Transform Your Daycare with Fun and Colorful Decor

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Plan Your Them
Set the Mood with Colorful Murals
Utilize Signs and Wayfinding that Children Can Understand
Use Creative Activity Areas
Use Creative Welcome Desk Design
Incorporate Themed Storage Solutions
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Looking for ways to make your daycare or childcare center more appealing? Perhaps you’re tired of your drabby walls and want to bring some life into your space? Custom theming may be the answer you’ve been looking for.

By having themed decor, you are not only creating a fun and engaging space for children, but you’re also giving them opportunities to learn and exercise while doing it.

Let’s dive into how theming can be a smart decision for your daycare or childcare center!

HOW TO Transform Your Daycare with Fun and Colorful Decor

Plan Your Theme

Start by selecting a theme that is both enjoyable and educational. Themes like outer space, jungle safari, underwater adventure, or fairy tale wonderland can captivate children’s imaginations while offering opportunities for learning through play.

Incorporating local flora, fauna, and landmarks into your daycare’s theme is an excellent strategy for branding your center with unique and meaningful theming.

Set the Mood with Colorful Murals

Murals are an excellent way to inject excitement into any space.

When choosing a mural for your daycare center, consider the age group of your students as well as their interests. This will help ensure that the design is age-appropriate and engaging. For example, if you have younger children in your care, you may want to opt for simpler shapes and brighter colors that will encourage their imaginations. Older children may enjoy more detailed designs featuring characters going on adventures.

Church nursery nap room with night time woodland mural. — Simple colors and shapes in a nursery nap room

Consider the benefits of wall murals when deciding where to play them in your daycare.

Increases creativity: Colorful wall murals can inspire children to use their imaginations and be more creative.
Encourages exploration: Wall murals can encourage children to explore and discover new things, which can help foster curiosity and a sense of adventure.
Increases enjoyment: Wall murals can make children’s spaces more enjoyable and engaging, which can help make learning and play more fun.

Exterior Privacy Windows

Employing murals on exterior windows not only serves as an effective advertisement, signaling to passersby that your establishment is a lively and welcoming space for children, but it also provides an additional advantage by acting as a privacy screen from the bustling street outside.

Utilize Signs and Wayfinding that Children Can Understand

Crafting vibrant and visually engaging wayfinding signs for children who are unable to read serves as a valuable asset, particularly for those who may feel apprehensive in new environments.

Colorful graphic signs engage children with visuals, making navigation intuitive and accessible. By relying on images, symbols, and icons instead of text, these signs empower children to explore independently and reduce confusion and anxiety in unfamiliar environments.

Church classroom signs with animal themed rooms.

Mermaid and Merman themed washroom signs.

Furthermore, they serve as educational tools, reinforcing learning concepts while guiding children throughout the daycare. This inclusive design promotes accessibility for children with diverse needs and enhances the overall aesthetic appeal of the environment.

Parents also appreciate the professionalism and attention to detail conveyed by clear and visually appealing signage, instilling confidence in the daycare’s organization and safety measures.

Ultimately, colorful and graphic wayfinding signs create a welcoming and stimulating atmosphere that fosters children’s development and exploration.

Use Creative Activity Areas in Your Childcare Center

Include Active Play Areas with Slides

Having a slide indoors is excellent for daycares in colder climates where outdoor play might not be possible during certain times of the year. A slide adds excitement and fun to any room while encouraging physical activity as well as imaginative playtime.

Mountain themed climbable soft play slide

Slides come in all shapes and sizes, so you can pick one that fits the size of your space.

Include Calming and Quiet Theater Areas

Movie theaters within daycare settings offer valuable moments of quiet time for children amidst their busy schedules. Theming out your theater space for kids enhances their movie-watching experience by immersing them in a magical and engaging environment that sparks imagination and excitement. By immersing themselves in a movie, children can unwind and relax, providing a peaceful respite from the day’s activities. This quiet time not only allows children to recharge but also promotes mindfulness and self-regulation as they focus on the film’s storyline and visuals.

Be sure to provide comfortable seating options tailored to children’s size, such as small chairs or bean bags. Place low tables or tray tables near seating areas to hold snacks, drinks, or small personal items. These tables should be at an appropriate height for children to access easily without disrupting the movie. These options allow kids to relax and enjoy the movie comfortably.

By watching age-appropriate films, children have the opportunity to explore different cultures, themes, and stories, fostering their creativity and expanding their perspectives.

Use Creative Welcome Desk Designs

A welcoming reception desk is essential when it comes to creating a warm atmosphere in your childcare center or daycare facility. You want parents to feel comfortable leaving their children in your care, so having an inviting entryway is key!

The reception area should be well-lit with plenty of seating available for visitors. Choose comfortable chairs that are easy to move around so parents can sit down while they wait to be seen by staff members. Carpeting is another great option if you have the budget; it adds texture and warmth to the space while providing a cushiony surface for kids who may be more interested in playing on the floor than sitting in someone’s lap.

You could also feature images of previous projects or activities completed by students on display near the reception desk to show parents what their children have been enjoying throughout their time at your center!

Incorporate Themed Storage Solutions

Every childcare center needs plenty of storage solutions like cubbies and shelves where toys can be stored away when not in use. Theming your storage solutions is an easy way to add themed decor, while keeping it functional. Murals on cabinets blend your furnishings in with your theme. Sculpted trees with carved shelves provide versatile storage solutions, accommodating a variety of items with like toys, books, and more.

Cupboard with waterfall graphic and 3D sculpted fish peeking through water.

Make sure the storage solutions fit comfortably within your space without taking up too much room; you don’t want them blocking paths or walkways between rooms.

Adding Themed Decor to Your Childcare Center is Easy

Creating an inviting space in your childcare or daycare center doesn’t have to be difficult! With just a few simple changes such as adding murals, slides indoors, reception desks with plenty of seating options, and storage containers with labels — you can easily transform your space into one that is both fun and functional! With these ideas in mind, you’ll be able to create an environment that both parents and children enjoy spending time in!

Interested in learning more? Check out these related resources on themed environments and their benefits:

Whether Your Office is Big or Small, We Have Options to Theme It All

Pediatric Therapy Facility Decor Inspiration

Keep Guests on Track with 7 Types of Fun Wayfinding Signage for Pediatric Healthcare Spaces

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5 Steps Churches Can Take to Create a Family-friendly Atmosphere

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1. Provide Activities and Spaces for Children
2. Create Accommodations for Families
3. Nurture a Sense of Community
4. Encourage Intergenerational Connections
5. Provide Resources for Families
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Help grow your congregation by taking a few extra steps to create a warm and inviting space for families. By building a family-friendly atmosphere and using kid-centric decor, you can keep your existing members engaged and help new families feel welcomed, especially if their children may feel intimidated by the space when attending church.

Let’s explore the steps you can make to create a more welcoming space for families in your church.

Here are 5 Steps You Can Take to Create a Family-friendly Atmosphere in Your Church

1. Provide Activities and Spaces for Children

Youth-focused activities such as Sunday school, or youth groups will keep your younger members feeling more engaged, have a sense of community, and have a chance to build friendships. Creating collaborative events such as group volunteering or church preparations allow your kids to become more involved and grow their critical thinking skills to prepare them for the future.

Consider giving children their own space within your church that will allow them to have fun, feel safe, and leave a memorable experience to look forward to next time.

Providing a space for kids can include themed play areas, age-appropriate activities like slides for youngsters and video games for teens, or a hang-out room with child-friendly furnishings. These themed spaces can bring life into a room and leave a memorable impression on both kids and new families alike.

Something as simple as custom murals can make all the difference in a room. Using colorful murals and kid-friendly messaging on your walls can help ease the nerves and show new families that your church cares.

Take it one step further and add murals to your windows. This can help make your church stand out and set the tone for what’s expected to come.

View of cozy daycare room with backyard-themed glass window murals — View of cozy learning room with backyard-themed window murals.

KNOW A CHURCH THAT CAN
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2. Create Accommodations for Families

Offering amenities such as changing tables, nursing rooms, and children-sized bathroom fixtures are another great way to create a family-friendly environment within your church. Having these fixtures will create both a handy and thoughtful area for your members. Theming of these spaces with bright colors and images can add a vibrancy that can cater to your children.

3. Nurture a Sense of Community

Creating a welcoming and inclusive environment will help your members feel comfortable and want to stay within your community. Be proactive when it comes to connecting with your members and ensure that they feel invited and welcomed to participate.

Ways to encourage a welcoming environment can include inviting new patrons to community events or classes, providing them with information on ways they can stay engaged with the church, or connecting them with other members that have similar interests.

4. Encourage Intergenerational Connections

Encouraging connections throughout generations can build camaraderie within your church. Involving the older and younger members of your church to connect can create opportunities for learning life lessons, building trust, and developing new skills.

