The waiting room of doctor’s offices can be one of the most stressful places in the world. Whether it’s the loss of time or the impending appointment causing the stress, you can seldom find large numbers of relaxed individuals in a waiting room. Many times, these offices choose to include
aquariums in their waiting rooms in order to provide a sense of calmness and relaxation for their patients. However, aquariums can be expensive and hard to maintain. Plants, on the other hand, are another way to add natural calmness and peacefulness to the room. The calming benefit of indoor plants makes this suitable for this location. As there are plants, of course, there is also a need for planters. Here are some things to keep in mind when designing an interior oasis.
Access
A fish tank that is behind the counter would do little to no good for the patients. The same is true for planters and plants. The goal is to create an overall calming feel, putting the patient into nature as much as possible during the stressful waiting period before the appointment. When designing with plants, as opposed to fish tanks, ensuring that the planters do not hinder access is incredibly important. The most beautiful planter in the world, in this environment, won’t do any good if it makes the plant hard to get to or enjoy. While it will likely not turn into a horticultural study area, people like to reach out and touch things, just like they follow fish with their noses
practically against the glass. Design for access first.
Simple and Comforting
The goal of designing with planters in waiting rooms is to provide a comforting experience for the patients. To do this, you should ensure that the planters are not overly chaotic. Highly embellished or bright planters are great for certain environments, but not this one. Neutral , but light, colours and simple, sleek, round, elegant shapes are the perfect fit for this purpose. Harsh edges, dark colours, and rough materials all send the wrong message. Warmth, light, comfort, and a sunny outdoor garden should be the images evoked by the planters, as well as the plants.
Proportional to the Room
Of course, it is also important to make sure that the planters are proportional to the room itself. If you are designing for a very small office, very large planters, which might look great at a restaurant, can overtake the 
room. This, in effect, can create quite the opposite effect of the one desired. Instead of feeling like they are in an open, spacious, calming outdoor environment, the patients will feel cramped and closed in, which will just add more stress to their day. Keep proportions in mind.
While there are endless aspects to designing with plants and planters, keeping the above three items in mind when designing for interior waiting room spaces can help ensure that the patients within that room will be calm, at ease, and relaxed. At the very least, they should feel more at ease than they would have been without the plants. Light tones, soft shapes and textures, and easy access are of the utmost importance. Keep these things in mind and you will be able to design a beautiful and welcoming space for patients.
How do you find the calming effect of indoor plants? We’ll be very glad to hear from you. Feel free to share your thoughts by commenting in the box below.