Care homes across the UK are looking more like hotels than hospitals and are becoming more of a sanctuary than a place to just be safe. Designers realise that it just as much about the environment as it is about the care. Not only are the interiors designed for comfort and style but for the mental wellbeing of a resident. However, all these designs must comply with a lot of safety measures, from non- slip flooring, high level fire rated fabrics to the more current aspect, worldwide viruses. So how are they looking so good?

It’s down to the designers pushing for new technologies to work for a improved aesthetics whist complying with regulations. Fabrics have been doing this for some time, using anti-microbial technologies to kill germs that touch the surfaces; these are on fabrics such as faux leathers and velvets. More recently, paints and wallcoverings have been doing the same, with toxin-reducing paints and wipeable, anti-microbial wallpapers. Still, it is down to designers to keep pushing for this level of quality, so that the environment for the end user is as aesthetically pleasing as they would have in their own homes whilst being safe.

I have a saying that I consider when choosing the right finish in a care environment: “if you wouldn’t want it in your home, then find or design a better product that you would.”

Do not let the norm be the go-to. I once worked on a project where the contractor was adamant about using a safety flooring mainly found in commercial kitchens in a resident bathroom. I asked myself the question, “would I use this at home?” Most definitely not. So why would I think it would be ok for someone else? I looked and found a non-slip rated floor that I was happy to have in my home and I used this instead. It’s about having the home environment at the forefront of your mind when making these decisions so that they then become the norm for others to use going forward.

Longevity is another key element to add into the safety of a design, for example if you choose a carpet that has all the correct qualities when placing it down, will it keep these for 5 to 10 years with heavy footfall, trolleys and wheelchairs using the space? If the product starts to lift or fray in 2 years, this could cause a trip hazard. All these different aspects need to be researched.

The three key questions to use when designing for these environments are:

1. Does it feel like a home?
2. Is the product safe and comply with all safety regulations?
3. Does the product have longevity?

If you can tick all three boxes when choosing each element of your design, then you are on to a winner.