Hosting programs or events such as recreational sports leagues, weekly community gatherings or keynote speaker nights can provide opportunities for your members to grow and learn together regardless of age.

You can even create special presentations or theater areas for children to watch and learn from others in a fun and inviting atmosphere.

theater themed selfie stage in pediatric dentist office

5. Provide Resources for Families

Providing informational resources to your members will further show that you care and are involved with your community.

Informational resources such as parenting tips, extracurricular activities, and information on caregiving can be stepping stones to building a strong family-friendly environment. These resources can be physical through pamphlets and printouts or can be digital by hosting a newsletter or blog online for your church.

Transform Your Church into a Sanctuary for Families

By taking these 5 steps, you can welcome families old and new, helping to grow your church community. When new families come to visit your church, they will be happy to know that the church they attend is accommodating, caring and resourceful.

Building a friendly community doesn’t happen overnight but with the right amount of consistency and proactive initiatives, your new members will be right at home in no time.

Want more resources for making your church family-friendly? Check out the blog below.

Tips for Adding Themed Decor to Your Church

Creating a Sense of Fun and Nostalgia for The Next Generation of Kids

Attract Families to Your Church with Decor for Kids

Church Decor Inspiration Ideas for Kids

Benefits of Themed Decor for Kids, Your Business, and Staff

Contact Imagination Design Studios (IDS) to get started transforming your church into family-friendly sanctuary.

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Improve the Experience of Pediatric Therapy Patients with Fun Decor

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Using Colorful Wall Art to Transform a Space
Using Fun Furniture & Accessories to Create an Engaging Space
Creating Comfort Through Accessible Design & Layout
Environment Has a Big Impact on Children’s Patient Experience
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Children who need therapy, whether OT, PT, ST, or ABA therapy, often face a unique challenge. The journey of learning and recovery can be emotional, tiring, and at times, daunting to children who may not understand the outcome of their treatment. As a healthcare professional providing therapy to pediatric patients, it is important to keep their spirits up and make sure that they are comfortable in your environment.

One way to improve your patient’s experience is by creating fun and functional decor in your therapy space that will engage children while also helping them heal.

Patient consult with mother and daughter.

We will discuss the types of decor you can add to your space and how you can use this kid-centric decor to improve the therapy patient experience.

How to Improve the Experience of Pediatric Therapy Patients with Fun Decor

Using Colorful Wall Art to Transform a Space

Wall decor is the perfect solution for therapy spaces that require ample room for activities. By adorning your walls with eye-catching art, you can transform a bland space into an immersive environment that sparks joy and distracts from any anxieties.

The walls of your therapy space should be colorful, inviting, and reflective of your brand identity. When children enter the room, they should feel immediately at ease and excited to engage in therapy sessions. That’s why selecting wall art that reflects your brand is crucial. Whether you want to create a calming and relaxing environment or a space for fun and play, your wall decor can help you achieve that goal.

Smaller window graphic panels provide fun wall decor as well.

Fun wall colors and graphics are a great place to start. Take it to the next level with murals featuring exciting themes and landscapes. Colorful murals and graphics have been found to greatly enhance the patient experience at therapy clinics and pediatric therapy centers. For kids in particular, a theme can make a kid’s stay much less daunting. It can provide a visual escape from the task at hand and create an inviting atmosphere that feels safe.

Using Fun Furniture & Accessories to Create an Engaging Space

Pediatric therapy clinics can be intimidating for children, but by incorporating fun and comfortable furniture, such as bean bag chairs, colorful rugs, playful seating options, or even swings, you can help them feel more relaxed and comfortable in the space.

Other accessories such as toys, puzzles, or games can add more fun elements into the mix while also providing opportunities for therapeutic learning activities during sessions. Children may feel anxious or stressed during therapy sessions, but by incorporating engaging accessories, you can help distract them from any discomfort or fear they may be experiencing.

Play-based therapy is an effective approach for children, and by incorporating playful furniture and accessories, you can encourage play and exploration, which can lead to better therapeutic outcomes.

Functional but fun furniture like shoe racks, bookshelves, and storage seating is a great way to add some exciting decor without taking away from therapy space.

To learn more about custom furniture pieces, click here.

Finally, adding plants into the mix helps create an even more engaging atmosphere. By adding natural elements to the decor, it greatly contributes to improving indoor air quality which helps boost moods further. Even creating an outdoor therapy area where kids can be outside in fresh air with trees can take your clinic to the next level.

Creating Comfort Through Accessible Design & Layout

When it comes to pediatric therapy, creating a welcoming and comfortable environment is essential for your patient’s success. A key aspect of achieving this is ensuring that all furniture pieces are easily accessible for children of all ages and abilities. Sharp edges and overly tall furniture can be intimidating and uncomfortable for young patients, so it’s crucial to choose pieces that are safe and inviting. By designing a space that feels like it’s made for them, not adults, children will feel more at ease and engaged in their therapy sessions.

A well-thought-out layout will also provide secure circulation paths throughout treatment rooms so every child can move around with ease, without feeling trapped or closed off.

Additionally, using accessible signage with pictures and colors can also make navigating the space easier for children who may have difficulty reading.

Wayfinding sign that reads "Hippo Room".

We, as adults often forget what it’s like to experience a space as a child. If you approach designing therapy spaces with the mindset of a child, you may be surprised at how much more welcoming and accommodating you can make it feel. By prioritizing elements like accessibility, comfort, and fun, you can create a pediatric therapy environment that encourages play, engagement, and positive therapeutic outcomes.

Whether it’s selecting furniture that’s the right size and shape for small bodies, or adding playful decor that sparks joy and curiosity, every detail counts. With a little creativity and attention to detail, you can transform your therapy space into a place where children feel safe, supported, and excited to learn and grow.

Environment Has a Big Impact on Children’s Patient Experience

The first impression your pediatric therapy clinic makes can set the tone for your patients’ entire experience. By creating a kid-centric environment with fun yet functional decor, you can instantly create an inviting and comfortable atmosphere that primes your patients for their therapy sessions. With the right decor, you can create a space that encourages play and exploration, making it easier for children to connect with their therapists and achieve positive therapeutic outcomes.

Mawish Baber, the operations director at the Andalusia Clinics for Kids Wellness has this to say about adding colorful themed decor to their clinic and therapy spaces:

“The kids love the theming. The kids that visit us have started referring to the clinic as “The Fun Center” cementing our desire to make this a place of wellness and development, not a place they are forced to visit.”

Interested to learn more? Check out these related resources for upgrading, renewing, and improving patient experience:

Pediatric Therapy Facility Decor Inspiration

What is Patient Experience and Why Does It Matter?

5 Ways to Improve Pediatric Patient Experience in Your Medical Clinic

Keep Guests on Track with 7 Types of Fun Wayfinding Signage for Pediatric Healthcare Spaces

How Creative Decor Can Benefit Pediatric Therapy Clinics

Contact Imagination Design Studios (IDS) to get started transforming your office from a mundane to a magical patient experience.

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Spotlight on Bayou Themed Decor for Your Office

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Reception Desks
Waiting Room Seating
Friendly Photo Ops
Wall Murals
Games and Activities
Signs and Wayfinding
Ceiling Decor
Brushing Mirrors
Landmark Characters
Exterior Murals for Your Windows
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Are you interested in bayou themed decor for your child-friendly business? The swampy marshlands of Louisiana and the subtropical Everglades of Florida are inspiring landscapes indeed! From crawfish to alligators and cypress trees to cattails, the bayou is mysterious and whimsical with an exciting cast of characters and scenery – so it’s no surprise it’s been one of our most popular themes over the years!

Let’s review some highlights from these amazing offices. The swamp never looked so good!

Bring the Bayou Inside

Reception Desks That Welcome Your Clients to the Bayou

Reception desks are one of our more popular items to theme – it’s your guests’ first contact with your business once they are inside the doors, so it better stand out and set the mood for their visit.

The bayou offers many different landscapes – floating along a creek, diving below the water’s surface, or partying in the tree tops.

Why not pay homage to the brass bands and musical roots of the area. Bust out your tuba, trombone, trumpets, and bass drum. From jazz to blues to marching bands, spread some musical culture to the children visiting your space.

Drifting on the bayou being serenaded by sweet banjo music sounds like a wonderful way to spend the evening.

Historical sights like the tricorn hat and sailing ships make for a rich backdrop in this bayou themed office.

There’s plenty to see on the riverside – cattails, pelicans, and babbling brooks.

This whole office is submerged below the water. Did you know that while they are more famously found in the everglades of Florida, manatees do migrate all the way to the waterways of Louisiana? These round and friendly creatures are a great addition to any river themed office.

Twilight is a magical time on the bayou. Sunsets and fireflies create a calming atmosphere. In the desk below, the jar in the hands of the otters contains twinkling lights to mimic these twinkling bug butts.

