Ronald McDonald House, The Wylie House
Kansas City, MO
Category: 2016 Hospitality/Public Space
Silver Winner Hospitality – Public Space
Architect: HMN Architects
Designer: Jennifer Bertrand
Starnet Member:
Interior Surface Enterprises LLC
Starnet Preferred Vendors:
Amtico, Johnsonite By Tarkett, Mannington Commercial Carpet, Mannington Commercial Resilient, MAPEI, Tarkett Soft Surface
Project Strategy
Can the interior design of a commercial space feel like a hug to the soul? That is exactly what the newest Ronald McDonald Design Team faced when planning The Wylie House, in Kansas City. The goal of the design was to make families feel welcome immediately upon entering the home. To be able to provide 20 additional families with a place to call home was a great feeling for this talented and dedicated project team. Weathered wood flooring, soft lighting, and a neutral color palette accentuated with pops of color throughout the area, bring in excitement and fun.
Balancing residential and commercial design was critical to maintaining the warmth of a home, while providing the durability needed for a high-traffic commercial space. To make the home feel less commercial, carpet runners were selected to highlight the ornamental staircase. LVT, porcelain, and laminate were selected for the main areas to provide durability and ease of maintenance. Speckled rubber tile, in the color of seaglass, was used to balance aesthetics with function in the play area.
The majority of the children that come to the Wylie House are siblings to those in the hospital. With no outdoor space to play, the designers wanted to bring the essence of outdoors inside. This was accomplished by using a green needle-punch carpet tile to simulate grass. To remain environmentally friendly, a fun rainbow-inspired carpet constructed of 100% post-production 6,6 nylon was used along with reclaimed wood and barn doors salvaged from the original building. The finishing touches include an interactive play installation bringing a fun and adventurous Willy Wonka feel to the play area, while providing families with a warm and inviting refuge from their medical adventure.
