Major refurbishment of Burnley Crematorium by BWD interior designers

Commercial interior designers BWD carried out the work on behalf of Burnley Borough Council.

Services continued during the project of extensive refurbishment works to the entrance, waiting area and chapel, meaning that the BWD team worked with their carefully selected suppliers out of hours.

Following a successful tender to update the interior of the crematorium chapel, entrance, and waiting area, BWD started the ‘turnkey’ project based on their designs – using local suppliers – to make the building functional, modern, comfortable, and calming.

Bev Wood, founder of BWD Ltd, said: “We highlighted existing features, such as the beautiful stained-glass windows, reflecting the plum colour within them in the soft furnishings and paint colour, bringing these assets to life.

“BWD felt the waiting area needed a focal point, so we created a new, key feature with a stretch ceiling. We printed material with a calming sky, seen through treetops, then backlit this with lighting on dimmers, to control the amount of light required.

“The ceiling image reflects the parkland surrounding the crematorium, in addition to creating a calming space in which attendees can gather their thoughts prior to the service.”

Aesthetics and practicality were important to BWD and they wanted to ensure that the space was useable and accessible for all.

The lectern was altered to allow space for a wheelchair, along with the ability to adapt the height of the lectern to suit various speaker’s, in addition to a bespoke reception desk to ensure a better experience for disabled visitors.

Stephen Roberts, bereavement manager at Burnley Council, said: “We’ve created a calm and welcoming atmosphere for people during what can often be a very emotional time.

“We’ve already had some really positive feedback from members of the public and funeral directors about the extensive improvements we’ve made.”

The project resulted in a modern but sympathetic environment, which now includes new drapes, carpets, floral arrangements, floral arrangement stands, new pew cushions, and free-standing chairs.

The reserved styling of the building is designed to last, recycling items where possible and investing in items that will stand up to frequent use, as it was a long-term investment by Burnley Council in the building’s future.