Hospital Window Treatments

• Hospital interior design has changed over time. LaCoppola-Meier/Lifesize/Getty Images

  Interior design for hospitals has changed over the years as designers have taken into account more than just the functionality of hospital rooms. Now interior designers are asking themselves how they can make patient rooms feel comfortable and pleasant while maintaining a high level of cleanliness and efficiency for hospital staff. Interior designers have experimented with a variety of window treatments for hospital rooms to determine what works best for patients and staff.

Blinds

• Blinds are the most traditional window covering for hospital rooms. Vertical blinds are often chosen because they are easily cleaned. Blinds can be opened and closed to let in or close out light, depending on the patient's and staff's needs. Traditionally blinds are white, but they can be found in other colors as well.

Particleboard

• A particleboard box window treatment is a way to incorporate themes into a hospital setting. This window covering is used most often for children's hospitals or for hospital wings or rooms specifically for children. The boards can be painted to look like clouds, jungle leaves or anything else that would fit into the design of the room. These details are meant to raise a child's spirits while in the hospital.

Color

• Color is an important part of hospital interior design, and different colored curtains are chosen for hospital rooms. Psychiatry Online suggests that bright colors might be helpful for a patient who is depressed but might be too stimulating for some patients. Psychiatry Online also says warm colors with short wavelengths are calming to patients.

Blackout Curtains

• Blackout curtains are used in hospitals because they block out the light and allow patients to sleep at any hour of the day. Blackout curtains do not have to be black but now come in a variety of colors to coordinate with the rest of the room.