Designing Dignity in Care: Kerry Southern-Reason

You transitioned from accountancy into interior design for care – what inspired that shift, and how do those two worlds inform each other in your work?

Kerry: My family has always owned a business connected to interior design, I’ve worked in it all my life one way or another. Accountancy was the ‘proper job’ I was encouraged to strive for and although I love working with numbers my passion for interiors was really ignited when I started working on big residential and hotel developments in Dubai. It wasn’t until I experienced, in a very personal way, the poor interiors of the care facilities both my Nan and Mum lived in towards the end of their lives that I changed my focus. It shocked me how dismal and alien from a homely environment they were. For my Nan there was only one room left in the care home, but it was painted green. I asked if the colour could be changed, and they said: ‘Oh it doesn’t matter she’s got dementia.’ Aside of been completely shocked at the response, it was incredibly distressing, my Nan did not like green! 10 years later my mum was very poorly and placed into hospice care. Everything about the room was awful, basic, drab and grey and uncomfortable. My Mum was so weak, she always seemed slumped in her bed looking at that back of a grey chair. This for a massive turning point for me. I started to question why care interiors were so bad, and from that I guess the rest is history. Of course, running a business and growing one to what Care Home Interiors is no mean feat but is has certainly helped that I am a chartered accountant. It has also helped massively when I speak to my customers about their budgets and requirements. I understand the finances and more importantly the constraints of finances.

What makes designing for people living with dementia different from typical interior projects?

Kerry: That’s a great question and actually that’s the point, they shouldn’t be different. Yes, safety is a massive consideration, but we give equal consideration to comfort and that in itself can make individuals feel psychologically safe, taking the confusion, anger, frustration and anxiety that people living with dementia can often experience in unfamiliar environments. A care environment has to be fit for purpose to aid the care teams in their work, however that doesn’t mean it has to be institutional. We design beautiful, homely care interiors that are enabling and respectful to the individuals who will live there. With the right colour palette, choice of fabrics, specific presentation of rooms, it can be a home where people thrive.

How do you maintain such strong long-term relationships with both your team and clients in an industry known for its challenges?

Kerry: Honesty and communication. We can make it all look easy on the outside, but it really isn’t. It’s hard getting a 64 new build care home to the point of opening its doors. Ultimately you need a good plan, a great team and never stop talking. Everyone wants the same thing from the care home owner right down to the room stylist; every single one of us will do anything to make it right for those people who will be calling it their home.

What role does interior design play in helping care homes stay compliant while still feeling warm and homely?

Kerry: The trick is to make sure compliant doesn’t look institutional. Infection control doesn’t have to mean vinyl chair coverings, vinyl floors and plastic tablecloths. Fire safe doesn’t mean you can’t have luxurious looking and feeling fabrics. Just as wayfinding stipulations don’t have to mean loads of signs everywhere. And my absolute bugbear the notion that painting everything with a primary colour helps. Healthcare specific upholstery and flooring is so advanced to cater for fire safety and infection control measures. Just as bedding doesn’t have to be crinkly thin under the guise of cleanable. Plush soft duvets can also be washable at safe high temperatures. We understand how to meet CQC expectations and infection control policies, while layering in style, comfort, without sacrificing the dignity, individuality, and emotional wellbeing of those who live there.

During a refurbishment, what are the small design interventions that can make a big difference without overwhelming the home?

Kerry: It could be something as simple as soft furnishes and personalisation, to changing the layout of rooms to be more comfort focused and mobility enabled. Or changing the lighting to embrace more natural and ambient lighting paired with good acoustic control. This all helps residents feel relaxed and at home while also reducing risks such as falling or agitation. Such small changes can have very positive changes making it so much easier for the care teams to do their jobs.