A lesson in inclusive interior design
Together with the Percy Hedley Foundation and Barratt Homes, we are proud to announce the successful installation of a sensory-empowering show home at Old Durham Gate. The Fallow, a creatively designed contemporary show home, showcases an area in which the students at Percy Hedley guided the design following a collaborative workshop session held at the school.
Creating an inclusive haven
As part of the creative design process, Show Business Interiors and Barratt Homes hosted a creative session with the young minds at Percy Hedley. During this session, the students learned about the art of creating show homes and the importance of inclusive design. Here, the students were asked about their vision for the room, which served as the foundation for a one-of-a-kind interior, where they engaged in shaping their ideal living space, from planning the room's layout to selecting fabrics, paint colours, and styling items.
Following the workshop, the team at Percy Hedley said: “The students felt a bit nervous about being a part of the design session, with the majority of the students saying they felt more confident as a result of being a part of this session.”
“They [the students] told us that they enjoyed learning about the use of colour, materials and the creative design process. They felt really involved in making design choices for the room and one student told us that this process helped in the design process of their own room.”
Empowering the next generation of designers
Following the creative session, the students were then invited to provide feedback of the proposed designs alongside the team at Barratt to ensure the home, and the collaboratively designed sensory area matched their vision.
Jackie Summerfield, Founder of Show Business Interiors, explains: “What sets this project apart is the level of involvement the children had in crafting their room. From planning the room's layout to selecting fabrics, paint colours, and styling items, the children were at the forefront of every decision.
“This approach not only allowed the room to truly reflect their unique personalities but also resonated with each child's individuality, giving our design team at Show Business Interiors, the team at Barratt and the pupils at Percy Hedley, an educational edge for designing homes like these in the future.”
Bridging the gap between creativity and inclusivity
Of course, the journey wouldn’t be complete without a visit to the recently installed show home, where the students involved in the project witnessed their ideas come to life! During their visit, the students also had the opportunity to ask questions which fuelled their interest.
Ashlea Wright, Sales Manager at Barratt Homes' new Old Durham Gate development, commented: "We are so pleased to have partnered with the students at The Percy Hedley Foundation and work closely with them to design one of the show home rooms for our new Old Durham Gate development. Expressing creativity is so important for children, and we're thrilled to be a part of this project that allows them to do exactly that. We're so excited to invite the students down to the show home and see their design come to life!"