Spellman Brady & Company, an award-winning interior design firm, has completed the interior design for the addition to Our Mother of Perpetual Help Memory Care on the Cardinal Ritter Senior Service’s Shrewsberry, Missouri campus. Spellman Brady & Company (SBC) was responsible for selecting the project’s interior finishes, as well as the selection and procurement of the furnishings and artwork.
The single-story memory care addition has 2 memory care households consisting of 13 private units each. The project’s main objective was to create beautiful, upscale spaces with residents’ unique abilities in mind, focusing on enhancing independence to make life simpler, safer, and more comfortable for residents. A small-home concept guided the overall design to create a residential home-like, non-institutional, setting for residents. Each of the 2 homes were designed to be equal but different, focusing on a more modern style by using unique decorative lighting, artwork, accessories, kitchen cabinet colors, and furniture. Local subject matter for artwork was key to connecting with the residents. The mixed media artwork package brings a wealth of vibrancy and nostalgia to each space.
SBC worked with the Director of Assisted Living Facilities, Food Service Manager and Director of Property Management and Technology in the design planning meetings so that they could input the acuity level of their residents; the intended use of the kitchen spaces and common areas; and to help guide material selections and design choices.
Wayfinding, safety, and style were all priorities. To help residents locate their unit, bright bold door colors were used in the neutral hallways for wayfinding, along with custom painted backs of memory boxes to match door colors. Accent paint colors were used in the resident apartment bathrooms to make fixtures easy to see. The specified LVT, carpet, and tile are the same height, eliminating the need for flooring transition strips which can often be tripping hazards or difficult to navigate with walkers and wheelchairs. All spaces encourage socialization, bolster wellness, and support a cheerful lifestyle.
The common areas for each household are in an open floor plan to allow for the staff members to see residents easily when in the kitchen or multipurpose areas. There are dining options for residents that prefer family style, or for those that need 1 on 1 assistance. Ample space was left on the furniture plan to allow for residents to have the freedom to walk in the common areas or hallways, drawing them to the safely monitored courtyard with large windows.
The Lounges are a quiet space for those that need a calmer room. They include rummage baskets with different fidget items that residents are welcome to remove from built-in shelves. The dishes on display in the kitchens are plastic to minimize breakage. Additional storage is built-in throughout different areas with hidden magnetic locking for cabinets containing items that are not resident friendly.
Spellman Brady collaborated with Vessel Architecture, who developed the building addition, and BSI Constructors, the general contractor for the project.
Cardinal Ritter Senior Services (CRSS), founded in 1961, creates communities that promote the dignity of human life and reflect the spirit of Jesus Christ. Nearly 7,000 of the ministry’s seniors – with 72% of the 2,500 directly served lacking adequate resources – benefit from housing options including independent or assisted living, memory care, affordable apartments, and skilled nursing communities. In addition to its main Shrewsbury campus located at 7601 Watson Rd., the nonprofit has a robust social services department.
Spellman Brady & Company is an award-winning St. Louis-based interior design firm specializing in senior living, healthcare, higher education, and multi-family environments. The firm maintains design excellence by delivering comprehensive, space planning, interior design, furniture, artwork master planning and procurement services. As a Certified WBE Business, Spellman Brady & Company has completed more than 6,300 projects in forty-three states and abroad since its founding 28 years ago.