Bramble Ward, Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital

Thanks to its bacteriostatic properties, combined with its natural texture and appearance, Forbo Flooring Systems’ Marmoleum collection has helped to turn the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital’s playful beach theme dream into reality for its paediatric entrance and waiting area. The vibrant and exciting design of this project led it to be commended in the Fly Forbo 2019/20 competition.

After raising funds to refurbish its paediatric entrance and waiting area (for younger children) the Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust consulted with its patients and parents to gather their aspirations and provide inspiration for the look and feel of the space. The consensus was the children wanted a theme that reflected a place where happy family memories are made; the Devon coastline. Following this consultation, the Trust enlisted the help of Studio Hanson and Navada Construction to bring the idea to life.

Kay Hanson, Interior Designer at Studio Hanson, said: “When children visit a hospital for appointments or treatment, it can be a daunting experience for them – especially for the younger children. When I was approached by the Trust we initially discussed creating an interactive beach themed space, which would provide patients with a positive and playful experience; I couldn’t wait to begin the project. Designing to enhance the lives of the user is a strong passion of mine, and it was a great privilege to be part of this project.

When selecting the floor covering, we wanted something that had a more natural and subtle aesthetic to replicate the movement of sand and sea, while also complementing the really vibrant space overall. We therefore chose to use Forbo’s Marmoleum collection. I have specified this range across many healthcare projects before, I knew it was the perfect choice – not only from a design point of view, but also because of its natural bacteriostatic properties and sustainable credentials. For the sand, we specified Marmoleum Cocoa in the white chocolate colourway, as the various tones running throughout the surface provided a really authentic sand-like finish.”

Richard Tomlinson from the Trust commented: “We are delighted with the refurbishment of the Paediatric waiting area and so are our patients. We wanted them to be excited as they arrived and for the children to know this is the place they could feel relaxed and safe. The child friendly design reinforces the message that the child is at the centre of our service and that we focus on their wellbeing. The Boardwalk completes the complete 360-degree experience as they approach the department and encourages children, who might otherwise be anxious, to walk down to the waiting and play area.”