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How Genie the Robot is Delivering More than Face Value to Cornwall Housing in 2023

As small white desktop robot with an oval head black screen face and large blue round eyes sits on a wooden desk.

Using Voice and Touch Commands plus Video Links to Deliver a Range of Services

A residential care home Anvil Court in Camelford is the latest site to get a GenieHub through Independent Living part of Cornwall Housing. The GenieHub features a first generation robot called Genie developed by Bristol based Service Robotics.

Touch and Voice Command

Genie uses voice and touch commands and is able to provide a range of services on this platform. These range from medical assistance and social care to logging housing issues. Genie is able to help remind users to take their meds for example and will also in future be able to enable appointments using the video link to health practitioners. A calendar is available where you are able to set reminders for things such as private appointments.

Combatting Loneliness

Originally developed to combat loneliness Genie has the ability to recognise the mood of people through capturing several people and aggregating their expressions. It can also start a conversation and notice if you haven’t interacted with it for say 1 hour – it would for example offer to play a game with you.

A small desktop robot with a cartoon style face and large eyes which blink sits on a wooden desk. A wall with the words Genie Hub sits behind the desk in a residential home at Anvil Court in Cornwall

Security is of utmost concern so it isn’t connected to the internet all the time unlike Alexa.

Genie Hubs

The GenieHub is a small private room where residents are able to login to their profile with Genie and interact with a Cornwall Housing companion using a video link to gain assistance. Eventually the plan would be to have these installed in private rooms and houses to help people gain virtual assistance through their own private Genie. It’s designed to be very simple to use so that older people who are not used to using smart phones are able to navigate it.

The efficiencies it brings are enormous when you look at the number of in person appointments that could be transformed by using this technology it is really encouraging. This would mean a significant carbon footprint reduction as well as savings in cost and resources. In person appointments would then be used where they are needed most particularly needed in health and social care. Genie also offers a degree of privacy and independence to users as it is less intrusive than having people visit – for those with compromised immune systems it also has obvious benefits.

The technology is proving useful to those with dementia in early stages as it can prompt reminders and also give you access to the date and time as a default screen if you wish rather than a face.

Future Uses & Future Proofing

In future the 1st generation Genie is future proofed so that when the 2nd generation Genie is developed it will receive the update through the cloud and have the extra functionality.

Access to users online shopping accounts will be enabled in future (although no bank details are stored within this system itself for security) so people can shop for their groceries online on it too as long as they have an account set up with say Sainsbury’s or Tesco for example.

Other features of Genie in development include the ability to recognise teh sound of fire alarms and smoke alarms or the sound of breaking glass.

Read more about the GenieConnect service by Service Robotics at https://www.genieconnect.co.uk/

There are so many potential applications of this technology.

What would you like to see Genie used for and why?

New Decade New House!

A typical Redrow “Heritage” collection house

This month has flown by and a lot has happened since my last post in September.

I’ve been working on a project in Portugal for design of some bathrooms in a holiday villa. It finishes soon and I’m very excited to be able to reveal some photos of in future.

I’m also planning a big move soon and have been house hunting – one of my favourite things looking at showhouses. We’ve sold our house and now plan to move to somewhere close to Exeter in Devon still.

The house we have our eye on is a new build Redrow house. Having lived in a new build before it’s interesting to compare the process with our previous experience of buying a CG Fry house in Cornwall on the Duchy of Cornwall estate in Tregunnel Hill. CG Fry built the original Duchy Estate at Poundbury near Dorchester – something we studied in my interior design degree as an example of sustainable housing in the post-modern style by Prince Charles’ architect Leon Cryer. The same post-modern apporach was used by Leon Cryer whom developed a pattern book for the Newquay site. Today they continue to build further “Duchy” houses at the Nansledan estate in Newquay.

Redrow are a large housebuilder and have a very neat system with an online portal where all your plot’s information is stored. It is also where you can reserve, stores the documents and shows the build progress.

This is very convenient to be able to access when you want to check something out!

The Redrow Portal

One advantage of Redrow is the style of their “Heritage” range of houses. I find this very appealing being in the Arts and Crafts style. The exterior of the houses looks very good quality and has a classic feel.

Have you bought a new build? How did you find it? I’d love to hear from you?

