Melin Homes chooses Dulux Trade paints for sheltered housing refurb

Registered social landlord, Melin Homes was looking to refurbish the Victoria Court housing scheme.

As well as improving the overall appearance of the properties, Melin Homes also had to consider how to minimise disruption for residents and how to meet legislative demands.

In line with the 2010 Equality Act, which seeks to promote equal opportunities, building owners are required to make communal areas accessible to everyone.

Victoria Court is home to elderly residents, who have various health problems such as breathing or sight difficulties.

As such, Melin Homes explored a range of measures which would aid navigation for its partially sighted residents.

This included the use of a contrasting decorative scheme.

Intelligent colour contrast can significantly improve wayfinding by helping to give structure to a space.

This is particularly the case with those with visual impairment, who can differentiate most effectively between light and dark shades.

Following a consultation with Dulux Trade experts, Melin Homes opted for DH Linen, a warm cream shade for walls within the communal areas.

A range of contrasting grey shades were chosen for key features, such as doors and skirting boards, to help visually impaired residents distinguish the space more easily.

Dulux Trade Diamond Quick Drying Eggshell was chosen for the wall areas, a water-based solution which is ten times more stain resistant than standard water-based eggshell emulsion.

Alongside its durability, Dulux Trade Diamond Quick Drying Eggshell is recoatable in four to six hours.

The paint’s low odour properties ensured it was not disruptive for those with breathing difficulties.

Dulux Trade Ecosure Gloss and Undercoat was applied to all of the trim woodwork, including doorframes and skirting boards.

Dulux Trade Ecosure Gloss and Undercoat is durable, quick drying and offers good opacity and adhesion.

With 30% less embodied carbon when used as a system and 78% less VOC content, the environmentally friendly product has all the advantages of water-based systems while still achieving a professional finish.