Inside Out Contracts: Care Homes get a Luxury Makeover

As a rule, retirement homes don’t often crop up in conversations about high-end design and luxury interiors. With a focus on comfort and care, aesthetics tend to be lower down the list of requirements for these essential, yet largely functional, spaces. Muted colour palettes, sturdy furniture and practical materials unite most care home interiors. But all that is changing, as interior designers and architects are increasingly involved in the fit-out stage of this previously ignored sector.

Beyond Bland! Caring About Care Home Design

As prospective residents and their families become more discerning, it makes sense to question why their new home needs to be bland by default. A living space should be inviting and uplifting; a place to feel happy and motivated, as well as safe and comfortable. Inside Out Contracts been involved in several care home projects and love the unique challenges that these spaces present. Aside from the obvious practicalities of choosing hard-wearing and accessible furniture, there’s no real limit to the design potential.

Introducing luxury living to the retirement sector

It’s out with the mismatched beige armchairs and functional light fittings, as a new era of retirement-living interiors has arrived. Next gen luxury care homes are all about thoughtful design decisions. That means considering the practicalities of a broad client base without compromising on aesthetics. Why can’t a chair be both supportive and beautiful; or an accessible table have bistro qualities? Once the key criteria have been identified, there are so many possible iterations for textiles, bases and bespoke options.

Key Considerations For Care Home Furniture

Here are some points that are worth taking on board at the outset of any project in this sector – the main features or concepts that should apply to every piece your select for the design.

Stylish ergonomics: There are certain must-haves required of furniture for care-home clientele. Think about the ease of sitting down and standing up and choose chairs with higher seats and comfortable armrests. This doesn’t mean compromising on style – ergonomic options can also be elegant.

Practical and replaceable: Low-maintenance options will both staff and clients happy. Easy-care fabrics, removable seat pads and washable options all tick the boxes for retirement settings.

High-end durability: Care home furniture needs to be sufficiently robust to deal with day-to-day usage in high-traffic areas. It’s worth spending more on the best quality craftsmanship and durable materials.

Comfortable elegance: Care-home residents might benefit from chairs with additional support for greater comfort, or dining chair with padded seats. Always consider these criteria in conjunction with aesthetics for an appealing interior.

Top Tips for Creating Care Home Interiors

Approaching a care home interior project is, in many ways, no different from the way you would work with any brief – there are just a few additional considerations that wouldn’t necessarily apply to commercial spaces or hospitality venues.

Get in the zone

If you’re creating the interior for a full retirement home makeover, you’ll need to consider the different spaces and uses. You might be selecting pieces for communal living and dining rooms – and other communal spaces – as well as bedrooms and private flats. It’s useful to think of these different areas as zones, while ensuring that the furniture meets any specific needs of each space.

Choose hard-working fabrics

Hospitality venues tend to be high-traffic spaces that require hard-working materials that will withstand wear and tear; care homes are the same. Inside Out Contracts have got plenty of options for materials that combine aesthetics with practicality. From materials with antimicrobial finishes to stain-resistant textiles and tactile cloth, it’s easy to put together a luxury scheme with furniture that will stay the distance when in constant use in these spaces.

Streamline the look

Always keep in mind that these are not just functional spaces; these are people’s homes and residents appreciate good design. Visitors will also feel welcomed and comfortable in an environment that has been carefully planned and filled with textural interest and a fresh colour palette. And don’t forget the staff – contemporary and vibrant designs help to make care homes a nicer place to work!

An expert eye

At Inside Out Contrasts, thye’ve worked with designers and architects on all manner of commercial and hospitality venues and have the experience to advise on the specifics of retirement homes. Their bespoke furniture options offer huge amounts of flexibility in terms of space-planning and material choices, and these are especially popular with care home projects.

Care Home Case Studies: Design Success Stories

If you’re looking for inspiration, here are some projects that perfectly combine great design and practicality.

Audley Fairmile: This luxury retirement village in Surrey is a great example of the possibilities for design in the high-end retirement living sector. Here, bespoke furniture has helped to create unique and impressive interiors that show off the space of the apartments, without compromising on accessibility.

Wildernesse House: This stunning historic property required furniture that complemented its impressive exterior. Again, bespoke pieces have elevated the space and enabled the design team to work with the specific requirements of the care home environment.

The Pavilion Restaurant: Located on site at Wildernesse House, the dining space is inviting and visually striking. Its retirement home setting meant extra consideration to comfort and accessibility, so each piece was selected to maximise functionally.

Big Designs on Later Living

The future of luxury care home interiors is looking bright! With a move away from purely functional furniture and towards innovative designs, bold forms and contemporary fabrics, it feels like these spaces are rightly setting a high bar. Clients and their families can expect high quality interiors, as well as fantastic care and facilities. We’re ready to help designers bring their visions to life with advice on pieces that offer comfort, practicality and the all-essential design aesthetic.

Get in touch to find out more about Inside Out Contracts’ range of furniture for every setting, as well as exciting bespoke options that can be crafted to suit and space. They’re ready to work with you on your care home interior projects.

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