Supporting Mental Wellness in Today’s Healthcare Environments

Soft Forms, Gentle Geometry

Rounded edges, softened transitions, and human-scaled proportions can reduce perceived threat and help patients feel more at ease. Research on biophilic and organic design in healthcare environments shows that incorporating natural forms and softer geometry can help reduce stress and improve the experience of patients and staff.

Cori, designed by CannonDesign, moves away from the bulky, institutional, roto-molded seating that has defined much of the category in the past. Its upholstered comfort, calming proportions, and compact scale support waiting areas, therapy clinics, group homes, and low- to mid-acuity environments. This direction aligns with the broader move toward quieter, more residential, human-centered settings in behavioral health.

Color as a Therapeutic Tool

The selection of color can influence behavior and emotional regulation:

• Cool hues can slow heart rate and ease stress.
• Warm neutrals support grounding and familiarity.
• Low-contrast palettes reduce overstimulation for patients sensitive to environmental cues.

Color becomes an environmental guide—soothing tones for de-escalation, warmer palettes for social or therapeutic interaction, and neutrals for private rooms.

Choice Supports Autonomy

In behavioral health settings, the ability to choose where and how to engage is clinically meaningful. Flexible seating clusters, quiet nooks, and layouts that can adapt to therapy or reflection reinforce autonomy, which research consistently links to lower aggression and stronger engagement in treatment.

Spaces that maintain clear sightlines, intuitive circulation, and privacy considerations support both patient dignity and staff awareness.

Safety Without Stigma

Behavioral health environments require safety-driven construction that avoids creating a restrictive or institutional atmosphere. This includes:

• Ligature-resistant profiles
• Tamper-resistant joinery
• Options for weighted or floor-secured pieces
• Concealed hardware
• Surfaces that resist picking or delamination

The goal is to create spaces that feel safe, calm, and familiar rather than clinical or punitive.

In behavioral health environments, design approaches such as upholstered construction, stable geometry, and concealed attachment points are often used to meet safety requirements while creating a residential, non-institutional appearance.

Material Performance in Behavioral Health

Material performance plays a critical role in behavioral health environments, where surfaces are exposed to frequent contact, rigorous cleaning, and higher risk of damage. When materials chip, delaminate, or visibly degrade, the impact extends beyond maintenance—affecting safety, operational continuity, and the overall tone of the space.

As a result, behavioral health settings place greater emphasis on non-porous surfaces, resistance to impact and picking, and materials that maintain a consistent appearance under demanding conditions. These considerations apply across seating, tables, and casework, where durability and visual stability must coexist.

Industry guidance shows that healthcare furniture is often replaced on 7–10 year cycles due to surface wear and appearance degradation. Recent survey feedback suggests this timeline is frequently accelerated when materials cannot withstand the demands of the space.

Toward Truly Therapeutic Environments

When environments reduce anxiety, minimize risk, and support emotional well-being, they become an active part of the care process.

In behavioral health settings, this is often achieved through a combination of:

• Research-informed geometry and color that avoid visual stressors
• Flexible layouts that support autonomy and choice
• Safety-driven construction that does not rely on overtly institutional cues
• Durable, non-porous materials suited to high-touch and high-impact use
• Seating options that prioritize comfort and familiarity while meeting safety requirements

With these strategies in place, healthcare organizations can advance Supporting Mental Wellness in Today’s Healthcare Environments in a meaningful, evidence-driven way.