Birth Center Interior Design: Expert Tips from Designer Michal Miara

Mar 8
4 min read

How to Create a Space That Feels Like Home and Works Like a Clinic

Designing a birth center interior is equal parts heart and logistics. You’re juggling licensing, staffing, finances, clinical workflows... and on top of that, you’re trying to create a space that feels safe, beautiful and deeply aligned with your mission. Interior designer Michal Miara, CEO of Michal Miara Interiors and mom of five, has walked this path with birth centers and shared her insights on what really works.

Meet the Designer

To start, can you share a bit about your background and what drew you to designing spaces for maternity and birth centers specifically?

My name is Michal Miara, and I’m the CEO of Michal Miara Interiors. I’ve always had a passion for design. I was a fashion designer before opening my interiors company seven years ago. As a mom of five, designing birth centers is very near and dear to my heart. Giving birth is such a beautiful gift; we deserve the most feminine, luxurious, state-of-the-art center for all this magic to happen.

What an Ideal Birth Center Interior Design Process Looks Like

In your opinion, what does an ideal birth center design process look like from the very first conversation to opening day?

It is very important to understand the brand, the design direction, and the budget before you begin. The early design stages are crucial to achieve that “aha” end result!

We begin by putting together mood boards that pull together color schemes and inspiration images that give the feel of what our design will potentially look like. Once we have the go-ahead, we begin sourcing all the items and drawing up all the floor plans and elevations so we can render a 3D visual of each space.

Presenting to our clients is a very exciting day! We share our vision with them, as well as as many samples as possible (fabrics, furniture swatches, wallpapers, stone, wall paneling, you name it) so they can clearly visualize all the beautiful details in our renderings. With that approval, we proceed to creating a spec book. It’s a very lengthy but very important step in the process. Spec books have all the renderings, drawings and details of every item by space so the contractor and project manager can clearly follow.

How to Prepare Before You Even Call a Designer

For a birth center just starting this journey, what are the first few steps you wish every team would take before they even call a designer, so they come in prepared?

Plan! Plan! Plan!

It is so crucial to have all the plans thought out in advance. A floor plan is just as crucial as a lighting plan. A good architect can help you reach your dream plans; however, involving a designer in the early stages allows everyone to collaborate and get the best results.

Balancing Beauty, Comfort, Safety and Regulations

How do you balance beauty, comfort, and a homelike feel with function, safety and regulations in a birth center environment?

Regulated facilities today do not have to be boring and bland. There is so much goodness to source to make a facility both beautiful and cozy at the same time.

We are big into textures! We bring textures into the drapery, wallpaper, upholstered furniture; anywhere we can get our hands on. Texture brings the feel of cozy and homelike, the exact feeling we are trying to create in a birth center, while at the same time maintaining compliance and regulations.

Lighting, Acoustics, and Easy-to-Clean Finishes

Can you walk us through your approach to key technical elements—like lighting (day and night), acoustics, and easy‑to‑clean finishes—so spaces feel both cozy and practical?

Practical = function. Make sure all surfaces used are durable without compromising on beauty. For example, all wallpapers used are vinyl, easy to wipe and clean.

Lighting is what creates the ambiance in the facility. Wall sconces and bed lighting add coziness and function. Always remember to add dimmers—this can help you adjust the lighting strength at different points of the day and night.

Documentation and Support for Approvals and Licensing

What kinds of documentation and drawings do you typically provide that support approvals, licensing, or accreditation for a health‑related space?

All material selections must be fire rated. We usually add the fire-rated code to the spec book in a column near the material specified.

Designing for a Strong Brand and Multiple Locations

When a birth center wants a strong brand and possibly multiple locations, which design elements do you see as “core” and consistent, and where is it helpful to stay flexible?

Your brand is your identity! It’s important to keep the logo consistent and in the same colors. This allows the clientele to recognize your brand right away.

Keeping the same design direction between facilities allows all locations to carry a similar feel. If you’re designing it traditionally or contemporary, keep to the same design. You can be flexible with the rest of the design, as no two facilities should ever look the same. 🙂

Staying Organized and Managing All the Moving Parts

What have you seen work best for staying organized and managing all the moving parts, both on the designer’s side and the birth center’s side?

Having a portal to store all the information! Constantly updating the portal with the latest plans and files allows everyone to stay up to date and have all files saved in one place.

Giving access to contractors and project managers is key; this assures any responsible parties are always up to date with any revisions made. We have an amazing online studio which you can access via an app. This allows you to have the most updated plans, files, photos, quotes and drawings at your fingertips.