St Catherine’s Hospice
St Catherine’s Hospice, Preston, provides specialist palliative care for the people of Chorley, Preston, Longridge and South Ribble. The government provides less than 29% of the funds required by the hospice and this is set to reduce even further, so it is vital that when work is carried out at the Hospice budgets are used prudently and wisely and meet the expectations of local people.
Working alongside the architect and client and following an extensive consultation process, we developed an interior design scheme to address the motivation behind their new reception area. The client, although looking for the ‘wow’ factor when entering the area, also wanted the space to be welcoming and comfortable for patients and visitors. We needed to consider the practicalities of running a busy reception from the Hospice’s point of view, but yet create the right ambiance in what can be a very sensitive area.
Our experience in bespoke furniture enabled us to design a reception desk that was H&S and DDA compliant but that also encompassed much of the staff’s ‘wish list’; storage below the desk to suit the right size of files, built in gel dispenser, space for CCTV equipment and other specific storage space. Incorporating all this resulted in the area looking organised and efficient. Our bespoke joinery partners were able to turn a conceptual 2D design into a physical, working area.
Choosing the right colours, textures and finishes were critical to the success of this scheme. We incorporated natural colours and hard wearing, easy to maintain finishes for the soft furnishings, adding the finishing touch to this welcoming design.