A New Standard for Community-Focused Aged Care Spaces — Sundale Palmwoods Hilltop Events Centre
This project formed part of the purpose-built Hilltop Events Centre and Care Centre wings at Sundale Group Palmwoods site, delivered alongside the organisation’s rebrand and renewed focus on contemporary, community-led aged care.
From the outset, this wasn’t just about furnishing a building. It was about shaping a place where people genuinely want to spend their time, whether that’s for a major event, a quiet activity session, or a simple afternoon with others.
Sundale Palmwoods Hilltop Events Centre
This project formed part of the purpose-built Hilltop Events Centre and Care Centre wings at Sundale Group Palmwoods site, delivered alongside the organisation’s rebrand and renewed focus on contemporary, community-led aged care.
From the outset, this wasn’t just about furnishing a building. It was about shaping a place where people genuinely want to spend their time, whether that’s for a major event, a quiet activity session, or a simple afternoon with others.
Project at a Glance
Project Consultant: Jason Mark
Client: Sundale, Palmwoods, Queensland, Australia
Completed: 2026
Sector: Residential Aged Care Facility
Source: Manufactured in Australia by FHG
Furniture: 323 Pieces Supplied
Scope: Dining, Event Hall, Lounge & Outdoor Spaces
The Moodboard
This aesthetic harmonizes tactile natural textures with stylized, vintage-inspired botanical arrangements. It favors a restrained, earthy color palette of sage, cream, and wood tones to create a calming and sophisticated atmosphere. The visual identity bridges the gap between realistic material focus and flat, graphic design, emphasizing clean lines and subtle, decorative patterns.
What the Client Really Wanted
Beyond the brief, the intent was clear: create a space that feels calm, considered and connected to its surroundings.
Everything came back to a few non-negotiables:
- Comfort that supports long, everyday use
- Durability that stands up to constant movement and activity
- Aesthetic cohesion with the new Sundale brand direction
- A palette inspired by eucalyptus tones and the local landscape
- Confidence that every piece would simply work, day after day
To help bring clarity to the decision-making, we developed three tailored mood board directions and trialled a range of indoor and outdoor seating options. This wasn’t about choosing furniture in isolation, it was about making sure everything felt right together in the space.
323 Pieces, One Cohesive Experience
Across the Hilltop Events Centre and Care Centre wings, we supplied 323 pieces of furniture, each selected to support flexibility and everyday use without compromising on comfort or design integrity.
When Timeframes and Real Life Don’t Line Up
Like many live environments, the project came with pressure points, particularly around event schedules and delivery timing.
Furniture needed to be ready for use before everything had fully landed on site. And during delivery, we worked through a number of supply issues that required close coordination and patience from everyone involved.
The important part is what happened next: nothing was left unresolved. Each issue was worked through collaboratively and resolved over time, with a strong focus on getting the final result right for the client.
Staying Close to the Detail, So the Client Didn’t Have To
Our role throughout was simple: remove friction from the process.
That meant:
- Checking and re-checking every detail and quantity
- Prioritising delivery sequencing around key events
- Staying closely involved after installation, not just before it
- Making practical refinements where needed
- Adjusting design details (including a no-cost height modification) to improve usability
It wasn’t about a handover. It was about staying accountable until everything worked as intended in real use.
Furniture That Moves With the Space
The solution needed to support multiple modes of living, from large community events to everyday resident activity.
Key inclusions included:
- Remi multi-purpose armchairs in waterproof upholstery
- Modular Natural Oak tables designed for easy reconfiguration
- A purpose-built lectern for events and presentations
- Lounge settings for relaxed, social spaces
- Planter dividers to subtly define and soften areas
- Indoor/outdoor stools for flexible use across zones
- Outdoor dining furniture for shared meals
- Poolside lounge furniture designed for comfort and durability
Every piece was selected to feel consistent with the broader palette of eucalyptus tones and the natural surrounds.
A Space That People Actually Use and Love
Today, the Hilltop Events Centre is more than a venue. It’s part of daily life at Palmwoods.
It hosts events for up to 120 people, but just as importantly, it supports everyday movement including exercise groups, indoor games, and spontaneous social connection.
The feedback has been consistent and simple: “very happy.”
And perhaps the most telling insight of all came from visiting the finished space, where even our own team quietly said, “when my time comes, this is where I’d like to be.”
That really says everything about what this space has become.
Products featured in this project
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