A Mental Health bedroom presents the biggest challenge and the biggest opportunity to aid individual wellbeing. Striking the right balance between homeliness and safety is important. The challenge of ever-increasing acuity can be a barrier to this. The bedroom remains an individual’s only personal space during a hospital admittance and can be an important sanctuary. Bedroom comfort can be achieved through good interior design and individual control of their environment. Colour choice is important – soft pastel colours are often popular as they can add warmth without being overbearing. Control can be achieved through simple elements such as anti-ligature curtains. They can typically be washed easier than blinds too. User control of heating and ventilation aids their sense of empowerment and autonomy. Co-producing bedrooms with service users and experts by experience is imperative. Opportunities for personalisation are useful too; be it memory boxes, blackboards, space to display photos or endeavours created in the art room. The en-suite too is frequently overlooked and can often appear sterile. Integrated storage is often dismissed, leading to sanitary bottles scattered across the floor and becoming a trip hazard. These are two elements where we are exploring innovative ways to address this challenge. The principles of the P22/P23 repeatable rooms remain strong. Gilling Dod developed both generations in conjunction with contractors. Some elements we evolve and enhance on live projects. A good example of personal space is exemplified by Combe Valley Hospital, where we designed a half-bay window facing the bed so that a patient can look out onto meadows from their bed.
Personal Gilling Dod’s experience delivering thousands of successful Mental Healthcare bedrooms provide us with a wealth of learning to share for future projects.
Space
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