Good design is about putting the customer at the heart of the offering. It’s the single, most important rule within real estate design.
Perhaps the more exciting elements of design however, lie in the historical, social and cultural influences we can draw from the local area and the people we are designing for. At Wallacea Living Marylebone, our first Integrated Retirement Community is situated between Paddington Basin and Little Venice, an area of West London with enormously rich cultural and historical influences, which help to inform the internal design of our luxury apartments, amenities and communal areas.
Our customers are predominantly urbanites, people who have spent the majority of their life in Central London, where it is second nature to go to the cinema, to art galleries, to museums and restaurants. Living with such a variety of amenities and leisure activities on their doorstep means this is what they have always done, and what they will continue to want to do in their later life. It’s therefore important that we reflect these cultural and artistic interests throughout our design offering.
Rather than dumbing down our design to the perception of what we believe the over 65s might like, we are embracing these influences throughout our community in the form of avant-garde artwork and stand out pieces of furniture, using colourful fabrics and art-driven aesthetics. Think Liberty rather than John Lewis.
Don’t forget, we’re designing for the people who lived through the radical changes in popular culture in the 1960s, 1970s and beyond. People who enjoyed the diversification of culture with the rich, global influences running through the different mediums of music, fashion and art.
So how do we reflect all this through design?
In our function rooms you will find texture, oak panels, fabric inlay and interesting pieces of art that you wouldn’t ordinarily expect to see.
Our furniture range encompasses modern, mid-century pieces, with a focus on comfort and support, while being stylish and aesthetically iconic.
And the bar area will incorporate arches, glazing and pops of colour, providing a culturally interesting backdrop for socialising and entertaining.
Central to our design approach is an appreciation of the interests and cultural references of our customer base and we are developing a micro-environment that reflects their experiences in London. Everything we do from a design perspective is putting the owners front and centre, and that’s what sets us apart from the competition.
