Sitting room with green patterned wallpaper, blue velvet armchairs, a patterned sofa, a mirrored octagonal coffee table and lit white alcove shelving
Sitting room with green patterned wallpaper, blue velvet armchairs, a patterned sofa, a mirrored octagonal coffee table and lit white alcove shelving

Wimborne, Dorset

Douch & Small: Commercial Interior Design in Wimborne, Dorset

Refurbishing the head office of Douch & Small, in a Grade II listed building in Wimborne, with calm, welcoming spaces for clients at a difficult time.

Refurbishing a Grade II listed head office for clients and staff

I was commissioned to complete the refurbishment of the Douch & Small head office in Wimborne, having previously worked with them on their Corfe Mullen site. The project covered the reception, client meeting room, Chapel of Rest, hallway and staff kitchen, all within a Grade II listed building. The rooms had to be dignified and welcoming for clients, hard-wearing for daily use and sympathetic to the building’s heritage.

To bring out the architecture, I installed decorative coving, ceiling roses and deep skirting boards. In the Chapel of Rest I used bespoke wall panelling and William Morris wallpaper to create a peaceful, elegant setting, with contract-grade carpet to soften the space.

Durable Polyflor LVT flooring runs through the ground floor, so it copes with constant footfall. All furnishings, including the reception desk and office chair, meet fire safety and contract-grade standards. I chose antique brass hardware and lighting for a timeless finish, and arranged professional reframing of the company’s historical artwork to celebrate its heritage.

The head office now feels calm, warm and well kept from the moment a client walks in, and the building’s period features are shown at their best. I still design and install the seasonal window displays, which give passers-by in Wimborne something to stop and look at.

Interior design for client-facing businesses: what this project shows

Reception, waiting and meeting rooms set the tone for everything that follows. Douch & Small shows how I work in a listed building: restoring period detail, choosing materials that are durable and safe for commercial use, and creating an atmosphere that puts people at ease. It’s the same approach I take with country pubs, boutique hotels and holiday lets, where the first few minutes of a visit shape how guests feel about the whole stay. The seasonal window displays also show how I keep a business looking fresh and inviting for passers-by through the year.

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A hand picked selection of projects managed by Sonia Aucott, Interior Designer