Close up of an otter with a goldfish stuck in its goggles

Bayou Seating to Add Style to Your Waiting Room

Log benches big enough to fit the whole family, along with child-sized mossy stools make for some cozy seating. Our medical grade vinyl is very durable and able to stand up to the excitement of the children who will be using them.

Seating is also a great place to add a photo op for your guests to pose with…

Friendly Photo Ops Featuring Some Familiar Creatures

The wetlands of Louisiana have more adorable animals than you may have realized! And those critters make for charming photo op characters. Add in a logo or a sign for kids to hold while you pose, and you have a winning combination.

Children can sit beside a sweet mother fox and her baby while they wait for their appointment along with you. Situated in a medical clinic’s waiting room, the little fox has a broken leg. This helps children visiting for their own bumps and bruises feel more comfortable as they connect with the space.

Now, photo op characters don’t have to be sitting at all. Stand-alone characters can provide a different level of interaction as children ham it up for the camera.

WANT TO ADD BAYOU
THEMING TO YOUR SPACE?

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Murals Featuring Bayou Landscapes and Critters

When paired with a vibrant mural wall, fun characters and standout seating immerses guests further into the wetlands. The scenes can tell stories and add richness to your decor.

Silhouette murals add an atmospheric look to the marshy landscape. Fireflies glow against the cypress trees and Spanish moss in this purple landscape mural.

This darkened playroom with a floor-projected game system benefits from the moody twilight murals.

Treatment rooms and open bays are perfect places for murals. Space is limited for 3D sculptures, so 2D decor really makes the spaces pop.

Long murals really show off the expansive landscape filled with creeks and shacks.

Smaller murals can pack a lot of punch as well. A main character surrounded by a bayou landscape transforms a room.

Turn a regular door into something special. This cheeky outhouse mural is sure to get some laughs.

Murals are for more than just decor! I Spy murals include picture find games that can keep guests, young and old, occupied with a fun activity. Little hidden items are dispersed throughout the scene. A list tells guests exactly what to look for.

Window murals are a great way to bring the theming outside. The decals placed on windows are double-sided so viewers get a peek at the scene whether they are inside for a treatment or just passing by the building. They can even be used to create some privacy.

Now if you don’t have windows, don’t fret. Faux windows let the landscape look into your office with funny vignettes of animals and activities. The wood frames can match your existing decor or window molding for extra detail.

There’s Plenty of Games and Activities in the Marshlands

From play boards to tablet games to slides, the bayou has fun activities for all ages.

As we mentioned previously, I Spy games hidden in wall murals are a great way to pass the time. Who doesn’t love going through a Where’s Waldo book? This is just like that, but for your walls. You can even add in items related to your industry, such as toothbrushes, band aids, library books, or art supplies.

“I Spy With My Little Eye” picture find game graphic.

A favorite is the tree play structure with a slide. Physical activity is a great way to occupy kids while they wait.

Private playrooms in a waiting area are a great way to create a space for kids to hang out, while adults get their own space to relax. Video games and wall-mounted playboards will keep their brains engaged and free of appointment anxiety.

Speaking of video games, there’s so many options. Gaming tablets can be built into 3D game towers, 3D wall decor, or hung directly on the wall.

Theater spaces are another great distraction tool. Add some seating and a TV to keep young ones occupied watching the latest movie. Like this drive-in theater, or should we say paddle-in theater…

Signs and Wayfinding

Wayfinding is spatial problem-solving – the problem is helping your guest find their way around your facility. Welcome signs, bathroom signs, and directional sign will help everyone navigate your space.

Don’t Forget Your Ceilings!

Ceilings are often neglected, other than a fancy light fixture, but they are prime real estate for something magical.

In this example, alligators and waterfowl float along the waterways of the bayou? Ceiling decor is a great use of space, especially in dental offices, where patients will spend a lot of time looking up at the ceiling.

Brushing Mirrors Shaped like Charming Bayou Characters

It’s not all fun and games in the bayou – brushing mirrors help with an important task that must be learned by young patients visiting the dentist!

One of our most tongue-in-cheek creations is the hillbilly mirror frame. This gap-tooth character is sure to get some chuckles.

Alligators are a classic critter from the swampy rivers of the South. And their teeth could certainly use a brush!

External Bayou Office Decor

Landmark Characters are a Billboard for Your Location

Advertise your building in a spectacular way using big characters to draw the eye. We call these types of characters ‘Landmarks’ because they become directional landmarks for people in the towns and cities in which they are installed.

This fun design is literally exploding out of the wall with a turtle, frog, and alligator. It has become a landmark for the locals in this city.

When I go around town and you say “Hi, I’m Bill Martin, the Orthodontist at Martin Kids” the first thing they say is “Oh my gosh, that’s the alligator that comes out of the building.” We’ve since had people stopping by and taking pictures, it’s great. In fact, they’ve said that anything out in this area they will tell their friends where it is in relation to the alligator coming out of the wall.
– Dr. Bill Martin

We love an external photo op, and these grinning gators and friendly manatees are a great way to greet your patients! This 2-story statue grabs attention from the nearby road.

Exterior Murals for Your Windows

Window advertising is a classic way of drawing the eye, but these cute scenes will draw in families walking past in a whole new way. Exterior window decals transform a plain, boring window into a fantastical landscape. These double-sided murals look great on the inside and the outside. Spark curiosity about what’s inside your building.

Ready to float down the bayou? Our Creative Consultants are excited to amaze you with some options for your space!

Want to take a closer look at more bayou themed offices? Check out these two projects below:

Everglade Themed Dental Clinic

Bayou Themed Dental Clinic

Bayou Themed Medical Clinic

Want a bayou themed office of your own? Our Creative Consultants can’t wait to help you get you floating down the river!

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The Benefits of Themed Decor for DSOs

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What is IDS Theming?
Create Consistent Brand Recognition Amongst Your Locations
Supercharge Your Marketing Plan and Make Your Building Your Biggest Advertising Asset
Sensitivity to Ownership Changes
Repeatability Makes Adding Unique Decor Easy
The ROI From IDS Theming
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Dental Support Organizations (DSO) and Dental Group Practices are built by hard-working professionals who have established reliable partnerships to grow their business nationwide. They own and operate anywhere from 10 to 1000 dental practices.

Resourcefulness and efficiency are at the core of these organizations’ models – providing management and marketing support so location staff can focus on doing what they do best – providing quality care for their patients. With the combined knowledge and skills of everyone involved, this creates a well-oiled, efficient business.

Is this you? If so, it’s time to ask “What can I do to ensure success?”

Read along to uncover the added benefits of running a DSO or Group Practice, plus the new opportunities for the future of your operations with a secret ingredient that has proven to increase the success of dental offices – themed office decor.

What is IDS Theming?

IDS theming is the transformation of a mundane space into a magical place.

We specialize in the conceptualization, design, and creation of playful murals, engaging 3D decor, and interactive gaming for pediatric medical environments.

Many young patients experience high anxiety and stress when faced with dental and medical procedures. Themed healthcare offices can prevent and reduce patient anxiety, help create client satisfaction, secure returning clientele, and grow your business.

DSO locations and Group Practices reap the rewards of these benefits at a heightened level. Because they have multiple locations at once working under the same mentality of communicating dependable brand values and the promise of providing an exceptional patient experience through the deployment of consistent decor across the board. When people like what they see, their trust in your business is reinforced.

While you are noodling about your wildest theming dreams, continue reading to unveil in greater detail just how it can work for an organization.

Create Consistent Brand Recognition Amongst Your Locations

Your brand is your “thing”. To have a strong brand you need to establish that “thing” you are known for and create a consistent experience for your clients location-wide. By eliminating the mundane and clinical stereotype of what a medical environment should look like, you are creating a stand-out brand for your business. That “thing” patients and parents will know you for is being fun & welcoming plus your endeavor to go above and beyond for their patient experience.

Before you came here, you already knew what you wanted your patients to think about you – that you care about providing them with the best of the best – the best care, treatment, and experience. Theming can help you create a consistent experience across your organization’s landscape.

Dr. Joe Yale, owner of an IDS themed office says it best,

“I believe that our theme provides a visual manifestation of how committed we are to giving the best level of customer service and the best experience a child could have. It’s all about the people, the patients, and parents that we take care of.“

Take this multi-location dental and ortho office as an example. The same reception desk, murals, and welcoming whale are found at each location. These familiar features make a friendly environment for patients, no matter which location they go to.

By taking the anxiety out of appointments with whimsical distractions, you’ll get parents talking – on social media, at family gatherings, and with their friends over coffee.

From Dr. Alexandra Jensen,

“We live in an age where the big thing online is the review it’s the facebook ads it, it’s the facebook mommy’s and just hearing word of mouth. That being said, I think the theme of the office gives parents something to talk about.”

And here’s how the process went for themed multi-office owner and CEO, Jennifer Kreidler-Moss,

“IDS delivered exactly what we wanted. They took our grand ideas and turned them into cohesive themes suitable for our spaces and our budget. We loved customizing the small details and they walked us through the process every step of the way.“

Each of her 11 locations has a different child-friendly sitting corner with fun seating and a branded photo op character.

