ABDA Design was asked by Valor Hospitality to develop a new bedroom and corridor concept for DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Piccadilly. We have worked on the bar, restaurant, reception, and meeting rooms in the past, so it was fantastic to be asked to help with the bedrooms and corridors too.

The narrative behind the designs

Working with Valor allows us to be open-minded as they give us the freedom to develop a unique narrative for the design. To kick-start the project, we researched the history of Manchester to find a unique link that we could incorporate into the design. Manchester was instrumental in textile manufacture during the Industrial Revolution and at the time was heavily involved in cotton production. Senior designer, Rachael Sheldon, delved into the textile industry and discovered Manchester was involved with the development of dyes. Colours included shades of blue, yellow and orange so she wanted to incorporate these colour palettes within the room, as well as building a connection back to the textile industry.

Using the space effectively

The works for the room involved stripping back the space and completing a full refurbishment. Designs also included a new headboard with a larger bed configuration, new lighting and new carpet throughout. A hybrid table was introduced into the space which allowed for more flexibility within the room, meaning the space could be used for dining or work. Part of the brief was to retain the existing wardrobe system but everything else in the room was to be replaced.

As the hotel is used by guests staying for both business and leisure, we wanted to ensure the room styling would appeal to everyone. We have created a softness to the room so that it appeals to all, whilst still maintaining a contemporary feel. The corridor areas received a new lease of life with a full redecoration, directional signage, carpet and an eye-catching feature mural in the lift lobby area.

Working with suppliers

For the lighting in the bedroom, we worked with Chelsom Lighting. The items included the bedside light with integrated reading light, table and floor lamp and we went for a bespoke bronze finish to make the fittings more unique. Behind all the headboards, we used a feature print from Tektura. We worked with Elegant Clutter to create a large feature mural to the lift lobby area. Our inspiration for this was the locality of Manchester and the hotels proximity to the train station. The mural also featured several colours that link to the dye narrative which we had been using in the bedrooms.

The feedback on our work has been really positive, not just from the client, but hotel guests too which is inspiring for our design team to hear.

Wellbeing is a word talked about in all businesses and every industry these days but it’s important that it doesn’t just become a buzz word without any actual action. The wellbeing of our team goes hand in hand with their creativity which is what helps them to create stunning designs for our clients. To ensure wellbeing and creativity remain at the heart of the business, we have tasked our operations co-ordinator, Amie with taking the lead on all our wellbeing activities for 2024.

Only a few weeks into this role, Amie has already introduced several new initiatives with more being planned for later in the year. We chatted to Amie to learn about her ideas and find out why this work is so important to her.

Why did you want to take on the task of organising wellbeing initiatives at ABDA?

This was due to a combination of things. My educational background played a big part in this decision by the directors and I as I have a degree in psychology and a master’s in forensic psychology and mental health. My previous work experience will also help me and recently I completed a Mental Health Workplace First Aider course. I have a passion for wellbeing and exploring mental health and I thought it would be great to implement some further wellbeing initiatives at ABDA Design.

We already have some wellbeing days for staff, and we rounded off 2023 with the start of our employee creativity days. It’s a great start but I wanted to build on this and ensure wellbeing is at the heart of what we do this year.

Tell us about some of the ideas you would like to introduce as part of this work.

We are starting the initiative with a monthly ‘cuppa and a catch up’ event. This started on Monday 29th January, and this is a chance for people to get away from their desks for a little while and chat about their weekends, the week ahead or anything else they’d like to get off their chest. The bonus of cake will go down well, I’m sure!

We are looking at focusing on something different each month and plans for the year ahead are already in progress. We will have events focusing on things such as ‘International Day of Happiness’, ‘Stress Awareness Month’ and ‘National Walking Month’. The full event calendar is currently a work in progress but will be revealed to the team soon.

Why do you think these initiatives are so important?

Mental health encompasses our emotional, psychological, and social wellbeing. It affects how we think, feel and act. It can also determine how we handle stress, how we relate to others and can also impact the choices we make. Positive mental health is crucial in today’s society as it profoundly influences every aspect of our lives. Mental and physical health are equally important so we shouldn’t let either one slip through the net.

I believe that wellbeing and creativity go hand in hand so we need to nurture one to boost the other and being a creative team means this is so important. We need to ensure our staff are feeling as good as they can in themselves and if they aren’t, then we’ll help them to focus on what we can do to support them.

What are your long-term goals when it comes to wellbeing at ABDA?

My long-term goal is to ensure all staff feel supported and if they’re struggling in any way then to know we are there for them, whether that is professionally or personally. I also want to ensure that the mental health and wellbeing focus is something that continues into the future.

I am hopeful that my role will positively influence the way we work day-to-day, boost team morale, and impact the teams’ creativity so that they continue to push boundaries on design projects.

How do you think these initiatives will help both the wellbeing and creativity of the team?

People who engage in everyday forms of creativity tend to be more open minded, positive and intrinsically motivated by their activity. Those who experience everyday creativity tend to feel a greater sense of well-being and personal growth compared to individuals who engage less in creative behaviours. There is a strong link between wellbeing and creativity so we want to ensure our staff feel inspired and as positive as they can to make sure their creativity is at the best level it can be.

What else does ABDA have in place to support staff wellbeing and creativity?

Currently we promote wellbeing days which are extra days off during the year for the whole team. We also encourage all staff to utilise their annual creativity days, which we launched at the end of 2023. It will be great to see what each team member gets up to this year!

We aim to have an approachable and laid-back feel to the office and ensure that all the team feel comfortable enough to voice anything should they need to. I’m hoping the new wellbeing initiatives we are planning spark some inspiration as well as promoting healthy living and good wellbeing.