How can interior design make medical and community spaces more inclusive and welcoming for all?

Angel Williams interviews interior designer Blima Ehrentreu about her experience designing inclusive spaces for medical offices, senior living, and special needs communities. They discuss how thoughtful design can transform spaces to better serve people's needs.

Blima Ehrentreu, the Founder and CEO of The Designers Group, is transforming the design industry with her creative expertise and commitment to empowering women, fostering inclusivity, and making a lasting impact on communities.

As a prominent industry leader, The Designers Group stands at the forefront of cutting-edge interior design, specializing in high-end interior spaces for commercial, residential, and healthcare portfolios. Blima's dedication to her work and community has earned her a reputation as an unyielding force within the industry. She believes that design holds the power to shape positive environments and uplift communities. Her philanthropic initiatives, including TDG Gives Back, TDG Furniture Exchange, and TDG Insider, demonstrate her deep-rooted belief in giving back and making a difference through design.

[00:02:00 - 00:05:00] Opening Segment

• Blima designed an urgent care to feel luxurious like a spa by using higher-end materials and creating a calming environment. This improved patients' experiences.
• She tested materials like velvet in waiting areas but realized people associated it with germs, so switched to more clinical materials.
• Blima brought in spa elements like relaxation areas but kept medical needs like proper lighting foremost.

[00:05:00 - 00:08:00] Adapting Materials For Different Spaces

• Materials need to suit the use and durability required - vinyl and tile in hospitals versus softer materials in offices.
• Perception also matters - velvet felt too plush for an urgent care waiting room, even though it was cleanable.
• Blima ensures healthcare materials are antimicrobial to prevent bacteria.

[00:08:00 - 00:16:00] Designing Accessible Spaces

• Blima aims to make designs inclusive so anyone can use the spaces.
• For a special needs center, she incorporated rounded corners and padded walls to prevent injuries.
• She educates clients why accessible bathrooms are important, though they take more space.
• Her friendship with someone in a wheelchair opened her eyes to obstacles like sidewalk curbs.
• She focused on lobbies, staff rooms and restrooms for design flexibility but kept corridors and treatment rooms more clinical.
• Storage solutions like slots to dispense gloves cleanly organized medical supplies.

[00:16:00 - 00:20:00] Designing for Special Needs

• Blima is working on a special needs center with urgent care, dental, swimming pool etc.
• She learned special needs isn't just children - they designed it to serve all ages.
• Special considerations include rounded corners, padded walls, and grab bars to prevent injuries.
• Blima aims to make spaces inclusive so anyone can use them, like her wheelchair friend experiencing obstacles.

Quotes:

"It was so incredible to see how the environment can completely transform the experience of the people using the space." - Blima Ehrentreu

"We don't want to design just for one type of person, or one, we want it to be inclusive, and we want everyone to be able to, be able to enjoy the spaces that we work on." - Blima Ehrentreu

Connect with Blima:

https://www.instagram.com/thedesignersgroup/