Supercharge Your Marketing Plan and Make Your Building Your Biggest Advertising Asset

Speaking of photo ops, theming is a great way to add extra flair to your marketing materials and social media feeds.

Dentist and owner, Dr. Michael Lateiner has seen it with his own eyes,

“Patients come into the office and are immediately comfortable and the parents can’t stop taking pictures. They made my office the talk of the town!!!“

Photo ops, from characters to head holes to surfing waves, are a great way to get organic advertising for your business. Sharing photo ops with happy clients increase social media engagement. It also adds the benefit of ‘social proof’, the idea that consumers will adapt their behavior according to what other people are doing, and potential clients will see your business as trustworthy.

The most successful photo op is a mascot that represents your business. The dental market is now more competitive than ever, and you need to use all resources available to stand out from the crowd. Mascots are memorable, helping your brand become more recognizable. A branded mascot can increase a company’s profit and emotional connection with customers by up to 40.9%.

One of our most successful partners has created an entire magical world surrounding their mascots. Every location has a familiar face to greet visitors.

Exterior Landmark characters make a business’s exterior stand out visually to people passing by. They draw attention, stir conversation, and become a part of the community’s vernacular. “Turn right at the giant octopus” will become a common phrase heard around town.

Landmark characters completely changed the way owner Sheryl Wright saw her building,

“As a result of the theming, marketing has definitely improved. Even if patients cannot remember the name of the clinic, they know where we are and that our clinic is the fun place for kids to come play while they are waiting for their appointment. Telling patients it is the clinic with the octopus is an easy visual landmark to help them find us. This has helped get new patients through the doors.”

Themed interior decor is a game-changer for creating marketing campaigns that stand out amongst the mass of dental reminder postcards and facebook ads. Featuring photos of your interiors with all the amenities you have to offer will get you noticed amongst the noise.

For Dr. Scott Savel, owner of 3 themed IDS offices, the horizon for future success is endless,

“We found that theming has been instrumental in our success. By making the investment, it sets us apart. Especially in pediatrics, we walk into an area and we’re a category-killer in that area. We’re definitely planning on opening multiple offices and using theming for all of them.“

Ultimately, when you have successfully established brand recognition within your clientele, they know who you are, what you do, and the level of service you provide – all the things they need to know to trust your organization which will help you grow your business.

Sensitivity to Ownership Changes

When you acquire an established practice, there are going to be existing patients and families that are connected and loyal to the previous provider.

With this in mind, as the buyer, you must be mindful of these existing clients’ feelings and find ways to communicate that the change in ownership will only make the place they know and love even better.

Change Can be Good

By joining up with a DSO, dental offices become infused with the latest in staff training, more efficient billing & insurance management, and access to modern technology. But those beneficial improvements might not be obvious to the average customer.

Decor upgrades to your space can be visual cues for patients to recognize this promise to improve their experience and help build their trust in your brand and services. By signaling your willingness to go above and beyond for the comfort of your young patients in ways the previous owners did not, you can help build those new relationships and create loyal customers.

Repeatability Makes Adding Unique Decor Easy

What we do over here at IDS is create original environments for our clients. With our team, you can develop a custom package of repeatable and on-brand decor for all of your locations.

From the initial design concepts, a Group Practice or DSO corporation is making an original, customized investment in their business. This investment is one that is unique to their brand but can be flexible in its conceptualization and execution so core design elements can be re-deployed across multiple locations.

We’ll be candid, there is a cost to the theming process. However, savings on economies can be amplified by theming all offices with the same foundational essentials – a mascot, desk cladding, repeatable wall murals, and more. Once design, brand, and execution are established, there is no starting from scratch when expanding to new locations.

For example, this carnival themed DSO has the same balloon-riding monkey photo op in each location.

Once the design is complete, we can adjust for size, position, and ceiling height in each location. We have installed 6 locations already, with 3 more locations getting themed this year, and more planned for the future.

The ROI From IDS Theming

Like we said, theming is a big investment, but it is an investment in your future success. The payback is unbeatable and our clients have experienced the difference themed decor makes in their businesses.

Even the independent dentists we work with have achieved so much success after theming they are able to open a 2nd, 3rd, or even a 7th or 8th office with the profits achieved from their first themed office.

From Dr. Bill Martin,

“At first when I got into this I said to myself wow, this is a lot of money. But when I look at the benefits of it, it really is a marketing tool because you don’t have to put up a billboard when you have an office like this. I think undeniably this is the best marketing tool you can possibly use.“

Check out the video below to hear what they had to say:

What’s Next for Your Business?

As previously mentioned, resourcefulness and efficiency are at the core of these organizations’ models. What’s next is asking if your offices are currently working for you in the best way possible to amplify your marketing and business success.

Theming helps add another level of resourcefulness and efficiency to your current business model by working to magnify and engage the added benefits you hold from running a DSO. Are you ready to take the leap?

Interested in learning more? Check out these related resources on themed environments and their benefits:

Turn your building into your most valuable marketing asset, attract more clients & entice new staff!

8 Color Schemes and What They Mean for Your Office Vibe

Create a Memorable Patient Experience Through Dental Office Interior Design and Decor

A Practical Guide to Creating an Exceptional Patient Experience

Attract Staff to Your Office… and Keep Them!

Contact Imagination Design Studios (IDS) to get started transforming your office from a mundane to a magical patient experience.

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Spotlight on Dinosaur Themed Decor

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Exterior Showstoppers
Reception Desk Decor
Bench Seating
Photo Ops
Themed Murals
Play Areas
Theater Spaces
Signs and Wayfinding
Send & Share

Travel back to the Land Before Time when you walk through your office doors. With dinosaur themed decor you can embark on a pre-historic adventure with a wooly mammoth, a triceratops, or maybe a brontosaurus!

Adding dinosaur themed decor to your space will add action, adventure, and mystery to your medical or dental office, childcare center, hotel play area, or any kid-oriented environment that you want to elevate for your visitor experience.

Let’s take a look back on some past Imagination Design Studios dino themed projects to get some creative juices flowing on how we can transform your everyday space into a primordial world of wonder.

Wow Your Clients With Dino-Mite Exterior Showstoppers

A head-turning exterior landscape is a sure way to wow everyone who passes by. Intrigue all ages with an extraordinary sculpture that signals you are a destination that promises an unforgettably unique experience if they walk through your doors.

Also, an exterior showstopper makes your real estate work for you. An IDS rooftop landmark is a perfect way to let your building advertise for you 24/7!

Check out this cute brushing dino! But don’t mistake cute for little, this ginormous dino spans across the length of this practice’s roof and it turns heads from miles away, stirring up curiosity all throughout the local community.

This brontosaurus and sabretooth tiger act as attention-grabbing exterior Landmarks above the carved rocky signage on the outside of this medical clinic. Kids know this is a fun place to go for a check-up.

Realistic dinosaurs are fun for all ages, like the raptor created for this orthodontic office.

Welcoming Dinosaur Reception Desk Decor

Once inside, the adventure for your young visitors can really begin. Capture your guests’ attention the moment they walk through the front door by bringing your theme to the reception desk.

As parents are occupied with the check-in process, children can plan an excavation excursion and examine these uncovered dino bones that have been carefully sculpted and textured to encourage exploration and spark imagination.

This jungle hut reception has been overrun with some pretty cool dinos! Be sure to give the curious brontosaurus hanging out on the bridge a wave on the way inside.

Even a small desk can get a WOW upgrade that will draw visitors straight to it. Big or small, this check-in desk with ancient dinosaur bones makes for a beautiful decor piece. You can even throw an archeologist into the mix…

Immerse Yourself in the Adventure with Themed Bench Seating

From your reception desk to your waiting areas, the dinosaur theming can travel with your guests in a number of great decor products. Seating is an integral part of any lobby, waiting area, or lounge.

Carved seating that mimics the rocky hoodoos of ancient landscapes sets the scene for a dinosaur adventure.

Add a character to any seating area and your bench also doubles as a perfect photo-op to snap a ‘share-worthy’ moment for parents to keep and share with others. This will help you to promote your brand and what your location has to offer.

Let’s look at even more ways you can integrate photo ops into your space…

Pose with a Prehistoric Photo Op

Stand up characters are a fun photo op for kids and their families to pose beside. They can even be moved around your space or brought along to trade shows or public events.

Photo ops are great for the exterior of your building as well. They’ll draw in people passing by and spark curiosity about your business.

These two adorable dinos are all dolled up and waiting for their date to arrive – little do they know they’re waiting for each other on opposite ends of the street. Who’s going to tell them?

Dinosaur Themed Murals to Transport Your Walls to the Past

For the spaces that aren’t big enough for you to fit a life-size sculpted t-rex, a thrilling mural designed and illustrated by our artists can leave a lasting impression.

