In the limelight

Heritage buildings have plenty of character, but it is not always easy working out the best design solution for an extension.

For the O'Conor Home in Westport, which is an Historic Place Category II listed building operating as a rest home, a modern 20-bedroom addition was required.

Hopkinson Kelsall Team Architects, the firm commissioned to design the extension, ensured that while the form, scale and materials are contemporary, they are also sensitive to the original home.

The brief for the interior design was to provide an attractive space that would be uplifting for both staff and residents. The colour scheme needed to suit the next stage of the building programme, which will be the seismic and interior upgrade of the existing home. And the needs of dementia patients also needed to be taken into account.

The design team specified bright Resene colours for key areas. Different colour schemes were assigned to each pair of rooms that share an ensuite bathroom. These schemes were selected for their clarity and boldness, and the Resene paint shades were teamed with carpets, floor and wall vinyls to give the bedrooms a sense of individuality. They also serve as signposts for residents and for staff giving directions to visitors.

Colours grouped together include Resene Aviator and Float, Resene Lush and Quarter Lignite, Resene Bullseye and Half Rakaia, Resene Phoenix and New Orleans, and Resene Upstage and Grapevine. The interior walls are Resene Quarter Blanc and hallway doors are in Resene Impromptu (a lively green) and Resene Troubadour (a rich purple). All these colours will eventually tie together the new build with the old.

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