Creative Trends Blog

Creative Trends Rachel B
Creative Trends Rachel Bogdaniec, Spinriver Design ltd

 

This month I have been featured on the Creative Trends blog by Terry’s Fabrics, you can also see photos of my latest project at Cornwall’s Five Star Retallack Resort using a palette of soft greens.  Take a look here to read all about it! Thank you for reading.

If you would like to contact me in regards to a refurbishment you are planning or any other design related query such as planning drawings, please call me on 07590 530806 or email info@spinriverdesign.com for a free initial consultation.

Boutique Hotel Design

Luxury Boutique Style Bedroom in Contemporary Country Style
Luxury Boutique Style Bedroom in Contemporary Country Style

The term “Boutique Hotel” was termed in the 1980’s and referred to independent hotels with aspirational design and excellent service.  It was largely a reaction to the chain hotels and the lack of sense of place that was felt these hotels offered, ie you could enter a X hotel somewhere in the world and not really know whereabouts you were until you were without setting foot outside! Of course these days the chain hotels have largely upped their game and style, individuality and sense of place have become a discerning factor for many travellers who hanker after “authenticity” as part of their cultural experience when holiday making.

Designing Your Hotel

So what can you do if you are a small hotel or guest house to increase your desirability and increase those all important bookings. The boutique hotel trend offers those even with the smallest of spaces, small numbers of rooms a chance to excel with a bit of design know how. The first things to consider in my opinion are your existing brand, location and your building.  To create a sense of authenticity your interior should fit with all these aspects. Of course if your brand is something you feel is out of date or incongruent with your location and building then this could be changed along with your refurbishment. For example if you have bought a Cornish coastal hotel and it had a family name in the hotel title which associated with the  old owners, it would no longer be relevant and it would be ideal to change it to something which lets people recognize it as a coastal hotel in Newquay such as “Towan Beach Hotel”. When we hear something as simple as this our mind begins to create a sense of place.  Tap into that and develop it, its your story and your hotel is unique, that is what people will buy into.

 

So let’s say we are trying to create a boutique hotel with a contemporary coastal theme on a budget. A good place to start is by simply changing the window treatments (this is your curtains or blinds).  You can keep walls largely neutral and add accents of colours using cushions and runners on the beds.  You may want to have a feature wall behind the bedhead. Try and avoid putting beds below windows but on the wall which your focus is naturally drawn to when you enter the room. If you have a particularly wonderful window and view it would be nice to be able to place the bed so that you can see this window opposite it for example. Try and work your design around the best points of your room’s architecture. If you have fantastic ceilings then keep other elements simple and perhaps pick out the ceiling in two shades of white for example. A simple way to create a feature wall is to use a paint colour on one wall which picks up on your main fabrics in the room. Blues work particularly well with yellow or orange for a contemporary look.  If you want a more traditional look think of the blue and white florals which are reminiscent of pottery, these can look really fresh and work well with either white painted furniture for a slightly shabby chic effect or dark timber furniture for a very classic traditional look. Keep flooring simple, a plain neutral carpet in a mid tone or timber flooring is good particularly if you have original floorboards that can be sanded back and waxed. Patterned carpets are to be avoided as these are dated. If timber flooring is not in such good condition consider making good and painting it in an off white or neutral colour such as a Farrow and Ball Mouses Back or String. Good quality plain white bedding can be used – I much prefer to see plain bedding that is lifted by a small patterned runner in a more delicate fabric with some cushions in complementary fabrics.  Try to give each room a different scheme and its own accent fabric. Pe0ple love individuality and you can give rooms much more personality in this way.  There should be common elements to the rooms so maybe you pick different fabrics from the same range for example a large floral master room, a small ditsy floral single room, a stripe for the twin or family room.

Artwork and Scale

Pay attention to the scale of your room, if you have very high ceilings and a large room then small pieces of artwork placed either side of a small window will not look right. You would be better to cluster a few smaller pieces to give it more impact and “match” the scale of your large window and room.  Alternatively find larger pieces of art. If you only have two or three similar sized small pieces of similar size then set them in matching frames and group them vertically for example. I’m putting an online course together for hotel owners that perhaps couldn’t justify working with a designer 1:1.

Have Your Say

If you would like to benefit from cost effective online interior design service,  influence the shape of things to come  by answering 5 questions here and leave your email at the end so I can give you a heads up when it goes live!