Time-traveling dino adventure anyone?

This Dino Tours mural incorporates gaming tablets (seen on the side of the vehicle) into the illustrated design.

Dinosaur divider walls separating the children’s play area from the adult sitting area are a fun way to add color, excitement, and organization to a space.

Our clients love mural additions as they are a visual way to keep children stimulated, encourage them to get lost in their imaginations, and make their own fun.

Speaking of organization, let’s check in on a few play areas that give kids a place to play, make a mess, and have fun in a dedicated area just for them.

Jurassic Play Areas Are Fun for All Ages

Creating special places just for children within your office space is a great way to make kids feel special. A private game area made for kids will make them well extra welcomed into your practice.

Did you know dinosaurs make great friends? This colossal creature invites its little guests into an aquatic cavern – a private play area where kids can unwind and parents can rest knowing that they are safe in a child-friendly environment.

Take a closer look – inside this sea cave an engaging gaming system has been built into the wall to entertain kids of all ages.

Theater Spaces for Entrainment and Education

The whole gang will show up for a movie in your hoodoo-filled dino themed theater area.

Kids can watch their favorite movie with all their favorite dino-pals while waiting for their approaching appointment. Local children’s groups, scouts, and tours can come in for educational presentations as well.

Our charming characters get into the movie too. Popcorn and 3D glasses abound in a cozy theater made for kids!

Signs and Wayfinding to Help Guests Find Their Way To and Through Your Jurassic Park

Signs have two benefits – as eye-catching marketing on the exterior of your building as you saw before in our Landmarks section, and as helpful wayfinding to lead your guests around the inside of your building.

Let’s look at what you can do to the inside of your space. Add an eye catching sign like this in your space to ensure your practice stands out as being family-friendly and fun.

These cuties below are sure to bring a smile to your clients’ faces the second they catch a glimpse.

Ready to set out on a Jurassic journey of your own? Our Creative Consultants are excited to amaze you with some prehistoric options for your space! In the words of Dr. Henry Wu from Jurassic Park, “You didn’t ask for reality; you asked for more teeth!”

Want to take a closer look at some dinosaur themed offices? Check out these two projects below:

A Dino-Mite Dental Clinic

Two Them es – Dinosaur and Jungle

Want a dinosaur themed office of your own? Our Creative Consultants can’t wait to help you go back in time!

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Optimize Your Healthcare Facilities for Patient Acquisition

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Conscious Effort is Required to Attract New Patients
Design Details that Influence Patient Acquisition
Relationships Affect Patient Acquisition
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Convincing new patients to choose you for their care is a journey – a journey that starts with the patient’s first appointment and develops through a series of good experiences with your clinic. Those positive results will typically point back to how well your office is optimized for patient acquisition.

That’s no small feat. These days patient interaction is skewed by your staff demeanor, your standard of care, the services you provide, insurance acceptance, and more. That also includes the design of your office which enhances or diminishes a patient’s impression of you, your team, and your skills.

Conscious Effort is Required to Attract New Patients

The cost of acquiring one new patient can total hundreds of dollars or more. Your total investment can vary from patient to patient depending on their responsiveness to either your office culture or future targeted marketing initiatives.

There’s also the competitive environment that hospitals and clinics exist in. Advertising campaigns can cross the line of sight of potential patients via direct mail pieces or online advertisements. Healthcare providers spend upwards of $10 billion on advertising a year in the US – that’s a lot of effort being poured into attracting new clients.

The conclusion that can be drawn from this is clear – the choice is in the hands of the patients!

And that is the problem you have to solve with your acquisition efforts – occupying a prominent place in their mind when they are making a choice about their health or their family’s care. You must be intentional in your actions to secure their attention and keep it.

Be Aware of the Environment You Have Created for Your Patients

Your physical space, clinic atmosphere, vibe, and overall culture can have a substantial impact on patient acquisition. New patients especially are discerning about specific things relative to your office environment.

Does the space mitigate their anxieties?
Does it feel like a safe and sterile environment?
Will satisfaction be consistent across satellite locations?

These factors align with what’s referred to as evidence-based design strategy. That’s the theory that you can create an office environment that helps you achieve the best possible healthcare outcomes.

And of course, this would strongly influence the acquisition of new patients.

The power of first impressions relies on how each patient feels the moment they encounter your practice. It could be the tone of a direct mailout, the glowing referral of a friend or online review, or the atmosphere of the office when they first walk in.

”Design choices matter. Approximately 24 to 35% of a patient’s overall satisfaction with a health care experience is influenced by the design and decor of the facility.” ^[1]

Design Details that Influence Patient Acquisition

Overall Design Details

Interior design and decor are important for setting a mood in your dental office.

Maximizing your office design extends from curb to exam room. Remember that one scheduled appointment doesn’t guarantee a second. Make a first impression that sticks like glue.

Apply conscientious design from the entrance to the reception to the exam & treatment areas.
Maintain and routinely upgrade your exterior and interior spaces.
Theme your office to connect with your patient demographic.

Create a Mood with Details in Your Front Office and Reception Area

The attention to detail you bring to establish the vibe of your entry areas will help your patients connect with your space. A pleasant and comfortable tone invites guests in and makes them feel at home. This feeling will have patients willing to begin establishing a long-term relationship with your practice.

It has been amazing to see the overwhelmingly positive reaction of patients as they come in for treatment. Providing exceptional care and comfort are foundational to my practice. Since the installation, I have watched their joy increase immensely.

– Dr. Clyde Maxwell

When creating a patient welcome area, there are a few things you should try to accomplish.

Welcome your patients to your office with a smile. Your receptionists are the first people your clients interact with, and as such, are the face of your company. Use your reception desk or check-in desk as a beacon to welcome them inside your space.

Include natural features such as plants, nature art, outdoor views, soft lighting, and skylights that utilize natural lighting effects. Provide patients with a comfortable place to relax their minds.

underwater themed waiting room with custom murals, whale sculpture and fish — Village Family Dental Surgery

Include elements like reading materials, free wi-fi, and especially in the case of pediatric areas, themed decor, etc.

An important part of your reception area is entertainment. Turning the wait time into a relaxing or even a fun time with amenities like free wifi, snacks, or games for kids is a great we to turn your office into a welcoming space.

A separate play corner or room for children in waiting areas creates a special space just for them (and a space where adults can relax without the noise of children). A welcoming space for children will reduce their anxiety, but also put their parents at ease knowing they are entertained and occupied, and in the end have them both looking forward to their appointments!

Pikeville Medical Center Children’s Hospital

Ultimately, the intentions are to create a space that your clients enjoy visiting and are motivated to return to when a future need arises. Patients, whether children or adults, will acknowledge and appreciate that you put effort into their comfort and entertainment by paying attention to the spaces they will be using.

Extend Friendly Decor into Your Examination Spaces

Bring the journey beyond your waiting room and into the rest of your space with themed decor. Bright colors and landscape imagery promise your guests a distraction from their ailments if they choose your services. After time spent in your space, patients will know your priorities are giving top not services and a positive experience.

Pediatric wards can especially benefit from transformative decor in exam and recovery areas. Young patients will feel at ease and parents will have a great distraction for their children. Here are some great examples of how themed office decor has transformed office spaces to create a positive pediatric patient experience.

Jungle murals brighten up a sterile treatment room.

Patients will feel like they’re going on a walk through the wilderness in this treatment area hallway.

At the end of the day, it is the vibe you create in your business space that helps patients feel more engaged and in control of their relationship with you as their care provider.

Theming on the Building’s Exterior to Grab Attention

Visibility, parking availability, ease of access, and exterior aesthetic are all factors that set the tone for patient acquisition success.

At IDS we are all about making the best first impressions for pediatric healthcare environments. We work with family-friendly businesses to design both big and small themed elements for the exterior of their locations. Whether it is a giant blue whale perched on top of a building, a pirate ship busting through the wall, or a quirky photo op, people will begin to associate your business with your theming choices… “They promise a friendly experience!” or “These people go above and beyond for their clients.”

And here’s the thing with exterior theming, suddenly your building is advertising for you 24/7. Exterior theming will not only attract new clientele but spread the word around town about who you are and what you do.

“As a result of the theming, marketing has definitely improved. Even if patients cannot remember the name of the clinic, they know where we are and that our clinic is the fun place for kids to come play while they are waiting for their appointment. Telling patients it is the clinic with the giraffe and alligator is an easy visual landmark to help them find us. This has helped get new patients through the doors.”

– Sheryl Wright, Family Nurse Practitioner and Owner of Reelfoot Pediatrics

Relationship Development Details that Affect Patient Acquisition

Not all relationships start at a good place. In fact, for many healthcare appointments, there might already be a strike against you.

It’s nothing personal, it’s just that individual health is well, personal. Put in the work of creating the right environment and match that with good relational skills to help dissolve your patients’ natural existing anxieties.

