One of the first things I noticed about the property was its leafy setting so I was keen to bring this colour into the interior.  Mixing olive green with a palate of neutrals and soft greys kept it contemporary, sympathetic to the building’s surroundings and most importantly calming and peaceful for the client group.

We worked closely with the client throughout the project.  Our role was to design, supply and install from kitchen units to plates, light fittings to bedding.  The building had been used before as a care home and the client had cited some main areas he wished to address through the refurb; the existing cramped sitting room; the dark dungeon like kitchen and the vortex nature of the corridors.

The sitting room at various stages of the project. 

                           By removing the wall between what was the original sitting room and a bedroom, a larger space was created which we zoned for TV watching and a games area.  The back door seen here in the distance was converted to a window and large bi-fold doors fitted on the left hand wall on to the garden.  Note the ironing board in the “during” shot.  The client asked us to install one of the bedrooms early on in the build programme by way of a show room.  Since the only working socket was in the sitting room amongst wood shavings and rolls of carpet…..and the bedding was creased, I was forced into what the builders called, “extreme ironing”.  

The kitchen, previously lacking in natural light and poorly ventilated is has been transformed with Velux windows and new cabinets and work top with accents of green. 

The architect moved the main staircase from the front of the building to the middle, opening up the entrance lobby yet the main corridor into the ground floor needed to stay.  By creating a seating area half way along the corridor and fitting directional down lighters at strategically placed art, the corridor effect is reduced.

We used bespoke fabrics from Elanbach for the bedrooms.  We had three different patterns used across the 9 bedrooms, all using Elanbach designs but printed in our bespoke green to coordinate with the rest of the soft furnishings. 

And on the subject of soft furnishings, a big shout out to the super efficient and oh so easy to work with, Robena Contracts who made and fitted all the soft furnishings.

David put the beds together in the “boys’ room” and the blinds went in today throughout.

Kath stood at the ironing board all day today tirelessly pressing bed linen and all the accessories have been unpacked and placed in their destination rooms though not necessarily their final locations! 

Poles and tracks are up and light fittings go in today.  Furniture arrives on site tomorrow and team HomeSmiths will be in early to deliver boxes of carefully selected and long shopped for accessories.  Handover planned for next week.  We have a lot to do!

Before view from the dining room door

Amazing things came from that kitchen, (I speak from experience here) but the chef was always cut off from the fun with very little worktop space and as a family of four they really had long since outgrown the compact dishwasher.  The conservatory space was used for kitchen overflow and the client’s impressive chilli collection. You’d never find yourself sitting and relaxing in there however and as a result the stunning view to the fields beyond the garden was wasted.

 Before view through the dining room, into the conservatory.

So what did we do? Well we took out the internal walls, devoted the hitherto kitchen and the dining room to the new kitchen and rebuilt the conservatory with large bi-fold doors as the dedicated dining area.  The clients love greens and creams so we specified Olivio Verde Arenastone tops, cream cabinets with Dulux Twisted Bamboo on the walls and Dulux Timeless for ceiling and paintwork.

New kitchen from where the dining table used to sit.

The existing dining room ran straight off the sitting room so to keep the kitchen and diner separate we added a door between the newly created space and the sitting room.  A new fridge freezer now stands where the old kitchen/dining room door used to be and whoever is at the sink enjoys the wonderful countryside outlook rather than the wall.

View from dining area towards the sitting room.

Our clients are thrilled at the transformation and how well it works for the way they live as a family.  They have an abundance of storage space and with daughters who love baking, plenty of worktop space for cake and cookie creation.  Now if you look carefully, behind the orchid you will see a bar stool.  It’s a great spot – not in the way of the chef but a fantastic vantage point for kitchen, view and conversation.  Well that’s my “glass of wine and nibbles spot” when we go round for dinner!

So, the point of this blog?  Well, the chair that we find most challenging to specify is the easy chair; it needs a high back, has to be extremely comfortable, look contemporary and come within budget.  The Care Show in Bournemouth is the place to see all that’s new in the contract furniture market for the healthcare sector and I spent a large chunk of my day yesterday road testing chairs.   The easy chair was at the top of my shopping list so I was excited to see the high back in the new Jasmine range from Knightsbridge Furniture – incredibly comfortable, shown here in Panaz Alcazar fabric, one of the great new contract fabrics this season. 

Jasmine High Back

Shackletons’ Valencia chair is a nod to the wing but with a more contemporary line and covered in a gorgeously textured fabric sets it apart from more traditional models. 

Valencia

And yes whilst there is not a hint of high back here, the new Cheam chair from Shackletons really caught my eye – a couple of these upholstered in a fabulous cut velvet in the lobby area of a care home will surely make a great first impression…….and yes, it’s very comfortable!

 Cheam

Did we enjoy the work? We loved it - it was a total joy to see the residents happily settled in their new sitting room. The high point for me was when one of them gave me a big smile and asked whether I was the lady with the cushions. I confirmed that I was and he continued to beam and tell me how much he loved his bedroom. I left site that day feeling that we had truly created an environment that made the residents happy, secure and settled and at the end of the day, to me, that's the most important part of what we do.

• A tidy front garden, clean windows and a smart front door will fill your buyer with confidence the minute they arrive on your doorstep.
• Investing in a really deep clean is well worth the time or money. Before viewings throw open the windows to ensure that everywhere is well aired and fresh especially rarely used rooms and teenagers' bedrooms.
• Clearing the clutter not only makes a room feel bigger it enables viewers to appreciate its true potential. Piles of belongings will also draw attention to a lack of storage space. This is particularly relevant in the hall so cull the coats! the more floor space you have on show, the more spacious the room feels.
• Make the key spaces work for you and that all rooms are well defined. Kitchens, bathrooms and master bedrooms when well presented will sell themselves. If you have spare rooms or dead spaces in the house, identify them as much as possible; turn a spare room into a guest room or an under stairs space into a study area. You may be using the dining room as a spare bedroom but it's important to allow every room to show its original purpose.
• Decorating in neutral colours in key areas will broaden the appeal of your home when it comes to sale. I'm not advocating magnolia everywhere - just toning down in key areas.
• Lighting is a great tool. Combine table lamps with softer general lighting to create most ambiance and switch them on for viewings.... though be selective. A house ablaze with lighting from all directions could suggest that you are masking a natural light issue. Light switches attract the dirt and buyers will notice grubby switches so make sure that these are added to the cleaning to-do list.
• Since windows are a real focal point in a room, dress your curtains, replace missing hooks, rings etc and keep the sills as clear as possible. Stacking them well back off the window will maximise the light in the room too.
• Finish off any half started DIY jobs. painful but necessary.
• Make the most of your outside spaces by pruning shrubs, planting pots with seasonal flowers and re-painting the shed if it needs it. When we sold our last house I dug out some photographs of our garden at ist spring/summer best to show potential customers.
• Finally fresh flowers in the hall or sitting room are to me a must - great for viewings and some guilt free floral indulgence for you!