Commercial space thinking helps bring luxury Manor barns to life

Posted in News, Projects on 18 March, 2020

Commercial space transformation specialist Sigma has helped a leading hotel brand transform into an idyllic haven thanks to the sensitive refurbishment of two large barns into hotel suites.

Situated in a small town in West Yorkshire, Rogerthorpe Manor was built over 400 years ago with links back to the English Civil War. Today, it is a luxury retreat; an award-winning hotel, conference and wedding venue owned by Best Western that attracts guests from all over the world.

Over the years, this historic venue has undergone many transformations to turn it into the opulent hotel it now operates as.  None, however, more significant than a recent decision to refurbish two of the Manor’s barns into a new range of high-specification suites to suit even the most discerning of tastes.

Understanding the need for a bespoke look and feel for the newly-renovated barns, Best Western took the unusual but clever decision to work with Sigma, a company more usually associated with commercial space transformation but who were more than up for the challenge.

Sigma worked with the Rogerthorpe Manor team to deliver an end to end solution for the renovation, based on architectural designs supplied to them. These designs took into account the aesthetics and ambiance that the Manor hoped to achieve, creating five individually tailored suites that each offer the height of luxury.

Using its extensive knowledge of how to make the best use of available space from its retail sector experience, the Sigma team applied its understanding of how a guest would utilise each of the individual spaces to interpret the designs and add value by recommending enhancements and developments to further build a sense of luxury. The final designs went on to showcase a high level of specification and build quality with modern yet timeless furnishings, quality fittings and individual colour schemes to add to the personality of each suite. This included bathrooms with built-in televisions, space for a king-size bed in every room and even a dance-floor in one of the suites.

At the same time, the Sigma team undertook a sympathetic but comprehensive strip-out of the existing fixtures and fittings, ensuring the integrity and historic value of the barns wasn’t lost. A key benefit for Rogerthorpe Manor was the Sigma approach to sustainability, with the team minimising the impact on the environment by minimising the need for waste disposal and working with local suppliers.

The end result, whilst nothing like a retail environment, does pay homage to Sigma’s experience of this field in that you can’t help but feel like you’re in a high-end, boutique environment thanks to the choice of layout, fixtures and lighting. Add into the mix luxurious fabrics and textures, sumptuous beds to sink in to and carefully-maintained gardens in view of every window, and it feels like every aspect of the way a guest will enjoy each of these hotel suites has been considered.

Rogerthorpe Manor is already a stunning estate with many reasons you’d want to visit; the awards collection on view as you walk in is testament to this. The tasteful and thoughtful refurbishment of these two barns and the resulting collection of luxury suites are yet another reason that business and leisure travellers alike will select, and return to, this venue time after time. While it’s unlikely any of these guests could put their finger on it, the expert of eye of a commercial space transformation business is surely the secret key to success that will put many more awards into this hotel’s collection over the coming years.