Pay Personal Attention to Your Patients

It’s easy for patients to feel like a number in a long line of appointments you have throughout the day. Every patient interaction or conversation provides you an opportunity to deepen your relationship with them.

Your top relational skill is listening!

It helps to rely on your office design flow for enhanced listening. Meaning, that it’s a good idea to have patient conversations in a designated, comfortable consult area.

Patients will feel more at ease and you and your team members will be better equipped to truly listen to what your patients share with you.

This consult area is designed to put kids at ease as they sit with their parents.

You can also offer additional points of contact beyond an in-person exam and consultation. Making yourself or resources available to your patients beyond office hours will help them feel valued and connected.

Leverage Your Knowledge to Build Trust with Your Patients

Patients know it’s a good idea to take care of their physical health. But they’re often lacking the “why” behind it.

Trust is a defining element in any relationship, but is particularly central to the patient-physician relationship. Trust is built through knowledge and being able to convey that knowledge to your patients in a way they will understand. Patients who feel informed are more likely to have a positive experience. And that positive experience leads to an increase in your patient acquisition success.

Listen to their specific questions, and find a solution that is unique to them and their situation.
Encourage them to ask questions about your standard of care, technology, treatment outcomes, financials, and more. Freedom to inquire (without judgement) enhances the doctor-patient relationship.
Have resources available that they can take home or look up online beyond the appointment to help them feel empowered.

Patients who trust their healthcare providers are more likely to have longer relationships with their physicians.

Schedule the Next Appointment

Relationships require consistency. The same applies to maintaining health. Your intentional efforts to set a patient’s next follow-up appointment confirms that you consider their healthcare as a priority.

Staying connected to you and your office and their health maintains consistency that is essential. Those levels of consistency confirm that you’re on the path to increasing your patient acquisition percentages.

Keep in mind that acquiring patients is fundamentally a two-fold process. It is one part environment and one part relational.

Optimize your clinics around each and you’ll increase your successful patient acquisition.

Check out these related resources on these strategies that lead to an increase in patient acquisition:

6 Dental Office Images That Show How Intentional Design Impacts Patient Experience

What is Patient Experience and Why Does It Matter?

A Practical Guide to Creating an Exceptional Patient Experience

Contact Imagination Design Studios (IDS) to get started transforming your office from a mundane to magical patient experience.

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How Exterior Theming Can Draw Visitors to Your Tourist Attraction

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You know that little saying… don’t judge a book by its cover? What if I told you that is exactly what you want your customers to do.

In other words, when your guests pull up to your business you want them to be impressed with your building and have a good idea of how you operate on the inside. Follow along as we discuss how bringing a little imagination and personality to the exterior of your building can have a beneficial impact on the business that comes through your doors.

What Does the Exterior Look of Your Business Say to Guests?

In our recent blog What Does Your Reception and Lobby Say to Guests, we noted that it only takes seven seconds for a person to make a first impression. Seven seconds is just enough time for a person to decide whether they are going to turn into your parking lot or not.

You never get a second chance to make a first impression.
– Oscar Wilde

Make sure your guests are wowed from moment one with something that makes them take a deep breath and think, “I am in the right place.”

What Do You Want Your Visitors to Know About You?

What attracts visitors to your destination? Is it your signature dish, prehistoric fossils & minerals, a new science exhibit, or top-notch scuba tours? Similarly, why are you as a business owner excited to have guests join you in your space?

You can give visitors the answers to these questions by designing the exterior of your location to visually represent who you are, and make them feel assured they are in the right place when they arrive.

Before you embark on the journey of designing your dream exterior, start by asking yourself the following questions:

How do I want my brand to be visually represented?
What assumptions do I want people to make when they arrive at my business?
What are my target audience’s interests?

Attract Attention with Landmark Characters to Top Your Building

Turn heads from miles away and make people think “I have to go there.”

External business landmarks – a tried and true advertising technique that works for your business 24 hours a day.

Your business’s exterior is the first interaction guests have with your company. Let it be your silent salesperson and speak on your behalf for all the moments you are not around. Let it intrigue passersby. You are a one-of-a-kind business, give people the idea that what you are doing through your doors is different and exciting.

This legendary landmark makes it obvious that this location is committed to the promise of fun. A strong impression like this sticks like glue – who forgets an octopus with a snorkel practically inviting you inside for a scuba-filled adventure.

Check out these keepers of the animal kingdom. Visitors will be curious as to what other playful safari animals they may encounter as they wander through this attraction.

“There’s only one thing that can leave a footprint that size…” Feast your eyes on the world’s largest gorilla gripping the Empire State Building in its clutches.

Ready for a white water rafting adventure? This wild landmark doubles as a photo op for these kids who have hopped on for the ride!

Looking for some radical waves to surf? Give this dude some fin for riding that gnarly wave over the edge of this business rooftop.

Fans of fossils and dinosaurs will spot this friendly dino from miles away as it spans over the entirety of this building’s roof.

Yehaaaaaw! This educational facility promises a farmyard full of fun to all the guests who walk through the doors!

This is a landmark of… a landmark! The Hollywood Wax Museum displays stars of the past in the style of Mount Rushmore.

Grab attention and let the word of your unique exterior spread far and wide. Exterior theming will attract new visitors and get the community talking about you. “Turn left at the giant octopus” will become a common phrase. People won’t be able to help but come by and check you out.

Advertise with Themed Cladding for Your Building Exterior

Take it one step further than a sculpture on your roof – cover your whole building in an eye-catching display!

Theming the entire exterior of your business will have car breaks screeching and kids and adults alike screaming “stop the car!”

Turn your space from mundane to magical and hit people with the curiosity bug. They will have a hard time staying away from your space wondering what is behind your remarkable doors.

This wonderful upsidedown museum is sure to draw attention. What do you think has happened to the inside? Should we explore?

Do you dare enter the Castle of Chaos? The themed cladding on this building radiates mystery and the promise of a thrill.

The Hollywood Wax Museum is the home of the stars!

When guests pull up to MagiQuest, they know they are in for an adventure. Which magical door should they try first?

Become a Shareworthy Business With Themed Photo Ops

Whether you operate a healthcare facility, hospitality venue, or tourism destination, it’s critical that your clients leave happy and are excited to come back. And if you’ve done it just right, they will be happy to share with others the great experience they’ve had in your space.

Give your guest something to share by showcasing visually interesting moments they can easily capture and post on social media. But what could these significant opportunities be for your business? Well, what is the first thing you do when you are looking to visit a new place? Do you check prices, read reviews, or do you scan the photos? Our guess is photos first.

Picture this… the first photos of your business that come up on Google are customers posing with your one-of-a-kind photo op. They are beaming in these photos because they’ve just had a wonderful time in your space.

Check out a selection of photo ops created by the IDS team over the years. These 3D characters continue to stop visitors in their tracks to snap a memory to this day.

Hollywood Wax has a heart-stopping photo op where families can pose with King Kong himself.

Those with a sweet tooth can pretend to be the founders of a famous chocolate shop in this peek-through photo op display.

Fans of trains can hammer in the final golden railway spike on their adventure through the olden days.

Visitors to the famous dinosaur town of Drumheller, Alberta can pose with a raptor come to life!

Have a blast at the local science center! Guests can explore the stars while pretending to be an astronaut.

warthog with a sports jersey and foam finger photo op bench — Sports fan? A mascot that’s always ready for a close-up is the perfect photo op outside of a stadium.

Including your logo in the shot is a must! Your guests will be advertising for you when they share their photos with others.

This anime-inspired mecha dragon gets all the kids excited for a new adventure.

Seasonal photo ops are another great way to entice visitors with fun photos. An entire Christmas display may not work for your business, but a Santa who’s always ready for a photo will draw in kids and adults for a quick shot.

This “selfie Santa” lets you put your phone in Santa’s hand for the perfect photo.

As we said, when you’ve done it just right, the content your guests capture interacting with your space and something like a photo op will easily showcase how the experience at your location made them feel – #happywecame! That’s the real power of visual content and why social approval remains the most powerful way to influence business results.

Speaking of which, check out how exterior theming can supercharge your return on investment (ROI)…

Supercharge Your ROI with Exterior Theming

Let me give you a little scenario…

There are two businesses in the same industry and each owner wants to work on boosting their ROI. Both business owners have committed to a similar budget over the next 5 years to achieve this goal.

Business A has committed to dedicating that money primarily to social media advertising initiatives. Whereas Business B has dedicated these funds solely to investing in theming of the exterior of their business – Business B’s theming included an addition of a marvelous photo op character.

Business A has undoubtedly seen an increase in business deriving directly from their marketing efforts. However, Business B’s upfront investment in theming has cut their need to spend on marketing entirely. Why? Because their customers have begun marketing for them.

People love sharing their experiences on social media. Business B’s photo-op in front of their storefront gave their guests the perfect opportunity to do so. On top of that, people cannot help but talk. Business B’s visitors continue to share the word that there is a magical photo op attraction in their community. This has people far and wide talking about and seeking out Business B’s attraction.

