Based on the beautiful landscape of Lovers Key Beach near the medical center in Fort Myers, the interior design emanates the rustic splendor of the Southwest Florida surf for everyone spending time at the 75-bed, 56,771-square-foot facility. Nathalie White, project manager for design firm Studio+, says the project took about a year to complete. Being part of a healthcare system presented a special set of challenges, like strict codes and environmental continuity, she adds.

Throughout the design process, we had to keep in mind that we were still a hospital facility, so we had to stick with the same standards of a hospital,” she says. “However, we selected finishes that make hospital fabrics and materials look less clinical. We removed the traditional waiting room look for a living room setting, and removed the dining hall concept you find in hospitals and replaced it with a home-like kitchen and living area.”

To be sure, “a goal of this project was to blend the lines between hospitality and healthcare through innovative design,” says Matthew Lessig, administrator of the community’s skilled nursing unit. “This approach allows us to provide care to more complex patients while the proximity of our location to the hospital promotes the sharing of resources to reduce the overall cost of care. Working side-by-side with Studio+ was an integral part of this project’s success.”