation and security.”
Christina Wiklund, CMF Manager at Kinnarps