What theming investment has afforded for Business B is years of free marketing collateral for a one-time investment. Whereas business A will inevitably have to continue contributing to their marketing initiatives to keep seeing the results they are seeing. But because they will need to continue making significant contributions to see similar results they will have to ask… is this sustainable?

“I think undeniably this is the best marketing tool you can possibly use – you know, you don’t have to put up a billboard when you have a business like this.”
– Dr. Bill Martin, IDS theming client

Encourage your guests to look, point, and judge a book by its cover. Reel them in with the story your exterior tells. You are mysterious, you offer relaxation, or you can provide ultimate fun. A first impression lasts forever, so catch their attention and keep it.

Want some more inspiration for promoting your town or business?

4 Ways a Roadside Attraction Can Benefit Your City or Town

6 Types of Roadside Attractions That Will Get You Noticed

The Magic of Parade Floats: Types and Benefits

Playful Photo Op Inspiration

Contact Imagination Design Studios (IDS) to get started transforming your business into a magical guest experience.

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What Does Your Reception and Lobby Say to Guests?

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The Significance of a Thoughtfully Designed Lobby
What Should Your Lobby Look Like?
Benefits of a Recognizable and Branded Themed Lobby
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What do you look at when you walk into someone’s home? Is it the flooring, the paint, the artwork? What you are doing in those moments is making a judgment on the space you’ve entered and how you feel in it.

As a hospitality provider, you are hosting your guests’ home away from home. They may stay for just the evening or perhaps a few weeks, but their first few moments in your space can make or break their impression of your business for the remainder of their stay.

The Significance of a Thoughtfully Designed Lobby

Within the first seven seconds of meeting, people will have a solid impression of who you are – and some research suggests a tenth of a second is all it takes to start determining traits like trustworthiness.

– Forbes

It’s all about your visitors. Your lobby is the first place your guests have will have contact with the face of your company, and as such, plays a significant role in influencing the first impression they make of your business. Make them feel welcome!

Consider what they are stepping into –the heart of your space. Your lobby and reception space is a place for them to check-in and out, socialize, relax, wait for a ride, or catch up on some work. Encouraging these connective activities by ensuring the space is designed with comfort, quality, appeal, and functionality can communicate that this space was created for them.

But you do have to ask, what design elements in your lobby will invoke these welcoming feelings?

What Should Your Lobby Look Like?

Do you have a trendy hotel restaurant, a family-friendly resort, or an experiential bar? To secure satisfaction amongst your guests you must stimulate their imagination in relation to your brand and what you do through your design.

Whether you are building from scratch or looking to enhance your lobby space, start by asking yourself these questions in relevance to who you are as a company:

Who is my clientele? Who are the people you need to connect with? Aim to connect with them on a multitude of sensory levels (i.e., eyesight, touch, smell, sound) through the design of your space. Remember to consider their abilities and factor accessibility and functionality into your design.
What emotions do you want to provoke in your guests? Are you wanting your guests to feel curious, excited, cheery, amused, relaxed, etc.?
How would you like to capture their attention? Is it with an out-of-the-box wow factor, cozy furniture, a grand roaring fireplace, sleek decor, or mood lighting?
What expectations do you want to establish? How should guests expect to feel heading into your establishment after their encounter in your welcome area, or what can they be sure to experience if they choose to return?

Once you have established these elements, you can add your design flair to show them who you are.

Speaking of that flare, let’s talk about ways that you can weave your brand into your lobby space.

Benefits of a Recognizable and Branded Themed Lobby

Build a space that forges lasting emotional connections between you and your customers by adding brand activations.

A brand activation is an interaction with your brand that is intentionally implemented to create awareness and connect with your target audience on an exclusive level. Brand activations are an experience.

Prime Marketing puts it best…

Brand activation allows a brand to have a privileged moment with the consumer one-on-one to showcase the features and advantages of a product.

Creating lasting emotional connections between you and your customers gives them a memory they can take with them.

Here is a noteworthy example:

Lipton Iced Tea’s Slip & Slide in London

Take a peek at this Lipton Tea slip & slide that was assembled in downtown London early on a Friday morning. It was set up to encourage commuters to #BeADaybreaker, have a bit fun of on their way to work, and take a slip down the slide. This brought a ton of smiles to sliders’ faces, gave them a fun interaction on a Friday morning, and a memory associated with the Lipton brand to take with them.

This is an extreme example of course. Basically, if a consumer is physically engaging with a brand in any way, such as interacting with a photo op or getting swag from the team on a parade float, you have created an experience for your audience.

The IDS team created the Skip the Dishes parade float.

Depending on the vibe of your business, you can subtly mesh brand activations into your guest experience or go big!

Let’s take it slow and build up to the showstoppers…

Branded Items to Delight Your Guests

Take your guest experience to the next level with some customization of the products that guests will use while checking in, having continental breakfast, or lounging while waiting for an Uber.

Add your branding to things like:

Pens
Coasters
Napkins
Water bottle labels

Create branded swag that guests can keep or purchase from your gift shop.

Tote bags
Mugs and tumblers
Lip balm
Sun hats and ball caps
Sunglasses

Encouraging guests to keep some swag as a memory of their trip is a thoughtful way to remind them of their time in your space.

Immersive Wall Murals to Transform Lounge Spaces

Transform your space into some special, something they wouldn’t see anywhere else. Wall murals are a great extension of your brand presence as they can be designed to fit the story of who you are – a cozy hideaway, a chic hangout, or a family-friendly escape. Why not liven up your space with a custom addition that will have guests oohing and awing!

Consider a contemporary and chic addition that brings a simplistic color pallet that appeals to a wide range of ages.

For a family-friendly location, try something more fun. An age-old game we all have a hard time passing up is I spy with my little eye. Hide various brand elements throughout the game for your guests to find while they relax in your lobby area. Also great for family rooms or play areas where kids and their parents can spend some time after a day of activities.

Themed Reception Desks for Welcome Guests with Whimsy

There is incredible value in staffing your waiting area with a wonderful individual or team to greet your visitors. Their bright smiles can elevate your visitor’s first moments in your space by giving them a moment to personally connect with those who represent your brand.

Why not elevate the location guests are directed to be greeted by turning it into an awe-inspiring centerpiece?

These modern reception desks are vibrantly chic. This refreshing design communicates luxury and relaxation.

These reception desks are fun and eye-catching and set the mood for an extraordinary experience.

Creative Lobby Seating for Guests

Functionality is a key factor in providing a comfortable sanctuary for your guests. Your visitors could be checking in after a long day on the road or returning from wandering the local tourist spots. Either way, they will appreciate a comfortable place to grab a moment of rest.

But who said functionality and comfort mean you have to sacrifice interesting design? Check out these practical and stylish seating solutions.

This bench seating is elegantly eye-catching. Make this coral sculpture the pearl of your lobby. Its sleek and luminous design elements will have guests feeling refreshed when they take a moment to rest their feet.

Guests can join these friendly seals perched in this cozy corner. Don’t forget to snap a picture! Your guests will have something to show their friends when they tell them they got to hang out with these friendly sea creatures.

In fact, give your visitors ample opportunity to snap the vacation away with these unforgettable photo ops…

Photo Opportunities for Visiting Families

Encourage your guests to take home a memory – a picture with a branded photo op. This is the perfect addition to your lobby or reception area because as discussed above, it is a space that they will spend time in at various points during their stay. If guests are on a leisurely trip, stopping to snap a picture will seem enticing.

Cozy up in this lodge lobby and snap a memory with this bear cub… keep an eye out for mamma bear though.

Surfs up with this little shredding pup mascot. Guests can hop on the board and practice their skills before they hit the wave pool with their friends or family!

Speaking of the pool, what about a friendly lifeguard shark character leading from the lobby to the pool? The logo on his chest makes for a great social media promo when guests take their pictures with this charming character.

Eye-catching Centerpieces for Your Lobby

Wow your guests with out-of-the-box dimension and creativity.

Eye-catching centerpieces can be monumental additions to your space. Your visitors will start associating you and your business with the memorable item that took their breath away the moment they walked into your space.

This remarkable sculpted whale soars above this modern designed lobby. Its impressive size and carefully crafted features are the perfect attention-grabbing recipe to make an impactful first impression.

These tree sculpted supporting beams turned this lobby into a contemporary forest. These could have been plain structural beams, but instead, guests are consistently wowed by the thoughtfully unique detail.

First impressions count, so show your guests you are excited to invite them into a space that reflects who you are as a company. Tell your guests that you’re friendly, fun, and interactive! Go crazy or keep it simple, but strive to produce a reaction that makes your guests feel welcomed.

Want some more inspiration for promoting your business?

