Spotlight on…the interior design team at Savista

The design team at Savista

Get to know Laura Baigent, Aimee Casbolt and Chloe Morgan in our design team at Savista.

Why did you choose to join Savista and how long have you worked here?

AC: I have worked at Savista for nearly 18 months, I joined from the NHS where I had worked since I left university. I chose Savista because since my first interview, I felt like there was a real team atmosphere that I could get stuck into. Savista also give us room to grow and experiment across different areas, with every project demanding new and exciting things. Every day and every project are different!

CM: I have worked for Savista for eight months now. I was drawn to Savista as their vision is one I felt especially inspired by and resonated with me. Having the opportunity to create exceptional and enabling environments for people who truly deserve it the most, the residents, through innovative, homely design is something I feel really lucky to be able to do.

LB: I chose to join Savista because designing for the care sector is very rewarding. Savista are open to new ideas and the opportunity to be involved as much as we are in the design and build is a unique job opportunity. I have been with Savista nine months now and I look forward to the challenges and opportunities that each day brings.

What is a typical day like for you?

LB: It usually involves project meetings to make sure we are all on track to delivering our projects, producing technical drawings for construction, designing bespoke joinery and sourcing the latest finishes and materials.

AC: My role changes on a daily basis, sometimes I am on site, and other times I am in the office, depending on where we are with a project. I also get to meet with suppliers on site to discuss the upcoming projects, giving me a chance to walk round with them and identify areas where ours and their ideas could be brought to life. A large part of my daily role is managing the relationships with our suppliers and building our design schedules for the upcoming projects.

CM: My day is fairly variable, depending on the stage of the current project I am working on. At the start of a project I would spend time on the initial concept boards, finding out about the area local to the project, its history and background to influence the design. I would then move onto drawing up plans of furniture layouts, lighting, wall and floor finishes and any bespoke joinery, we may wish to design in. After drawing up the bespoke joinery itself, I would start scheduling any joinery, doors, sanitary ware etc and after this, I would begin choosing the finishes, picking accessories, artwork, signage and scheduling everything, ready for the fit out! Once all the preparation has been completed, I am on site with the team (fitting out for a few weeks, placing all furniture and accessories), throughout this process doing site visits to check in where the project is up to and catch up with the project team at the end. My day to day changes regularly however I love getting out and going to see the progression at site, it is exciting having different things to work on week to week and watching the design progress.

What do you love about your job?

CM: I love how my job can have such a positive impact on our resident’s lives, it is so lovely seeing the reactions of residents and visitors after the project has been completed, it makes all the hard work worth-while. I also have a fantastic close team of people, who I work with which makes the job that much more enjoyable!

LB: I am passionate about designing something that is both practical and aesthetically beautiful that can be enjoyed by our residents and bring to life to the original drawings and board concepts.

AC: I am so lucky to work with such a fantastic design team who truly support each other and allow everyone to get involved and enjoy being an integral part of the team and being able to make a difference.

What has been your proudest moment at Savista so far?

AC: The completion of Hutton View care home, during the national pandemic, is something I will never forget. From fit out to the grand launch, everything was done according to social distancing guidelines, and it was a real team effort to pull it all together.

LB: Seeing Hutton open and how much the Hallmark team love it. I am so proud of our team.

CM: It has to be winning the Innovation Challenge competition. It was something we worked really hard on as a team and put a lot of care and thought into. I feel very proud that we went on to win it.

Tell us something we won’t know about you?

LB: I love playing Scrabble and drinking red wine! It is the perfect lockdown relaxation.

CM: Prior to working for Savista, I lived in Australia for nearly three years and have been lucky enough to travel around Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, America and Canada. I love to travel and explore new places.

AC: I love the countryside and walking, it’s also my dream to have a Dachshund called Pablo.