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/6ZQP8VL

Or if you prefer leave me a question or  comment below and I’ll respond!

All the Best Rachel B x

Luxury Hospitality Interior Designer BA Hons, APMP

Spinriver Design ltd

Relaxing in Your Room

spinriver design
Ambient lighting and natural decorative objects create a relaxing atmosphere.

Whether it is coming home after a full day of hard work or finally relaxing after a day of looking after the

kids, the opportunity to sit down and relax at home is certainly one to look forward to. Creating a relaxing

atmosphere in the living room or bedroom can be accomplished in a variety of ways; through lighting,

through colour and texture, through fabrics and accessories, and by bringing the outdoors inside.

Lighting

Soft lighting options are the first step in creating a calming and relaxing retreat in the living room or

bedroom. Low level lighting using lamps or ambient mood lighting are excellent choices for these rooms,

offering ambient lighting for the entire room without being overwhelming. The addition of a dimmer switch

will make the lighting even more flexible.

Natural sunlight is an important consideration as well, as it lifts a person’s spirits and improves their

overall feeling of well-being. Even when clouds hide the sun, the brightness of natural daylight should be

taken advantage of, so remember to raise blinds and pull back curtains to allow the light in.

Candles instantly evoke an atmosphere of calm, come in many varieties and should be embraced in all

their forms, from tapers to tea lights. White candles are always a reliable choice, but careful selection and

use of scented candles can also create the ideal atmosphere. Aromatherapy candles made with essential

oils will create the best quality and longest-lasting fragrance. Floral scents, such as rose, jasmine and, of

course, lavender, will create an aura of peace and tranquillity in a room within minutes.

Colour and texture

The choice of colour for a room is always up to a person’s individual taste, but paint colours are more

likely to create a calming effect if they are lighter, more soothing hues. Light-toned neutrals and soft

shades of green, blue and grey add quiet colour to a room. White is considered by some designers as the

most soothing choice; touches of warmer colours, such as pale yellow or gold, may be added to keep the

room from looking too monochromatic and warm it up.

Using white or light-toned neutrals as the primary colours in a room requires the addition of texture to

keep it from being too sterile. Textured wall treatments, such as Venetian plaster, or painting techniques

that add dimension will break-up the effect of a flat-white wall.

Fabrics and accessories

Fabrics are another key element when creating a relaxing air in a living room or bedroom. Soft fabrics that

hang and drape easily are ideal for window coverings and slipcovers. Pillows in a range of shapes, sizes

and fabrics offer flexibility as well as comfort; they can be easily changed and moved around, enlivening

the room without losing the air of relaxation.

Plants and other natural touches

Though live flowers and plants will require regular attention and care, the addition of heartier plants such

as ferns can add a welcome touch of the outdoors to the room. Topiaries and vases of fresh flowers

are both lovely ways to add a natural touch to any room. Sculptures in natural materials such as wood,

granite or marble can be the perfect way to complete the look of your relaxing room.

Designing Your Hotel VIP Suite to Maximise ROI

Spa Treatment Room
Relaxing Spa Treatment Room

A private spa bath is a necessity for a VIP or Bridal Suite in a luxury hotel today in order to maximise your return on investment and be able to offer private spa treatments, but what facilities should be provided around this?

Well let’s enter into our suite via a lobby for example, which would have a focal point with an elegant piece of furniture such as a console with a beautiful bowl or objet d’art upon it.  Aside from the reception lounge and dining area and guest w.c. what would a VIP guest expect?

The suite should be located adjacent to a couples treatment room that has two treatment couches, storage for spa equipment and a wash hand basin for the therapists use.  Guests would also need access to two separate showers as if they were for example both to have a body wrap treatment they would need to wash this off to finish the treatment process.

Attention should be paidby the interior designer to the materials used in each of the rooms;  so that it is in keeping with the location, period and context of the hotel, region and country. Authenticity is key to providing as luxurious experience as possible.

Spacious vanity areas for grooming and double wash hand basins should be provided in the area with a w.c. and a separate dressing area should be provided if possible.

