Rialto

Combining comfort, style and functionality

RIALTO SHELTERED HOUSING

This residential care scheme in Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent, consists of 65 self-contained apartments. Dressing Rooms was tasked with the interior design and installation for communal areas throughout and styling the interior of the scheme's show home.
Following its time as a pottery works, the Rialto site later housed Stoke-on-Trent Workshops for the Blind before a complete restoration and refurbishment to provide a sheltered housing scheme with apartments for the over 55s.
There are now 65 one-and-two-bedroom apartments served by non-resident part-time staff. There is a lift, lounge area, communal kitchen and dining room, laundry room, a garden area and courtyard with outdoor seating.

Commercial interior design for sheltered housing

Factors that affected the interior design choices by Dressing Rooms of Cheshire were that part of the complex is a listed building, and there was a requirement that the communal spaces accommodate all residents safely and comfortably. This resulted in proposals to change door placement and supporting pillars to make the best use of the space available to ensure a functional and visually appealing environment for residents.
As the original building was once a pottery workshop, we incorporated aspects of its history and origins in our interior designs. This included a custom display of sourced original Rialto pottery.
Furniture choices combined functionality with aesthetic appeal to ensure residents' comfort and ease of use. We also considered other practical matters, such as selecting furniture that could easily be moved and complement the individual designs on each floor should they need to be repositioned for social functions.
All furnishings and furniture were produced or sourced by commercial interior designers at Dressing Rooms of Cheshire, followed by installation, fitting, and dressing of the entire scheme.

Client: Stoke on Trent City Council