Dulux Decorator Centre has played a central role in transforming a disused caretaker’s lodge into a vibrant Special Educational Needs (SEN) teaching hub at Craneswater School in Portsmouth. The team supported the transformation by providing expert colour and specification guidance, to create a space that nurtures sensory learning.
Originally built in 1910, the lodge had gradually fallen into disrepair. With support from Portsmouth City Council and Dulux Decorator Centre, the historic building has now been transformed into a vibrant SEN facility. Featuring sensory rooms, staff areas, a kitchen, toilets, and a dedicated activity space, it now provides an inclusive and inspiring environment for children with special educational needs.
Informing the paint specification
The Dulux Decorator Centre team was first approached by Portsmouth City Council to review the site and advise on suitable paints for the building. After a full site assessment, Dulux Decorator Centre’s Specification Development Manager, Nicki Rutter, and Technical Support Manager, Craig Wilson, provided a tailored technical specification to align with both the building’s condition and its new function as a teaching hub.
The team recommended a wide range of Dulux Trade products, including Dulux Trade Weathershield Exterior High Gloss, Dulux Trade Metalshield Gloss, Dulux Trade Plus SmartShield+ and Dulux Trade High Performance Floor Paint for the building’s exterior.
To bring colour and durability to interior surfaces, Dulux Trade Diamond Matt was used in high traffic areas like staircases to protect walls from regular knocks and scuffs. To keep the classroom walls and wet areas looking fresher for longer, Dulux Trade Diamond Eggshell was recommended for its scrub, scuff and stain resistance. In addition, Dulux Trade Quick Dry Gloss was applied to timber surfaces including windows, spindles and skirting to offer a tough and durable finish.
The Dulux Decorator Centre team also provided ongoing site support to ensure the work carried out by subcontractors remained in line with the original specification.
Colour and sensory design expertise
During initial planning sessions with the school and council, Dulux Decorator Centre was also asked to provide colour guidance. The brief was to support the sensory focus of the new learning space.
Martha Dunican, Commercial Colour Services Operations Manager for Dulux Decorator Centre at AkzoNobel, developed a bespoke design scheme that considered the different uses of each space. Understanding that colour plays a vital role in the wellbeing and engagement of children with additional needs was vital, and the scheme was a carefully considered and grounded in sensory-friendly principles.
In special education environments, calming palettes that incorporate soft, organic hues are preferred. Colours like dusty blues and greens reduce stress and foster concentration, while muted pinks and warm neutrals create a nurturing, energetic atmosphere without overstimulation. This approach was used throughout the lodge to foster comfort, focus, and emotional wellbeing.
In more immersive sensory spaces, deeper tones were used to absorb excess light and provide contrast with dynamic sensory lighting, creating a cocoon-like effect that engages the senses without overwhelming.
To support inclusivity for students with visual impairments, lighter skirting and door architraves were used in contrast with darker wall colours to aid spatial awareness and movement around the rooms. For example, skirting and architraves in communal areas like corridors, the kitchen and lobby were painted in a soft grey to maintain a strong visual contrast and support accessibility for students with impaired vision.
Meanwhile, teacher and staff areas also benefited from intentional colour zoning. Breakout areas were finished in calming blues and greens to promote relaxation, while administrative offices used warm neutrals for a grounded, comfortable atmosphere. Meeting rooms featured vibrant tones like dusty pinks and deeper teals to spark creativity and collaboration.
All remaining walls throughout the building were painted in Piano White to maintain clarity and consistency, with service doors colour-matched to adjacent walls to subtly discourage student interaction.
Bringing students into the project
To ensure that students felt part of the redesign, the Dulux Decorator Centre team helped to arrange a hands-on painting session where children decorated hoarding boards that would be installed around the playground. Students designed their own stencils and, under the guidance of the Dulux Decorator Centre team, mixed paints to create their own unique colours.
Cuprinol paints were provided free of charge, along with all application tools. The result was a bold, joy-filled installation that reflects the creativity and personality of the children at Craneswater School.
Henry Salmon, Building Surveyor at Portsmouth City Council, said: “The team at Dulux Decorator Centre provided invaluable support throughout the design and construction phases of the project, for all of our decoration requirements.
“The advice on specific colour schemes for SEN spaces was extremely beneficial and has helped to create a new dedicated teaching space at the school for children with special educational needs.”
The transformed lodge now stands as a testament to what can be achieved through collaboration, thoughtful design and a commitment to community impact.
To find out more about Dulux Decorator Centre and the specification support available, visit: www.duluxdecoratorcentre.co.uk/paint-specification
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