Health Care Products

Elizabeth Wine -- Interior Design, 2/1/2007 12:00:00 AM

Get Out Your Passport

Pack your suitcase, and see the world with Crypton patterns from Douglass Industries's Passport Collection. Calling to mind towels on sandy beaches, Aruba's subtle horizontal stripes come in six colors, including the appropriate Sunshine. Want a more spiritual look? Barcelona's stained-glass circle motif—recalling the dazzling windows of Antoni Gaudí's great cathedral—is available in Calypso and three other colorways. Whisk clients away to the Moorish-influenced areas of Spain and Portugal with the gently serpentine Silverton, offered in marigold among a total of five choices.

All three patterns can also be custom-colored. Proportions of polyester to rayon vary from fabric to fabric, but width is always 54 inches. 412 Boston Avenue, Egg Harbor City, NJ 08215; 800-950-3684. circle 320

KI

A sofa that accommodates four adults during the day, restful LaResta converts to a bed for an overnight guest. The built-in cushion avoids germs by remaining high off the floor. And the varnish on the solid beechwood armrests can stand up to the most no-nonsense hospital cleansers. Custom sizes available. 1330 Bellevue Street, Green Bay, WI 54302; 800-424-2432; ki.com. circle 321

Globalcare

Intended for nursing homes and hospitals, Sonoma Personal Room Furniture wardrobes, dressers, cabinets, and side tables are clad in a high-performance combination of thermally fused and high-pressure laminate—with built-in ventilation and drainage holes that double as sites for wiring and hooks. The aluminum legs provide ample sweeper clearance, keeping dirt at bay. 17 West Stow Road, Marlton, NJ 08053; 800-220-1900; thinkglobalcare.com. circle 322

Sittris

Keilhauer's new subsidiary takes its parent company's chair-design expertise and focuses it on health care. Siliform TU features a tubular-steel frame that can be ganged for use in emergency rooms. Siliform AL, with its indented waistline, allows for efficient placement of IVs. BA, which has a solid back, supports bariatric patients weighing more than 500 pounds. Seats in silicone, eco-friendly synthetic leather, or Microcare—created with nanotechnology—are germ- and stain-resistant. Colors range from rust to Laguna blue. Specify leg and arm options depending on application: patient room, nursing station, or waiting area. 1450 Birchmount Road, Toronto, Ontario M1P 2E3, Canada; 877-701-4673; sittris.com. circle 323

Pale Tale

To inject a bit of style into hospitals, first jazz up patient rooms. By day, Nemschoff's SleepOver Double seats four as a sofa; at bedtime, it re-veals a double mattress, plus mesh storage compartments for jammies. Need more seating? Try the 2770 guest chair and Oasis ottoman or bench. For storage, take Ten, a series comprising bedside tables with three drawers and chests with three, four, or five. The case goods are veneered in wood and topped in plastic laminate with urethane edges, the better to stand up to harsh cleansers.

And don't forget the patient. The Serenity III treatment chair sports extra padding for long sessions as well as an optional side table that folds down. Back and footrest move independently, thanks to two buttons easily operated by either the occupant or a caregiver. Best of all, the company will donate a portion of proceeds from Serenity III sales to breast cancer research. 909 North Eighth Street, Sheboygan, WI 53081; 800-203-8916; nemschoff.com. circle 324

Agati

The Roma Pull-Out pulls out all the stops. With deco-style lines that please the eye as much as the thick polyurethane foam cushioning pleases the back, this recovery chair with footrest measures 43 inches high, 36 wide, and 38 deep when closed, 62 inches deep when open. The design is also available in sleeper form. All versions have legs finished in satin nickel or chrome. 1219 West Lake Street, Chicago, IL 60607; 312-829-1977; agati.com. circle 325

Nora

To develop Noraplan Environcare rubber flooring, this company went to the source, working with health-care nonprofit Kaiser Permanente. The PVC-free product can take any punishment the demanding medical environment dishes out—and maintain a sunny visage. The 48 colors are inspired by nature. As for the cheerful confetti flecks, they're simply inspired. 94 Glenn Street, Lawrence, MA 01843; 800-332-6672; norarubber.com. circle 326

Arcadia

Glam up a dull waiting area with Manuel Vesa's Avesa bench-table system, which comprises long straight modules and quarter rounds to turn corners. Benches are covered in wool and nylon or COM; tables are offered in beech veneer or plastic laminate. Legs come in metallic silver, chrome, satin black, or wood. 5692 Fresca Drive, La Palma, CA 90623; 800-585-5957; arcadiacontract.com. circle 327

Krug

Named for the Bible's "healing river," the Jordan patient chair boasts a convex back for enhanced lumbar support, while the downward curve and opening at the joint of the seat and back allow dropped food to fall to the floor. The shape of the armrests helps a sitter use body weight to stand up again. Chair and footrest share vinyl upholstery and a beech frame. 421 Manitou Drive, Kitchener, Ontario N2C 1L5, Canada; 888-578-5784; krug.ca. circle 328

Johnsonite

You like your rubber flooring with texture? These five products have it. Artistic Square wakes up the standard grid with unexpected depth, courtesy of a raised pattern. Or try Bamboo, Chopped Bamboo, Pebbles, and Cubis. All come in 70 standard colors. 16910 Munn Road, Chagrin Falls, OH 44023; 800-899-8916; johnsonite.com. circle 329

Desktop to Bedside

After two years of research at top health-care facilities, from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston to Minnesota's Mayo Clinic, Nurture by Steelcase has a prescription for the industry. Some products are independent launches. Others resulted from partnerships with fellow Steelcase subsidiaries.

A collaboration with Designtex, the Nurture textile collection's sustainable upholsteries are made of synthetics that can withstand 100,000 Wyzenbeek double-rubs; all of the textured solids and patterns come in at least seven soothing colorways. Designed with the help of Details, two kiosks improve staff computing: a wall-mounted version and its articulated sibling, which offers a 180-degree range of motion and sit-to-stand adjustability. Brayton International's joint effort, Neighbor, gets cozy in the waiting room, as single, double, or triple seating units gather with benches, ottomans, and tables.

Working solo, Nurture developed Opus modular case goods. From cabinets to sink units and desks, the pieces are clad in plastic laminate. P.O. Box 1967, Grand Rapids, MI 49501; 616-247-2710; nurturebysteelcase.com. circle 330