How Exterior Theming Can Draw Visitors to Your Tourist Attraction

4 Ways a Roadside Attraction Can Benefit Your City or Town

6 Types of Roadside Attractions That Will Get You Noticed

Playful Photo Op Inspiration

Contact Imagination Design Studios (IDS) to get started transforming your business into a magical guest experience.

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Spotlight on Pirate Themed Offices

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Yargh, matey! Join us on a swashbuckling pirate adventure, brought right into your own business! Pirate themes are engaging for both young and seasoned sailors. Let your imagination sail the 7 seas by transforming your medical office, childcare centre, hotel family room, or any kid-focused environment to offer your guests an exciting visit both above and deep below the waves.

Beloved by all ages, pirates are an endlessly fun and daring theme to bring to any office to make the wait times go by in the blink of an eye-patch clad eye.

Let’s review some classic IDS pirate-inspired offices and explore how many ways this exciting genre can be incorporated into any child-oriented environment.

Pirate Play Areas

Pirate Ship Themed Play Areas and Kids’ Rooms

A pirate ship makes the perfect play area structure! The craggy wooden walls of a ship and cannon portholes not only translate into a wide array of play area shapes, sizes, and styles, but also act as a child’s imaginary portal to a new world.

Play structures create private areas or playrooms where kids can be kids, while adults can sit together and relax in their own area catered to them.

Pirate ships are the perfect environment to spark a child’s imagination. Children can pretend to be a pirate themselves, steering the ship towards buried treasure or firing off cannons at the enemy. They can pretend to be a scuba diver searching for old abandoned treasure on the dark of the ocean floor. The possibilites are endless.

Beyond their imaginations, don’t forget to add some games to entertain kids as well…

Pirate Games and Activities

Little ones can settle into a sunken ship to explore and play games on wall-mounted gaming stations or take the helm with a real wheel so kids can steer the ship.

Interactive games in pirate ship themed play area

Active play like climbing structures and slides is a great way for kids to burn off some energy. Parents will appreciate it.

Video games and tablets will keep older kids and teens happy. Interactive games can be added to the sculpted walls of a pirate ship or tucked into a treasure chest!

Treasure-filled Environments

Fill your environment beyond the play area. Walls, desks, seating and more are waiting to be themed.

Murals Full of Pirate Treasure

Even if you don’t have the space to incorporate an entire ship in your office, beautifully illustrated 2D wall murals can bring kids in on the action just as effectively. An illustration of a sunken pirate ship will have kids wondering – why did the ship sink? What undersea creatures now occupy the cabin? The possibilities are endless and sure to pass the time.

You can even incorporate an I Spy picture find game in your mural so children will be able to search for treasure within the mural. We can theme the objects in the game around your type of business – find 3 toothbrushes or 6 bandaids or 4 butterflies drawn to match real local flora and fauna. Within a medical environment, this is a fun way to help familiarize and desensitize younger, more nervous children with objects that doctors use to help patients.

We have many styles to choose from. Below you can see how our illustrated ‘assets’ can be used to create a custom scene to suit your style.

Nautical Reception Desks

Welcome families to the ocean with a nautical themed reception desk. Big or small, murals or 3D sculptures, these desks are a great way to bring guests into your business.

Underwater Bench and Stool Seating Ideas

Exciting pirate adventures can even be incorporated into your seating! This round seating arrangement loops around a sculpted crow’s nest centerpiece, with a grinning captain turtle, keeping a look out for danger. Around the mast are sculpted 3D fish.

Spark imagination in your visitors. Is this bench an old ship mast perhaps?

Incorporating a photo op character into a themed seating area elevates a bench to a whole new level.

Small stools are great for children.

Pirate and Pals Brushing Mirrors

Pirates and their water-dwelling friends like sharks and alligators make great frames for brushing mirrors in dental office brushing areas. Don’t miss that gold tooth detail on the pirate. Small details are what makes theming magical.

Pirate Theater Spaces

Whether a large seating area or a small private room, theaters create an entertaining space for kids where they can sit back and enjoy a movie or even a presentation from staff.

Add seating and a TV or projection screen to create a theater atmosphere.

A dental or medical office with a theater area creates a perfect space for local clubs, scouts, and schools to come visit for an educational presentation.

Larger Than Life Pirate Decor

Pirate Themed Exterior Landmark Characters

Set the tone for your pirate adventure and reel clients in by bringing your theme outside!! We love the way these giant octopuses riding pirate ships let any passerby know how incredible the clinic and dental office, respectively, is inside.

Landmarks also act as a memorable photo op. Children and families love to pose beside these behemoths and share on their social feeds.

Pirate Photo Op Characters

Speaking of photo ops, smiling characters on benches create amazing photo opportunities for young and old. By incorporating signs and logos into the shot, your business brand will be included in every photo.

Talk about adventure on the high seas! No office is complete without a charming photo op to help boost social media engagement.

The minnow moustache on this shark captain is sure to get a few laughs.

Love our pirate themed offices? There’s more where that came from!

Sunken Ship Play Area

Pirate Octopus Undersea Adventure

Treasure Island Dental Office

Want a pirate themed office of your own? Our Creative Consultants can’t wait to help you get your sea legs!

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HOW TO Transform Your Daycare with Fun and Colorful Decor

Plan Your Theme

Set the Mood with Colorful Murals

Exterior Privacy Windows

Utilize Signs and Wayfinding that Children Can Understand

Use Creative Activity Areas in Your Childcare Center

Include Active Play Areas with Slides

Include Calming and Quiet Theater Areas

Use Creative Welcome Desk Designs

Incorporate Themed Storage Solutions

Adding Themed Decor to Your Childcare Center is Easy

Interested in learning more? Check out these related resources on themed environments and their benefits:

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Here are 5 Steps You Can Take to Create a Family-friendly Atmosphere in Your Church

1. Provide Activities and Spaces for Children

KNOW A CHURCH THAT CAN BENEFIT FROM THEMED DECOR?

2. Create Accommodations for Families

3. Nurture a Sense of Community

4. Encourage Intergenerational Connections

5. Provide Resources for Families

Transform Your Church into a Sanctuary for Families

Want more resources for making your church family-friendly? Check out the blog below.

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How to Improve the Experience of Pediatric Therapy Patients with Fun Decor

Using Colorful Wall Art to Transform a Space

Using Fun Furniture & Accessories to Create an Engaging Space

Creating Comfort Through Accessible Design & Layout

Environment Has a Big Impact on Children’s Patient Experience

Interested to learn more? Check out these related resources for upgrading, renewing, and improving patient experience:

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Bring the Bayou Inside

Reception Desks That Welcome Your Clients to the Bayou

Bayou Seating to Add Style to Your Waiting Room

Friendly Photo Ops Featuring Some Familiar Creatures

WANT TO ADD BAYOU THEMING TO YOUR SPACE?

Murals Featuring Bayou Landscapes and Critters

There’s Plenty of Games and Activities in the Marshlands

Signs and Wayfinding

Don’t Forget Your Ceilings!

Brushing Mirrors Shaped like Charming Bayou Characters

External Bayou Office Decor

Landmark Characters are a Billboard for Your Location

Exterior Murals for Your Windows

Want to take a closer look at more bayou themed offices? Check out these two projects below:

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What is IDS Theming?

Create Consistent Brand Recognition Amongst Your Locations

Supercharge Your Marketing Plan and Make Your Building Your Biggest Advertising Asset

Sensitivity to Ownership Changes

Change Can be Good

Repeatability Makes Adding Unique Decor Easy

The ROI From IDS Theming

What’s Next for Your Business?

Interested in learning more? Check out these related resources on themed environments and their benefits:

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Wow Your Clients With Dino-Mite Exterior Showstoppers

Welcoming Dinosaur Reception Desk Decor

Immerse Yourself in the Adventure with Themed Bench Seating

Pose with a Prehistoric Photo Op

Dinosaur Themed Murals to Transport Your Walls to the Past

Jurassic Play Areas Are Fun for All Ages

Theater Spaces for Entrainment and Education

Signs and Wayfinding to Help Guests Find Their Way To and Through Your Jurassic Park

Want to take a closer look at some dinosaur themed offices? Check out these two projects below:

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Conscious Effort is Required to Attract New Patients

Be Aware of the Environment You Have Created for Your Patients

Design Details that Influence Patient Acquisition

Overall Design Details

Create a Mood with Details in Your Front Office and Reception Area

Extend Friendly Decor into Your Examination Spaces

Theming on the Building’s Exterior to Grab Attention

Relationship Development Details that Affect Patient Acquisition

Pay Personal Attention to Your Patients

Leverage Your Knowledge to Build Trust with Your Patients

Schedule the Next Appointment

Check out these related resources on these strategies that lead to an increase in patient acquisition:

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What Does the Exterior Look of Your Business Say to Guests?

KNOW A CHURCH THAT CAN
BENEFIT FROM THEMED DECOR?

WANT TO ADD BAYOU
THEMING TO YOUR SPACE?