Mother and Baby Unit

Project Description

Client: Devon Partnership NHS Trust

Location: Exeter, Cornwall

Architect: Grainge Architects

Jasmine Lodge won the Best Interior Design Award (New Build) at the 2019 Building Better Healthcare Awards, as well as being highly commended in the Clinician’s Choice award.

The Little Something charitable fund invited us to develop an interior scheme for the new 8-bed, Perinatal Unit at Wonford House, Exeter, thereby providing different ideas to the NHS Trust. 

From the very beginning we engaged with all stakeholders for the project, identifying key areas within the unit. We needed to create a design to help alleviate fear and anxiety, maximise safety and security, whilst reducing boredom and delivering a therapeutic environment. We consulted with a mothers focus group, facilitating workshops and discussions to ensure the end design was successful. 

The interior design balanced the need to create a homely and non-institutional feel with the technical standards required. Timber effect vinyl flooring, hard wearing textured wallpaper and washable non vinyl fabrics were used throughout. Walls were painted taupes and neutral colours, blending with the choice of tonal fabrics. The furniture is a mixture of styles, heights and forms to allow a greater degree of choice for the mothers and babies. Hospital Rooms commissioned the inventive and large scale artwork from world class artists. Through a creative partnership each piece complimented the interior colour scheme.

We also designed the first floor accommodation and family visitor apartments to be a warm and welcoming environment, through the choice of colour pallet, and materials. Textured wallpapers, bespoke art, and softer materials created Devon and Cornwall themed spaces.