A UK first and Global Win for Care Home Design

Elizabeth Gardens Care Home has been named Global Winner for Healthcare & Wellness Design at the 2026 SBID International Design Awards the first UK residential care home in SBID’s published winners’ records to win the global award.

The project brings together contemporary interiors, thoughtful planning and the familiar comforts of home. From intimate lounges to spaces for family celebrations, every room was designed around the people who would live there and the experiences that make everyday life enjoyable. For our team, this award is a wonderful recognition of that approach and our collaboration with Porthaven.

The brief for Elizabeth Gardens was ambitious: to challenge conventional perceptions of care home design and create a distinctive, aspirational environment that feels genuinely residential. Our response began with a simple consideration: people enjoy different surroundings, and those preferences should continue to matter when they move into a care home.

Some people love a lively gathering. Others prefer music, quiet conversation or a peaceful corner with a view. Elizabeth Gardens offers a variety of spaces where residents can spend time in ways that suit them, including smaller lounges, a garden room, café-style spaces, activity rooms, a cinema, salon and private dining suite. Each has its own atmosphere, giving residents opportunities to explore, socialise and find a favourite place.

One of the project’s most distinctive features is The Nook, an intimate retreat within a larger lounge. Inspired by the comfort of a boutique cocktail lounge, it features bespoke seating that wraps around the perimeter, coordinated wallpaper, feature mirrors and ceiling detailing. Fringed wall lamps and layered lighting create a welcoming, cocooning atmosphere. It is a space that feels special while remaining comfortable and reassuring somewhere to settle into a conversation or simply enjoy a quieter moment.

The smaller lounges reflect the same attention to individual preferences. Different colour palettes, furniture arrangements and entertainment options give each room its own identity. Some intentionally feature stereos instead of televisions, offering an alternative for residents who enjoy music or calmer surroundings.

In the Garden Room, traditional furniture details sit alongside fresh, contemporary styling. Patterned fabrics, fringing and barley twist tables introduce familiar references, while views across landscaped greenery connect the room with the outdoors and the changing seasons.

Throughout the home, warm colours, tactile materials and domestic furniture styling help make the interiors welcoming. The design draws inspiration from hospitality settings while retaining the familiarity and emotional comfort of a home.

The private dining suite provides a setting for birthdays, family meals and other celebrations. Elegant furniture, bronze accents, architectural detailing and carefully considered lighting give the room a sense of occasion. Sideboards and console tables introduce domestic touches that keep it feeling personal and inviting. These spaces recognise that moving into a care home should include opportunities to continue enjoying the occasions and relationships that matter.

Sustainability also informed the development, with UK manufacturers prioritised wherever possible and furniture and fittings selected from FSC-certified sources. The wider project incorporated LED lighting, automatic lighting controls in bathrooms and store rooms, photovoltaic panels and electric vehicle charging provision, alongside recycling initiatives to support everyday operations.

Winning the SBID Healthcare and Wellness Design UK Award is a proud moment for everyone involved in Elizabeth Gardens. Thank you to Porthaven Care Homes for the opportunity to help realise this vision, and to our team, manufacturing partners and suppliers for the skill and care they brought to the project.

Above all, Elizabeth Gardens demonstrates what thoughtful care home interiors can offer: welcoming places where people have choice, feel a sense of belonging and can continue enjoying everyday life.