A Q&A with Emily Wentz, Market Manager at Wieland Healthcare

Q: What does human-centered design mean to Wieland in healthcare and institutional spaces?

EW: To us, human-centered design really starts with empathy. We think about the people who are going to use our furniture every day — patients looking for comfort, families wanting to stay close, and caregivers who need reliable tools to do their jobs. In healthcare, furniture isn’t just furniture. It’s part of the healing process. For us, human-centered design is about bringing together comfort, simplicity, and durability so every product supports both good outcomes and real human connection.

Q: How do you use color, texture, and materials to bring warmth into environments that might otherwise feel cold or clinical?

EW: Healthcare spaces can sometimes feel a little too sterile, and that’s something we’re always mindful of. We keep an eye on what designers are specifying and what palettes are resonating, and we make sure our finishes fit within that direction. At the same time, we can’t lose sight of performance. Everything still has to hold up to the highest standards for cleanability and durability. For us, it’s really about striking that balance between something that feels warm and human, and something that works in a demanding healthcare setting.

Q: Can you share an example of a project where empathy or emotional intelligence shaped the outcome?

EW: The idea for the Soul Mate came from something simple but powerful we noticed in our research — families moving heavy sofas just to stay close to the bedside. We knew there had to be a safer, easier way, and that insight became the foundation for a new-to-the-world companion piece designed to keep families present when they’re needed most.

At the same time, research around biophilic design influenced how we approached the Soul sofa itself. With so many new hospitals featuring floor-to-ceiling windows, we designed the sofa with an open base to let natural light flow through the space. It’s a small detail, but it connects people with light and nature — both shown to support healing.

For us, the Soul collection (pictured below) reflects what human-centered design is all about: listening closely and then creating solutions that respond to both emotional and clinical needs.

Pictured Above: Soul Collection

Q: What feedback from patients, caregivers, or providers has most influenced your approach?

EW: When we look at a new product concept, we try to come at it from all angles. Nurses are central to our feedback, but we also listen closely to facility managers and environmental services teams, because they each see different challenges every day. No matter who we talk to, the message is pretty consistent: durability, cleanability, and renewability matter most. Beyond that, it’s about offering options that work simply and intuitively for everyone — and weaving in unique product features that truly set us apart.

To make sure those voices really shape what we do, we’ve built a structured Voice of Customer approach — things like interviews, field feedback, and partnerships with design organizations with clinical backgrounds. That’s what makes sure every product is grounded in real-world insight.

Q: How do you balance practical needs like durability, cleanliness, and safety with emotional needs like comfort and belonging?

EW: We don’t see these as competing priorities. They go hand-in-hand. Our furniture has to perform in some of the most demanding environments, which is why we focus on things like renewable components and frames built to last years. Those differentiators have been at the heart of who we are for more than 50 years. At the same time, those same products need to feel inviting and supportive for patients and families. For us, it’s about creating an experience of comfort and belonging, without sacrificing the practical needs of healthcare. Healing spaces need both.

Q: How do you balance sustainability with design?

EW: The most sustainable thing we can do is build furniture that lasts. That’s why we engineer our products to perform for years and design them to be renewable, so parts can be refreshed over time instead of starting from scratch. That approach doesn’t just reduce waste, but it also gives our customers a stronger return on their investment. From a design standpoint, we focus on creating products that still feel relevant and beautiful many years after install. We keep an eye on design trends, but our goal is always to create solutions that fit real environments and make a meaningful difference for the people who use them every day.

Pictured Above: Latitude and Hale Collections, respectively

Q: What design trends or innovations are helping create more human, healing spaces today?

EW: Healthcare design is moving toward spaces that feel less institutional and more like home; things like softer silhouettes, warmer finishes, and the integration of light and nature that research shows can support healing. Family inclusion has long been central to healthcare and continues to guide our work. Products like the Soul Collection and sleepToo were created with that reality in mind. We’re also seeing motion furniture evolve, with recliners and gliders that support mobility, safety, and fall prevention, along with a growing need for flexibility as hospitals look for products that can adapt to multiple users in the same space. We pay attention to these movements, but always filter them through the realities of healthcare: every choice has to deliver on durability, cleanability, and safety.

Q: How do you see the role of empathy in design evolving in the years ahead? How is Wieland meeting that need?

EW: Empathy has always been part of healthcare design. That’s nothing new. What’s changed is how intentional we are about it. It’s not just about durability or cleanability, it’s about understanding what our customers are going through and designing around that. For us at Wieland, that starts with listening. Our Voice of Customer approach brings in perspectives from nurses, families, facility managers, and designers, and that feedback really shapes what we do. 

At the end of the day, it’s not just about building durable, cleanable products. It’s about making sure those products truly support the people using them. That’s where empathy shows up in design, and I think that focus is only going to grow.