COCKTAIL CHAIRS AND CACTUS – DESIGNING FOR STUDENTS.
Last year we designed a lounge for a newly built campus facility by Bangor University. It was a brilliant brief as the accommodation and whole offer that had been created was outstanding.
However the lounge hadn’t found a strong identity so the students weren’t using it enough.
When we visited it looked like this:
![Untitled-5](https://www.spacelikethis.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Untitled-5-768x1024.jpg)
We wanted to create a look which I called ‘soft industrial’. Industrial features are made for large spaces so this was an obvious choice, but I wanted some soft elements too so that it was cosy and inviting – I took my main inspiration from gentlemen’s clubs and old libraries.
I chose mock concrete wallpaper which had a pinky warm hue to offset some of the coldness of the metal used in the industrial lights and the table legs.
![DSC_3968](https://www.spacelikethis.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/DSC_3968-1024x684.png)
Its easy for corporate spaces to look generic or overly matched and this can come in part from using off the peg furniture so I sourced original 1950’s German cocktail chairs and had them re-upholstered in 3 different fabrics – I think this keeps the look unique, adds a retro flavour, and adds some charm as every chair is different and gives a more homely and collected feel.
![DSC_3938](https://www.spacelikethis.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/DSC_3938-1-1024x684.jpg)
My biggest challenge was the ceiling – see the first picture – this was the element that kept me awake at night. It was an office style tiled ceiling and the University needed to keep this access to services above. Re-plastering the ceiling would have been prohibitively expensive and stopped access. I spent hours researching ceiling options, pricing up lovely but expensive replacement wooden ceiling tiles and talking to technical departments across the country. In 5 minutes of chatting to the contractors we came up with a great solution. Fireproofed plywood fixed to the ceiling grid and strips of more ply overlaid on top gave the resulting panelled look. We also put access panels in. I love this solution, ply is cheap and warm and gives a stately look to the refurbishment – fitting to the size of the space.
![MAIN-barlows-corner-shot](https://www.spacelikethis.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/MAIN-barlows-corner-shot-1024x684.jpg)
For the floor I wanted the grandeur of victorian tiles but without the coldness and that horrible scraping noise every time someone moved a chair. These luxury vinyl tiles from Harvey Maria by Neisha Crossland were a great solution. They feel warm and quiet and understated. Everyone comments on them as they are somewhat unexpected. Vinyl is well and truly back!