Bellway enlists local suppliers to design showhomes celebrating Llanwern’s steelmaking heritage

Local suppliers have played a key role in designing and dressing the new showhomes at a Bellway Wales development in Llanwern which pay tribute to the area’s industrial heritage.

In a sign of its commitment to sustainable practices and supporting the local economy, the housebuilder commissioned businesses with links to the area to dress its three-bedroom Chandler and four-bedroom Goldsmith showhomes at Alder Grove.

Among the features included in the design is the use of steel panels and walls in the garden to celebrate the site’s previous use as a steelworks.

Design experts Sunrise Interiors, which is based in Wales, was asked to furnish and style the interiors of both properties.

“The brief from Bellway Wales was to use 1950s Miami glamour to create a feel for the interior of the Chandler,” said Jo Staniforth, from the company. “We sourced some fabulous wallpaper which features great retro-style Miami design with layers of terraced colonnades and lush tropical vegetation. The wallpaper features pastel blue, pink, lemon, mint and black and we adopted that as our palette for the house.”

In contrast, the brief for the four-bedroom Goldsmith was to recreate the stye and feel of a boutique hotel.

Jo said: “We got the joiners to build in panelling on two walls of the living room and painted it in charcoal black. That was a dramatic statement and we took our lead from that to create a sumptuous living room with glamorous crystal wall lights and an olive green sofa.

“The entire house is smart and sophisticated with the black staircase being a really striking and unusual touch.”

The bespoke, handmade bedding in the main bedroom and second bedrooms in both showhomes was supplied by Newport firm Zleepy Suite.

Ed Thanwa, owner of the business, said: “I went for a white duvet cover and pillowcases with baby pink piping to chime with the retro Miami vibe in the Chandler. Across in the Goldsmith, I selected white duvet covers with black piping to tap into the smart, crisp feel of the place.

“It was great to be asked to contribute to the look of these fabulous showhomes which are just down the road from me in Newport. It is a real vote of confidence in a small local business like mine to be invited to dress two properties which are going to be seen by lots of potential buyers and therefore give my company some valuable exposure.”

Athena Work Surfaces, based in Worcester, provided the Mirage Porcelain kitchen worktop which is dark charcoal with cream and gold veins. Company managing director Adam Miles said: “Porcelain is a more sustainable option than quartz. In addition, it is not only beautiful, it is also heat and scratch-resistant and brings a real touch of luxury to a home.”

Garden designer Samantha Brown took inspiration from the fact that Alder Grove is being built on the former Llanwern Steelworks.

Samantha, whose business The Galium Garden is based in Crickhowell, said: “I knew from the start that I wanted to somehow give a nod to its history by utilising steel in the hard landscaping.”

This was done through the use of Corten steel panels on the walls, Corten edging and a low Corten steel wall in the garden of the Goldsmith, alongside a contemporary dark polished concrete table with benches and an ‘L’ shaped sofa.

Meanwhile the Chandler features a white powder-coated steel pergola with a planting palette of pinks and whites to reflect the 1950s Miami theme inside the property.

Rhodri Davies, Sales Manager at Bellway Wales, said: “Sustainability is at the heart of our business, so we strive to use as many local suppliers as we can to help reduce the carbon footprint of every development we deliver.

“Also, the more business we give to companies in the area, the more that money is recycled within the local economy. These two showhomes look magnificent and it just shows what can be achieved by tapping into the talents and expertise of local suppliers.”

Bellway is building 212 new homes at Alder Grove. This is the company’s third housing development at Glan Llyn, a major regeneration scheme which is transforming 600 acres of land on the former Llanwern Steelworks site to the east of Newport.

There is currently a choice of two, three and four-bedroom homes available to reserve at Alder Grove, with prices starting at £234,995.

For more information on Alder Grove, call the sales team on 01633 494016 or visit https://www.bellway.co.uk/new-homes/wales/alder-grove.