Here's a furniture design target market you probably never think about: Group homes, psychiatric institutions and adult or juvenile detention centers. But these places need furniture too, and this subcategory has wildly different design briefs than those tackled by Ikea and Ethan Allen. Furniture manufacturer Moduform serves this market with their Moxie line of rotomolded furniture.

The first thing you might be wondering is, why rotomolded? Moduform lists a variety of reasons:

"Moxie delivers a decidedly safe, easily cleanable, secure and durable solution for the challenges inherently found in patient bedroom spaces. Fabricated using our in-house rotational molding process, Moxie pieces are one-piece, designed to be ligature, fluid and puncture resistant while engineered durable to withstand intentionally abusive behaviors."

"Using impact resilient polyethylene, the textured surfaces are easily disinfected using bleach-based cleansers, steam and other commercial grade detergents to aid in the control of infections, viruses and bloodborne pathogens. The bed deck features a unique fluid management system with embedded channels crowned both to the edges and ends to move unwanted contaminants out from under the mattress."

"On the inside, Moxie is filled with a two-part structural polyurethane foam that adds rigidity while tempering noisy conduct."

Platform Bed

In addition to serving the institutional needs, user comfort is also addressed:

"The side rails are profiled so that ingress, egress or just simply sitting at the edge is easy and comfortable. The toe kick has been recessed allowing for easier access. All corners and edges are rounded such that they meet the needs of the patient population by being safe and suitable for the necessary care and treatment."

In addition to beds, they produce nightstands, open-front dressers, a stool, and wall-hanging shelf units:

Nightstand

Dresser

Writing Desk

Stool

Shelf

Slope Top Wall Unit

I wasn't sure why the tops of the shelving units are slanted; that's something you see in say, rolling diagnostic automotive machines, where they don't want mechanics putting cups of coffee on top. As Moduform explains,

"Shelves on storage units are recessed to discourage climbing, while the top of the wall hanging units are sloped downward for increased visibility, cleanliness, safety and security."

"When looking for safe, respectful and humanizing solutions that reflect compassion and vigilance for patient welfare, Moxie's features will deliver the necessary benefits to achieve positive behavioral outcomes."