Dallas-based interior designer Iris Dates says that she is always “listening to nurses and end users tell me what works, what doesn’t work, and what is needed out there.”

She places her focus on “what would help the staff with ergonomics, help the family with intuitive movements, and help the patient with comfort.”

Inspired by evidence-based research showing that the design of a hospital’s waiting room affects people’s perception of the quality of care provided, Dates developed her hard-working Lauderdale Seating to incorporate "the refined aesthetics of a beautiful hospitality piece.”

“It is my desire to always create beautiful, elegant designs that meet the functional criteria of healthcare, but look like something you might see in a hotel or want in your own home,” she says.

“It is my desire to always create beautiful, elegant designs that meet the functional criteria of healthcare, but look like something you might see in a hotel or want in your own home.”

—Iris Dates