By George! Wilton refurbishes Lake District hotel

150 150 Daniel Fountain
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A total of 350 square metres of sumptuous bespoke axminster carpet by Wilton Carpets Commercial now covers the ground and bedroom floors of the historic George Hotel in the bustling market town of Penrith, Cumbria, providing guests with supreme underfoot comfort and showcasing the venue’s colourful design tastes.Specified by Kate and David Simmons, an interior design team at the Frank Whittle Partnership in Preston, and installed by Mark Dixon Flooring Ltd, the two brand new carpets are part of a refurbishment project that has seen the entire ground floor and selected hotel bedrooms undergo a complete transformation.

“Part of the family-owned Lake District Hotels group, the George Hotel has built a reputation for providing superb service in beautiful surroundings, so it was imperative that we sourced only the highest quality products during this refurbishment period,” explains David Simmons, interior designer, Frank Whittle Partnership. “After selecting wallpaper and fabric, we approached the team at Wilton Carpets Commercial to create designs that would complement the rest of the furnishings and decor while still delivering an independent style statement.”

The fast and flexible Flexiweave service was used, which allows customers to create bespoke designs using a selection of colours from a single palette.Rich shades of red, green and gold from the Dimensions colour palette were woven into a traditional tartan patterned carpet that now graces the hotel’s ground floor communal entrance, bar and restaurant areas; layered with a light scroll design, this bespoke carpethas a classical and refined feel that suits the hotel’s dark mahogany wall panelling and intricate ceiling patterns. In the bedrooms, the oversized paisley Kashmirdesign from Wilton’s popular FastTrack Virtue collection has been recoloured using the soft cream, taupe and aubergine shades oftheOptimum colour palette.Helping to create a relaxing ambience for tired guests, this carpet also providesluxurious underfoot comfort for bare feet.

“Having worked with the Wilton Carpets Commercial team on various projects before, we were confident in their ability to deliver,” continues David Simmons. “Taking our initial ideas and proposing numerous design alternatives and colour tweaks, Wilton provided us with simply beautiful carpets in balanced colour tones which suit the space to such an extent that they seem to flow from one room to the next.”

In a performance blend of 80% wool and 20% nylon, the two new bespoke carpets are durable enough to withstand the heavy footfall that the George Hotel experiences. As Justin Wales, general manger at the George Hotel, comments:

“The new carpets from Wilton Carpets Commercial are striking in appearance and are crucially both robust and comfortable underfoot. With a very loyal customer base that uses our facilities on a regular basis, it was important that the refurbishment was carried out quickly and with minimal disruption. We have had many guests commenting on how lovely the new areas look and how well coordinated the hotel now feels.”

For further information contact Wilton Carpets Commercial on 01722 746000 or sales@wiltoncarpets.com.

Daniel Fountain / 25.04.2013

Editor, Hotel Designs

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Fun fact: I’m usually the person friends rely on to organise trips, schedules, and group plans.

Workhighlights: Successfully coordinating events from planning through to delivery and seeing everything come together on the day.

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Fun fact: People tell Sienna she gives off Bridget Jones vibes, and she loves to bake, always making sure there are shortbreads floating around the office

Work highlights: Sienna joined Forum Events & Media Group while studying Communications and Media, starting in the sales team where she managed and helped launch the first the PA Life Leading Venues of London SHOWCASE, where she built relationships with luxury venues across the capital. Drawn to the stories behind these spaces, she naturally transitioned into the editorial team, creating social media and editorial content. Upon graduating in June 2026, she is excited to be joining as Assistant Editor for Hotel Designs and SPACE.

Fun fact: When not working, Jess can usually be found tending to her kitchen garden in the Sussex countryside or foraging for herbs in the nearby woods. A keen grower, she recently studied a RHS Level 2 Diploma in the Principles of Horticulture during her spare time.

Work highlights: Jess joined SPACE magazine in 2022 and has since progressed from Assistant Editor to Editor. During this time, she has worked across many aspects of the publication – from shaping editorial strategy and overseeing operations to contributing to art direction and representing the brand on stage at industry events including Surface Design Show and WOW!house.

Alongside her role at SPACE, Jess has built a creative career spanning the arts, culture, design and travel sectors. Prior to joining the magazine, she spent more than a decade in the commercial art industry, in artist liaison, gallery management, and curating collections for the hospitality sector across hotels and cruise ships. During this time, she also worked on freelance projects as a writer, photographer, and creative content producer.
 
Jess studied photojournalism at London College of Communication and the Danish School of Media and Journalism and holds a first-class BA (Hons) in Culture, Criticism and Curation from Central Saint Martins.

Fun fact: Katy has spent years perfecting all kinds of accents and loves a good impersonation!

Work highlights: Katy has been with Hotel Designs since the beginning, way back in 2015 when Forum Events & Media Group acquired the brand.

During this time, she has fostered many meaningful relationships with clients from across the hospitality spectrum, as well as playing a pivotal role in the launch of The Brit List Awards, Hotel Designs MEET UPs, client-led roundtables and panel talks, brand and website redesigns, HD Wellness Sets, DESIGN POD podcast, Hotel Designs LIVE panel talk series, Accessible Design Talks and more. Katy is always on the lookout for the next opportunity to help grow the Hotel Designs brand even further.
 
Most recently Katy has stepped in to the role of Publisher atSPACE magazine, the printed bi-monthly publication focused on hotel design, architecture, and development.
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