Healthcare Design - April 2019 - 56

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W H AT D O Y O U L I K E B E S T A B O U T
WORKING IN INTERIOR DESIGN
F O R H E A LT H C A R E ?
I like knowing that the spaces I design can positively
affect the lives of patients and visitors and provide
supportive, efficient spaces for staff. I strive to create
calming environments that promote health, safety, and
well-being.

I F I WA S N ' T A N I N T E R I O R
DESIGNER, I WOULD BE ...

OUTSIDE THE
OFFICE, YOU'LL
L I K E LY F I N D
ME...

With my family at sporting
events or kid activities,
going to the Nashville Zoo
and, during the winter, snow skiing.

THREE WORDS TO DESCRIBE
YOUR DESIGN AESTHETIC

1 enduring
2 strategic/organized
3 symmetrical
F AV O R I T E ...

QUOT E "Find a group of
people who challenge and
inspire you, spend a lot of time
with them, and it will change
your life forever." -Amy Poehler
W E E K E ND ACT IVIT Y
I like to relax and enjoy a cup
of coffee on Saturday mornings
before rushing off to get my kids
to their activities.
CO L O R Spa-like shades of blue that are very
calming.

ALANA MORRIS

Senior interior design
manager/team leader,
ESa, Nashville, Tenn.
ALANA MORRIS' first

lessons in interior design came while cutting
her teeth as a new hire at ESa (Earl
Swensson Associates), working
on a renovation/addition for Lewis Gale Medical Center in Salem, Va. For starters, she got a
taste of value-engineering when an intricate
flooring pattern she designed to be laser-cut
from sheet vinyl was removed from a significant
chunk of the project. Another lesson came when
the owner requested that all wood tones on the
project match, she says. "Have you ever tried to
match a wood tone to Nepal Teak?" The experience taught her that every project-and every
interior space-will come with its own unique
challenges. And she should know. After 18 years,
she's still dedicated to healthcare, most recently
working on projects for University of Central
Florida Lake Nona Medical Center (Orlando,
Fla.) and Methodist Hospital (San Antonio). "I
enjoy figuring out how to implement stringent
codes, while maintaining the integrity of the design intent to promote an optimal healing environment," she says.-Anne DiNardo

GU I LTY P L E A SUR E Peanut butter fudge
milkshake.

Hospitals becoming
more patientcentric. I can rate my Uber
driver; now I can rate my
care. The HCAHPS scores
are ultimately determined
by the patient experience.
Small details like providing patient amenities or
designing to maximize
natural light can have

a big impact on that
experience.
Shiplap and reclaimed wood walls
seem to have saturated
the market. If your design
intent could benefit from
a trend, use it sparingly,
like an accent wall. Otherwise, trends get tired
when overused.

THREE ITEMS ON YOUR DESK

1 "Leading Daily
Improvements"
poster by inspirational

speaker Lynne Cazaly, to
remind me to incorporate
Lean concepts in my work.

2 art from my
kiddos.

3 a little "sweeper man."

A coworker
who recently passed away made it for me to represent
the Chicago Cubs sweeping my team, the St. Louis
Cardinals.

COFFEE OR TEA?

S PO RT S College baseball and basketball, and
professional hockey and baseball.

Both! Coffee in the morning and tea in the
afternoon.

TEA M S Vanderbilt, Nashville Predators, and St.
Louis Cardinals.

W I N D O W O R A I S L E S E AT ?

Window, for sure. Best place to rest your head.

HO B BY Since I have children, it's become
photography. I like capturing the moments. I also
design and create my kids' birthday invitations, thank
you cards, banners, food labels ... all paper supplies!

APRIL 2019

ON INDUSTRY TRENDS

Dog. We have a 17-year-old Jack Russell/Boston
Terrier mix that we adopted in 2004 from the
Humane Society.

I C E C RE A M F L AVOR Peanut butter or coconut.

56

Maui. It's so beautiful, adventurous, and relaxing. In
winter, it's skiing in Deer Valley, Utah.

D O G O R C AT ?

S N A C K W H E N Y OU T R AVE L Trail mix.

BO O K S Anything by Nicholas Sparks. A great
beach read!

F AV O R I T E C I T Y T O V I S I T ...

FIRST ALBUM YOU EVER
BOUGHT
MORRIS SERVED AS SENIOR INTERIOR DESIGN MANAGER ON THE
METHODIST HOSPITAL CENTRAL TOWER PROJECT, WHICH WAS
COMPLETED IN JUNE 2018.

HCDMAGAZINE.COM

I don't recall exactly, but I'm sure it was Tiffany,
Debbie Gibson, or New Kids on the Block. Man, I've
come so far in my music choices!

ESA/© CHAD MELLON

A hospital administrator, specifically on the operations
side, maybe a COO.
http://www.HCDMAGAZINE.COM
Healthcare Design - April 2019

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