As the reality of an ageing population starts to take effect here in the UK, designers are increasingly being asked to consider how their choices can be of assistance, not least in care homes. Grant Westfield Director John Mortimer discusses how Multipanel wall panels are being increasingly specified in care environments where speed of installation, hygiene and reduced disruption are critical. Drawing on the refurbishment of 46 en-suite wet rooms at Spring Grove Care Home in Hampstead, North London, he explains how the system is helping streamline bathroom upgrades in live care settings where continuity of care and resident wellbeing are paramount, while also offering the effect of natural materials through high-quality printing.

“Bathroom refurbishment in care homes is never simple in live environments. The challenge is not only to upgrade facilities, but to do so while protecting residents’ routines, maintaining hygiene standards and avoiding prolonged disruption to day-to-day care.

That was the situation at Spring Grove Care Home in Hampstead, where 46 en-suite wet rooms needed refurbishing in a setting where many residents are living with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. In this type of environment, consistency, familiarity and routine are particularly important, making lengthy bathroom closures and intrusive works difficult to manage.

Springdene needed a wall surface solution that would deliver on hygiene, durability, ease of maintenance and installation speed, while also creating bathrooms that looked modern and welcoming rather than clinical. Traditional tiling was ruled out early in the process because of the time, specialist trades and maintenance associated with tile and grout installations.

Instead, the group turned to our product, Multipanel, a grout-free, fully waterproof alternative to tiles, helping the project team complete each wet room in just 1.5 days from start to finish. For a live care home environment, that speed was central to the success of the refurbishment.

For care home operators, the benefits of faster installation extend beyond programme efficiency. Shorter refurbishment times mean rooms can return to use more quickly, residents experience less upheaval, and care teams have fewer operational pressures to manage during the works. At Spring Grove, the use of wall panels enabled bathrooms to be upgraded floor by floor in weeks rather than months, helping reduce disruption for both residents and staff.

One of the key advantages of wall panels in care home bathrooms is the elimination of grout. In wet rooms, grout lines can require regular cleaning and maintenance, and over time may become vulnerable to mould, grime or moisture-related issues. Multipanel’s smooth, grout-free surfaces are designed to be simple to clean and resistant to mould and moisture ingress, helping reduce the burden on maintenance and housekeeping teams.

This low-maintenance performance is especially important in care homes, where bathrooms must remain safe, hygienic and easy to manage over the long term. By reducing the need for ongoing repairs, deep cleaning and grout maintenance, wall panels can help staff spend less time managing the building fabric and more time focused on resident care.

The Spring Grove project also shows that practical performance does not have to come at the expense of design. Springdene wanted to move away from the institutional look often associated with healthcare bathrooms and create spaces that felt calm, contemporary and comfortable. The panels helped achieve a brighter, more hotel-style finish while retaining the hygiene and durability required in a care setting, supporting a shift away from purely clinical aesthetics.

Accessibility was another important consideration. The refurbished wet rooms needed to support residents with a range of mobility and cognitive needs. At Spring Grove, Multipanel wall panels were combined with slip-resistant vinyl wet room flooring to create level-access, easy-to-navigate bathrooms. The design meets Lifetime Homes and accessibility standards, supporting long-term safety and usability for residents who may require additional assistance.

For specifiers, developers and care home operators, Spring Grove demonstrates how wall panels can support both practical and design-led refurbishment goals. Multipanel wall panels are described as being up to five times quicker to install than traditional tiles, while also offering a 30-year warranty, FSC certification and EPD credentials. This makes them relevant not only for care homes, but also for retirement living, supported housing and other independent living environments where speed, compliance, maintenance and sustainability all matter.

As pressure continues across the care sector, refurbishment solutions that minimise disruption while improving quality of life are increasingly valuable. Bathrooms must be safe and accessible, but they also need to feel comfortable, dignified and easy to use. The Spring Grove project is proof that you don’t have to compromise on aesthetics or performance to gain speed. Our approach allows specifiers to deliver contemporary, durable bathrooms that work for everyone — residents, staff and operators alike.”