When Primetower Care wanted the interior of its latest 68 bed new build care home, The Lindsay, to look more homely with a sympathetic nod to its architectural style, Shackletons and HomeSmiths interior design collaborated to create it.
Shackletons responded by supplying a range of interior furniture, soft furnishings and artwork for the entire build, including: resident bedrooms, coffee shop, restaurant, cinema, hobby room, salon, quiet lounge, library and communal spaces.
“We developed an interior that provides physical support through carefully considered furniture. The chairs, sofas, occasional and dining furniture provide a homely domestic setting. High quality finishes; luxury fabrics and tactile soft furnishings provide a bespoke designed look, but are tailored to be practical for the user as well as assistive to the delivery of good care," says Jason Bloom, national sales manager at Shackletons.
"Each floor in the home has a colour theme, which aids memory; a resident may not know which number floor they need but they will remember what colour it is," he continues.
"The texture of soft furnishings and upholstery is also incredibly important, we selected materials that would provide stimulation and interest to aid memory and social interaction. Chairs were provided in different heights and sizes, not just to accommodate personal preference, but also to ensure the chairs offer the right support when using them,” he adds.
Jacqui Smith, of HomeSmiths, says: “We took a challenging environment and responded creatively to resident needs as well as The Lindsay’s need to create a designed environment that would encourage residents to positively engage with where they live.
"We literally took a blank canvas and through design expression have created a space that makes a real difference to how people live.”
Jacqui adds: “There’s something very satisfying about learning that people have their preferred chair and place to spend time safely and securely without fear of making a mistake, getting lost or falling over.
"Resident satisfaction is high, everyone who spends time in the home responds positively.
Shackletons have been in the business of creating comfort for over 50 years and are the UK’s leading design and manufacturer of specialist contract furniture for the healthcare sector."