There should be a relaxing area for post spa time with furniure such as daybeds or chaise longues to lounge on in bathrobes.  Also in a warmer climate an outdoor relaxation area should be provided with a panoramic view where possible. If there is a private pool area then care needs to be taken to choose elegant water resistant furniture for the poolside with loungers and small tables.

VIP guests expect spa toiletries of good quality to be complimentary to their stay as well as small luxury gifts such as wine, flowers and chocolates.

If there is room a small sauna and steam cabin may also be provided but this is not always possible.

Smart technology can also be incorporated so that the guests stay can be tailored to greet them on the the flat screen tv, they can easily dim lights to suit their moods and open large blinds or curtains without having to get up. It can also be used for the different lighting scenes needed in the VIP couples treatment room.

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Rachel Bogdaniec of Spinriver Design ltd can provide spa design to hotels incorporating these important factors plus many more to make the most of the space available in your hotel and ensure that every square metre is making you the best return on investment. We work closely with local furniture, smart technology (availble to new build and retrofit) and soft furnishing suppliers to ensure that you get the best possible design and a finish to impress.

We’d love to hep you get it right! Ask a question for free on our facebook page http://www.facebook.com/SpinriverDesign or leave a comment here if you prefer!

 

Ultra Chic Hotel Design

Ultra Chic Hotel with Shutters
Ultra Chic Hotel with Shutters (inage courtesy of the California Company via Facebook)

The hospitality market is becoming more and more varied these days, and those who are designing hotels need to be aware of the latest trends as they develop their own ideas.  Inspiration for designs can be taken from almost anywhere, but there are a number of features found in chic hotels which can help generate ideas for those who are designing a new commercial space.

General design details

It is important for a chic hotel to avoid any clutter.  Too many knick knacks and the guests will begin to feel as though the walls are closing in on them.  A feeling of spaciousness, even in a small room, can be achieved by just having one or two pieces on show.  One or two pictures on the wall and perhaps a vase on a side table for holding fresh flowers will be enough.

The colour scheme should also be kept simple.  Neutral walls provide the perfect backdrop for any room.  Additionally colours can then be picked out for the other features of the room, such as soft furnishings.  Wallpaper is once again becoming fashionable, and a modern spin is to create a feature wall instead of wallpapering a whole room.

Light fittings can be used to bring out the sparkle in a room.  A chandelier fitting as the room’s main light source is a good idea.  Chandeliers are available in a variety of styles, so the hotel could feature one in a traditional style or opt for a more modern design.  The correct lighting can also help create a welcoming atmosphere in the hotel through the use of adjustable lighting or lamps.

Features of popular hotels

Interior design inspiration can be taken from other chic hotels.  There are a number of hotels around the world that have opted for unique and stylish features, and studying them for inspiration can help when putting together a design for a new property.  Some hotels have decided to include unique items in their guest rooms, such as pencils which have been made from recycled CD cases and hand-made stationery.

If the budget is unlimited for a chic hotel design, it may be possible to include remote control features around the room and bathroom.  For instance, a hotel in Tokyo has equipped its bathrooms with remote controls so that the technology in the room can be operated while the guest is relaxing in the tub.

A chic hotel should also ensure that the most is made of the views.  In a city, this generally means large windows which not only offer great views, but also let in plenty of natural light.  In other areas, such as hotels on the island of St Lucia, it might mean that a whole wall is absent.  The design allows guests to see out, but others cannot see in thanks to the strategic positioning of the suites.

Careful consideration should be given to the type of guest that the hotel is intended to attract.  Keeping the design simple and neutral will ensure fairly broad appeal, but if the aim is to bring in one particular demographic, then the design will need to take this into consideration.

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Interior Designer Rachel Bogdaniec has previous experience of working with award winning, leading five star hotel brands and understands how to create the luxury look on any budget. Give her a call on 07590 530806 01637 872247 for an informal discussion of your hotel refurbishment needs or email her at rachel@spinriverdesign.com. Alternatively write on our facebook wall and we will respond for free as soon as possible!

 

Splash Out On a New Pool!

Multicoloured Glass Mosaic
Multicoloured Glass Mosaic from Acorn Tiles
Swimming pools are made of four basic components the tank, the circulation system, the filtration system and the chemical treatment system. Commercial swimming pools are generally made of reinforced concrete to BS8007 which requires that the tank is watertight when constructed rather than relying on waterproof finishes after construction.

