Melissa Banko, principal and founder, Banko Design (Marietta, Ga.)
One reason Melissa Banko says she founded her own interior design and furniture, fixtures, and equipment procurement firm was the opportunity to effect positive change by delivering design that was both functional and beautiful.
So when she noticed a lack of senior-friendly furniture for her projects, Banko and her team began building custom furniture that considers not only seniors’ practical needs, such as supportive arm rests, but also their desire for pieces that were attractive and not institutional.
However, she recognized that not all projects or project teams could or wanted to build custom pieces. So following the philosophy that if there was a problem no one could solve, she should be the one to do it, she reached out to a furniture manufacturer to develop a line of furnishings specifically for seniors that could be available to the market at large.
Scheduled to be released in 2022, the line features design details such as appropriate arch support on seating options, cushioned arm rests, and customizable casters, which will not only make an impact in residents’ daily lives but also ease the delivery of safe and attractive environments that appeal to today’s seniors.
As one of our 2021 Design Champions, Banko shared some insight on her career and the senior living design industry in this Q+A with Environments for Aging.
Environments for Aging: What drove you start a firm specializing in senior living design?
Melissa Banko: Senior living combines many great aspects of other design segments, including hospitality, healthcare, and housing. At the time, there weren’t many firms focusing on design and procurement, specifically in senior living, nor many firms with a resi-mercial (residential in look and feel, yet commercial in scale) approach to design.
I knew that I could bring something new to the industry, managing projects all the way from design through procurement. Senior living is a special segment because there’s a philanthropic component. Designing for an age bracket that deserves gratitude, grace, and respect is an honor I do not take lightly.
Why is senior-friendly furniture so important, and hard to achieve?
Many design elements of a building such as lighting or plumbing fixtures are not collaborative with a user. They’re meant to be seen and support a building in function. Furniture, on the other hand, is not only seen but used daily by residents, meaning it’s an interactive design element.
As such, furniture should be universal—appropriate scale, quality, and construction as well as comfortable and ergonomic. Furniture designed for an aging demographic is special in that it needs additional thought and strategy.
It must be incredibly durable, ergonomic for the aging body, light in weight for mobility, easy to get in and out of, and so on. The rising demand for sophisticated senior living communities and renovations to existing buildings supports the need for FF&E specific for these users.
How did designing custom furniture become a part of your work?
Too many FF&E collections are institutional in look, overly trendy, or poorly scaled. My motto is that if you can’t find it, build it. I wanted furniture that looked lovely like pieces in a fine home or upscale country club, but available at a great price, appropriate for senior residents, and built to last.
It wasn’t easy to find, so my firm started building more of it to support our projects. I also knew that if my designers and I were struggling, then others in the industry were, too, and that we had an opportunity to help other design groups with product.
What’s your vision for senior living in the future?
I’d love to see a younger generation of designers, owners, developers, etc. become attracted to the market because I believe that they will bring much-needed innovative and out-of-the-box thinking to the industry.
I also hope to see an increase of interior finish products and FF&E readily available and appropriate for the senior living market. Our seniors deserve communities and the furniture within them to be designed beautifully and functionally, where they can enjoy their home and community while receiving great care.
Anne DiNardo is executive editor of Environments for Aging. She can be reached at [email protected].
