Something in her Aura
Vancouver-based Ledingham Design Consultants is energized after bringing home the gold in the Hospitality category from the Seattle Design Centre’s 2009 Northwest Design Awards. Ledingham breathed new life into the out-of-date cafe at the Inn at Laurel Point in Victoria, creating a vibrant new space – called Aura – that is drawing in new business.
“The Inn at Laurel Point is an inspiring place to begin with,” says Ledingham Design’s Denise Ashmore. “The backdrop of Victoria’s Inner Harbour inspired a rich palette with dynamic elements that bring this space back to life.”
Ledingham’s design at Aura is drawing a crowd. The restaurant has shown a 55 per cent increase in revenue over the former café in the same space in its first five months of operation in 2009. Inn at Laurel Point’s Director of Sales and Marketing, Avril Matthews attributes that to Ledingham’s keen eye for designing a dynamic space with staying power: “Ledingham’s work at Aura is a visual delight, sophisticated without being pretentious, allowing us to draw in a demographic we have not previously reached. We receive comments daily on how refreshing it is to see uptown design in Victoria.”
Says Ashmore, “I am so proud to not only be recognized publicly for my work but also knowing that my design played a key role in driving new business.”