Finishes and lighting really make a huge difference to the look and feel of a more luxurious spa pool. For example underwater lighting using fibre optics or LEDs are effective. Architectural features such as coffered ceilings, rafts or uplighting textured walls can really dramatically change the mood of a pool surround lifting the appeal to a new level rather than the more utilitarian approach so often used.

There are some beautiful tiles to choose from to finish your pool in style one of my favourites is this eyecatching Basalt and Glass mosaic below from Acorn Tiles at £69.95 per metre exluding VAT and delivery as well as the top image featuring the Multicoloured Metallic Glass Mosaic at £92.65 a square metre.

Barr and Wray are the leading commercial pool consultants in the UK (they’ve done the Paralympic Pool at the Olympics recently) – I had the pleasure of working with them with ESPA and it is worth visiting their site to see some of the wonderful spa pools and custom shower experiences they’ve helped to create.

http://www.barrandwray.com

http://www.acorntiles.com

Basalt and Glass Mosaic Tiles
Basalt and Glass Mosaic Tiles from Acorn Tiles

 

Interior Design, Feng Shui and Quantum Physics?

Windchime with Aboriginal pattern
Feng Shui “cures” include windchimes, crystals and mirrors

Feng Shui has often been associated with quantum physics.  It’s an ancient Chinese Taoist practise which is widely practised in the East today – indeed in countries such as Taiwan and Malaysia it’s common practise to consult a Feng Shui Master before buying or constructing a property for business use. Good Feng Shui practise can create opportunities for growth and reputation as well as beneficial working relationships; inside and outside the organisation.

Literally translated “Feng Shui” means “Wind Water” and is really a science of energy or Qi (Chi).  It can therfore be applied to anything from urban master planning, to architecture and interior design – right down to details of colours and materials for best effect.   Energy flows in lines, this can be waterways, roads or fields of energy created by the edge of structures such as rooves. Lillian Too is a prolific author on this subject and has practised Feng Shui in business – formerly the Chief Executive Officer of a Bank in Hong Kong (the first woman to hold such a position in Asia).

For example colours have associated wavelengths in energy terms – with yellows, oranges and reds having long wavelengths and blues and violets having shorter ones.   These wavelengths have a physiologial as well as psychological effect on our bodies and minds.  Long wavelengths serve to simulate and energise whereas shorter ones calm.

Placement and orientation of furniture and posessions comes into play in Feng Shui – there are different schools of Feng Shui practises Compass School ones, Chinese Four PIllar method and the Pa-Kua Lo Shu formula used in Taiwain. However all the tools and symbols remain the same; the White Tiger, the Green Dragon, Red Phoenix and Black Turtle being the four key celestial animals as Feng Shui is all communicated in an allegorical manner.

Just now I’m having the pleasure of a two storey apartment block being erected a few metres from my garden and the corner of the building is pointing at the middle of our house. This creates a negative energy field known as a “poison arrow” in Feng Shui.  There are various rememdies for this which I’m reading about since I’m no expert in this field – it’s a huge subject!  It’s possible to mitigate the effects of poison arrows in various ways – wind chimes, crystals and mirrors are all used in Feng Shui but you need to look into the type of building you have which way it “faces” – a buildings back door is the direction it faces.  The direction of the front door is then the “sitting direction”. Once you have this you can then work out various zones of the building and each room and remedy it accordingly. I’ve used a downloadable Feng Shui compass on my smartphone to get this initial information called FengShuiCompass which is free.

I’m now installing windchimes and luckily we have built our garden shed in line with the arrow and have bought a palm tree which will screen it a bit too.

My back garden with building site directly behind!
My back garden with building site directly behind!

Are you inspired by astrology, Feng Shui or looking at space in terms of its spiritual dimension in our lives?  I’d love to hear your thoughts on this – come on over to my facebook page and write on my wall here http://www.facebook.com/SpinriverDesign

http://www.lillian-too.com/

http://www.tabithamiller.com/learning/

A great article via the Kartar Diamond newsletter I subscribe to which can be found at FengShuiSolutions.net

http://ezinearticles.com/?How-to-Choose-the-Best-Color-for-a-Room&id=7095484 

Recommended Reading:

The Complete Illustrated Guide to Feng Shui – Lillian Too