Why do some things age well and develop a rich patina and texture acquired through use while others seem to just look old, shabby, out-of-date, and possibly even neglected? I was in one of my favorite Greek restaurants the other night with a friend and we started discussing why many of the people we know had abandoned this particular restaurant for a newer one a few blocks away. My favorite is located in an old home, is small, and has the rustic charm that evokes images of an island cottage. The new one is located in an old strip center, has fresh drywall, paint, and the furniture isn’t 25 years old. As the quality of the food is about the same along with the service, I personally prefer the atmosphere of the older restaurant and enjoy the rustic charm and some would say neglect of its interior.
Very few of the older dental offices I visit seem to manage to age into a rustic charm. The bangs and scuffs of wear just seem to drag them down. Why is this? Why can’t a dental office age gracefully and become charming rather than just tired? As I think more about this I have to wonder if the material that the dental office is made of enters into this. Homes tend to be built of stuff that is real – wood, stone, brick, plaster, ceramic tile. Commercial spaces, such as dental offices tend to be built of stuff that is functional – drywall, vinyl, carpet, steel. When the real materials age they tend to take on a richness that adds character and a greater depth and charm to the interior design. Unfortunately, when the commercial materials age they just look old. Of course, one can keep them looking good for years with proper care and maintenance.
I’ve been in a few Wisconsin supper clubs that while not constructed of the best materials, have taken on a certain charm with age, but this comes more from reaching a point of nostalgia for a by-gone era than from the development of a rich, rustic, patina in the materials. I’m not sure as a patient I would want to walk into my dentist’s office and find that he is still using the same equipment that his father purchased in the 1950′s or 60′s. I’d be a bit worried about the overall quality of care I’m receiving and his interest in keeping up with the latest advancements in dentistry. A restaurant, on the other hand that has cared for its tables, bar, bathroom fixtures and such can keep them in service for decades achieving that nostalgia in the front of the house. Plus, has cooking technology in restaurants really changed much over the years? However, is this the look anyone wants in their dental office?