Blind Veterans’ new centre for well-being in the seaside town of Rustington, East Sussex, occupies a beautiful beach front location.
Blind Veterans UK was initially founded to support those blinded in conflict, however today it now supports veterans regardless of when they served or how they lost their sight.
The charity appointed HomeSmiths as interior designers in January 2022. As an interior designer with lived experience of sight loss, Jacqui brings an additional perspective to the design role. Her understanding of how it feels to navigate spaces with impaired senses and the role which the built environment plays in enabling people to live independently, meant that she was able to specify products to best meet those needs.
Due to their fantastic sound absorption qualities, warmth underfoot and the contribution that carpets make to a healthier indoor environment Jacqui could see the benefits of specifying several danfloor ranges for the lounges, office areas, bedrooms and the library.
Taking into consideration the Light Reflectance Value (LRV) of each chosen colour and design Jacqui could ensure that the carpet would also assist with safe navigation and contribute to creating a therapeutic environment. Jacqui selected Equinox Tones in colour Sienna for the bedrooms, Manhattan 422 for the lounges and some office areas and Origin in colour 573 for the resident’s library. “The plaid design of the Origin range works brilliantly in the library as a nod to the traditional regimental tartans adopted and worn by Highland regiments of the British Army,” explains Jacqui.
The building, formally owned by the RAF Benevolent Fund, opened its doors to residents and visitors in the Autumn of 2023. Based right on the seafront and at the heart of the community, the centre will be more accessible than its previous location and form a real part of the local community.
Jacqui has absolute confidence in danfloor’s products knowing they will achieve her desired outcome. “We have worked with danfloor for over 14 years, trusting both the performance and the design of the product. The carpets we specified helped us to create a homely look with certain ranges adding more personality to some of the communal spaces.”
Due to the demands of this environment; and the need to provide a clean and healthy living environment Blind Veterans UK needed a flooring solution that would provide the following performance benefits:
•Extreme durability– The Evolution Collection is certified to British Standard classification 33 “Heavy Commercial Use” enabling it to withstand high volumes of foot and wheeled traffic and intense commercial cleaning. Making Manhattan perfect for the Lounges and Origin for the Library.
•Antimicrobial yarn treatment– Both the Equinox Tones and the Evolution Collections include Bi-Ome®, an innovative antimicrobial treatment that is designed to kill harmful bacteria including those that can cause MRSA and C. Diff.
•Spill safe– All of the selected carpets have an integral protective membrane, preventing liquid spills from penetrating through to the subfloor, reducing contamination, fungal growth, and unpleasant odours.
•Naturally Sound absorbent– danfloor carpets have great sound absorption qualities, achieving more than 28dB reduction in sound impact levels, which helps to create a “therapeutic environment” in which people can relax and communicate effectively.
•Appearance Retention– Manufactured using solution dyed Nylon and Polypropylene yarns, both the Evolution and Equinox Collection offer a locked-in colourfast system that ensures superior colour and light-fastness even when subject to harsh cleaning chemicals.
•Reduction in fall injuries – carpet, when compared with vinyl, can reduce injuries caused by trips and falls. It has also been proven that gait speed and step length are greater in older people walking on carpeted areas than when walking on vinyl.
