Just as families are starting to seek out modern and personal memorials, they also want a more modern design from their funeral home.
In a study conducted for the Funeral Service Foundation, Baby Boomers had some interesting things to say about what they want in a funeral home.
Participants felt that many funeral homes were “cold, dark, lonely, intimidating, and too formal.”
Simply put, today’s families want to feel at home. Here are some easy décor and design ideas to help inspire your funeral home.
Modern Design Trends
Before we get into specifics, let’s look at some modern design trends that are shaping 2017:
- Cheerful and inviting colors, especially ones that invoke nature, are a popular design trend. In fact, Pantone’s official Color of the Year is Greenery. It’s a shade of bright green that symbolizes refreshment and revitalization.
- Along with colors, another big trend is incorporating more of mother nature. This means more natural light, more fresh air, and more plants. Inc.com wrote that mother nature can help with “productivity, emotional well-being, stress reduction, learning, and healing.”
- Another popular trend is more home-like areas, or less formal and more casual environments. From furniture to lounging areas, there are plenty of ways your funeral home can adopt this modern trend.
You also don’t need to spend a fortune on renovating a new facility. Below are some easy-to-implement ways of modernizing the funeral home.
Lighting
Let’s start with lights. You’ll want bold, bright, and natural. Some basic tips include:
- Removing dark, heavy curtains for lighter fabrics that let in sunlight.
- Using mirrors to reflect natural light, allowing it to seem like there is more natural light than there really is. Here’s a guide for using mirrors to get more light in.
- Using glass on all your doors. From the front door to office doors, glass — or even frosted glass — can help light naturally flow from room to room.
- Switch old lightbulbs for LEDs or CFL for a more natural and brighter light.
- If a skylight is out of the question, try adding a virtual LED skylight to simulate natural light.
Here some great, affordable light fixtures and lamps that instantly give any room more light:
- Sunllipe LED Floor Lamp with Three Lights
- 6-Light Brushed Nickel Track Lighting
- Natural Full Spectrum Sunlight Therapy Lamp
Landscape, Outdoor Areas, Entry
Because this is the first place a family will see, you’ll want to make your entryway and landscape as peaceful and inviting as possible. Some easy ideas include building a small stone walking path, a simple garden, or even putting in a pond or small water fountain.
Colors
A simple new paint job is often all it takes to breathe new life into a funeral home. The right colors can also pair well and enhance the overall lighting in the room too.
You’ll want bright colors, but not overwhelming. You’ll want to stick with colors that are soothing and calm.
Here are a few ideas to choose from:
Check out this article for other soothing color ideas.
Amenities
Having the right amenities is an easy way to make your funeral home feel more like home for families. Ideas include:
- Offering free Wi-Fi.
- Placing a TV in the lobby.
- Offering reading materials and resources on bereavement and unique memorial ideas.
- Go beyond basic refreshments and offer families some home-style comfort food to make them feel more at home.
- Set aside space with toys and activities for young children to play.
Furniture
There are lots of styles to choose from when it comes to furniture, but the main thing to keep in mind is comfort. You’ll want something that’s comfortable for people of all ages to sit in. And you’ll want to make sure that you have enough furniture to accommodate large groups of families.
Art
Art can be very soothing. And just like furniture, there are countless styles of art to choose from. We recommend sticking with something that gives off a positive vibe. Natural landscapes and scenery are always safe choices. You can even go the extra mile and hire a local artist to paint pictures of your community to give your funeral home a more personal feeling.
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