The Grand Wins Award For Its Interior Design

The Grand Care Centre in West Bridgford has been crowned the winner of the Commercial Interior Design Project £250K+ by the Northern Design Awards 2015.

The category celebrates innovation and creativity within a commercial building and the 82 bed facility, which opened in April 2015, instantly appealed to the judges.

Beating off five other finalists, including luxury restaurants and retail headquarters, the judges recognised the particular design challenges that a care home presents and The Grand received the prestigious accolade for its superb interior design, which blends functionality with a homely appeal and pleasant ambiance.

The Grand’s in house interior designer was briefed to create an environment that improved the life of the residents by carefully marrying the conflicting needs of clinical care with a welcoming home environment and adding a dash of glamour.

Interior Designer, Katie McGoff, comments: “We strived to create a care home that was different.  The biggest challenge is that the visual impact always has to play second fiddle to functionality and the clinical needs of every resident.  I wanted to ensure that however traumatic it had been for the resident and their family to enter the care home, it looked and felt like somewhere they wanted to live.

“With their en suite bedrooms I aimed to create an elegant but homely space.  With the public areas, such as the dining rooms and day rooms, I believed it would be a mistake to try and replicate the home and instead opted for the more aspiring boutique hotel setting.

“The Art Deco period was a primary inspiration as it evokes a feeling of opulence and glamour.  The lobby is a feature of the care home that was designed and dressed to give the wow factor and emphasise how The Grand does not feel like an institution, and it leads into the stylish coffee shop and hair salon that provide destination places for the residents.

“This glamorous look continues in the dining rooms and large communal day spaces, where designer wallpaper and lighting are mixed with specialist furniture which was carefully chosen to give a hotel feel.  In addition, we also created a more intimate day room on each floor using the inspiration of a gentleman’s club, with these spaces offering a quiet reading room or a fun and playful room for small groups of residents where games and activities can take place.

“Specialist furniture was required throughout the home, but each and every item had to be considered as to how it could be adapted to ensure it did not look institutional; including profile beds that were customised in walnut to tie in with the décor and all chairs which were designed for the elderly, with much consideration given to the mix of fabrics used for the Art Deco opulence.

“As the home also specialises in dementia, this meant another level of thought in the design process so colour schemes were selected that considered residents’ emotions and soft furnishings that could stimulate memory, including wallpapers of the locality and artwork of old movie stars.”

Chris McGoff, CEO of New Care Projects, comments: “Winning this award for the interior design at The Grand is incredible and we are really proud of this achievement.  We carefully considered the interior of the care home, taking into account the clinical needs of residents and requirements of the various regulatory bodies, and have successfully created a luxurious environment that can be enjoyed by residents and relatives alike.”