From reception desks with custom storage and video screens, to luxury desks with feature lighting, the reception desk has very much become a focal point for any clinic. Once simply a practical solution, today’s reception desk can help portray your brand identity. Your reception desk is the first physical port of call for your clients and sets the aesthetic tone for your clinic. Reception desks are fast becoming a primary design feature in their own right.
Whilst neutrals continue to be popular, we’ve seen a definite increase in the use of bold colours. Many clients are injecting more of their personality into their clinic’s design and this extends to bright colours and quirky artwork. Bright tones may have once been considered an aesthetic no-go for clinics, routinely overlooked for calming muted shades. However, used effectively, bright colours can create a welcoming and cheerful environment that will still put patients at ease.
It’s not just walls which are bringing a pop of colour to clinic interiors. More dentists are choosing dental chairs in a variety of vibrant hues. These create a stand-out clinic feature and are a great way to inject some fun.
Natural luxe finishes like marble, wood and stone, continue to be popular options for high-end clinics. Many modern dental practices have design schemes that wouldn’t look out of place in a luxury hotel or spa.
And nowadays it’s even easier to incorporate the effect of real marble or wood at a lower cost and easier maintenance, thanks to the many different materials available.
As with modern homes, relatively open floor plans are a popular feature for dental clinics. Many clients are aiming for an airy, modern feel. The use of glass walls and dividers for offices and surgeries helps maintain an open-plan aspect whilst offering sound privacy. And for those less keen on being on display, patterned vinyls can be adhered to glass to allow for light to transmit without being on full view.
Lighting has become more than just a functional necessity in dental clinic interiors. Now that clinics are becoming increasingly design-led, old-school fluorescent strip lights have been phased out and accent lighting has been brought in to create drama and add beauty. The year we’ve seen many variations, from a bespoke chandelier that echoed a client’s logo to a huge lighting ring installed as a surgery design feature. Backlit cabinetry and signage continue to be popular and LEDs can bring a completely different look to a staircase.
The latest take on the feature wall is to maintain a tonal palette but add interest through textured panelling. Adding a textured wall can completely change the aesthetic of a practice and introduce a new modern twist.
Offering your clients a space where they feel at home will help them feel much more relaxed before their appointment. From tech-charging stations and free WIFI to state-of-the-art coffee machines and comfy sofas, clinical client waiting areas are fast becoming a thing of the past.
An increasing number of clinics now also offer facial aesthetic treatments which make a trip to the dentist more than a necessary chore. Dental surgeries now overlap with aesthetic clinics and offer patients an altogether more aspirational experience. As we continue to progress through this client-centric era of dentistry, a trip to the dentist is fast becoming less something to be endured and more an experience to actually enjoy.