A story of the seasons in carpet at The Blue Bell

150 150 Daniel Fountain
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Inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement, some 500 square metres of glorious bespoke harlequin woven axminster carpet supplied by Wilton Carpets Commercial now adorns the The Blue Bell pub in Hemsworth, showcasing clever use of vibrant colour to reflect the changing seasons.As with many venues belonging to the popular JD Wetherspoons chain, this modern family pub is located in a historical building with plenty of character and features a large open plan dining space where customers can relax and enjoy food and beverages. The carpet design for The Blue Bell therefore had to balance the requirements of creating a bright and communal environment, suitable for the everyday demands of a busy pub establishment, yet still tie in with the historic elements of the surroundings.

The interior designers at Architect CT collaborated on the design with the team at Wilton Carpet Commercial early in the refurbishment. Sally Makinson, interior designer at Architect CT explains; “The carpet design had a big impact on the trading space, as the selected colours and style that we chose were then reflected in the wall finishes, furniture and fabrics.”

While choosing the colours to be used in the carpet, the team sourced inspiration from the Arts and Craft movement of the early 19th century, which celebrated simple forms and the beauty found in nature. Coupled with a very simple yet highly effective symmetrical design, brilliant tones such as Lime Zest, Jade, Burnished Gold and Burnt Copper from the Wilton Elements palette harmonise to bring the bespoke carpet to life. With metallic hues interplaying with rich accents, the spring-like green and yellow tones found at the front of the pub gradually change through to warm red and gold hues signifying autumn.

The stunning result is a modern, symbolic representation of the changing of the seasons, and a mesmerising contemporary carpet that delivers an uplifting burst of colour and welcoming ambience to the pub. Woven from a top quality blend of 80% wool 20% nylon in Wiltshire, the axminster carpet features a dense 9-row construction to withstand the intensive use required from the busy public house and deliver a smart appearance for years to come.

Sally continues; “Architect CT have a good working relationship with Wilton Carpets Commercial who we will continue to use on future projects. Our client was very happy with the overall finished project.”

Daniel Fountain / 09.12.2013

Editor, Hotel Designs

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