a reason to renovate

Are you thinking of embarking on a renovation or addition for your church? I’ve interacted with a lot of projects over the years — some with great focus, and others that seemed to struggle to find their way with creative direction. If you spend some time thinking about the goals of the project up front, it can actually help guide many of your construction decisions and even furniture purchases as you go. Having clear goals can help you know if your project is “successful” or not.

There are some very obvious reasons that someone may add on or renovate.

• not enough space — there are more people than the current square footage can serve

• adding a program that your building currently can’t support — ex: you want to add a gym because there’s no place for indoor recreation and you are adding a sports ministry

• the current space does not reflect your organization — it looks like a doctor’s office from 1980 but you want church attenders to feel at home in 2023

• there are safety or health concerns that need to be addressed — your building needs to get up to code, address broken tile, fix a hole in the floor, remove mold…

• the leaders of your organization have prayed and feel like renovating is what they feel led to do

These can be awesome reasons to renovate.

There are also some very terrible reasons to add on or renovate that I’ve encountered over the years. These can cause great confusion during a project and really muddle financial decisions. You may want to reconsider the goals of your project if

• the project is based on comparison to another church — do you think you have a “rival” that you have to “out-perform” ? Are you trying to look better than someone else in town? Other churches are your brothers in Christ. They are a unique part of the body of Christ. Run your own race. Pray and ask God what is best for YOUR group of people.

• the project is based on vanity. Are you trying to show off how stylish YOU are? Are you making choices so that your colleagues will be impressed with YOU? It will be difficult to make the best decisions for your project if you filter them through the lens of what will make YOU the star. Take a step back and think about what is best for the project and what is best for the true goals of the space.

• you think BRANDS matter. No one is checking under your furniture to read the tag. Make selections for your space based on what is best for the project. Don’t sink all of your money into a sofa because it’s from your “favorite store” but neglect the rest of the room.

• you have a surplus of money and you “don’t know what to do with it.” If you don’t know what to do —- perhaps you should spend time figuring out the best use? :) A surplus of money is a great “problem” to have, but you must wisely consider the best use of your funds. If you don’t know “why” you are building a space, it will be difficult to make creative decisions along the way! Spend some time figuring out your goals.

• you want to take advantage of a “deal.” Does your contractor have some extra tile from a job? Or did you see a bunch of sofas on sale? Is your friend getting rid of their pingpong table? I see a lot of spaces that look more like Goodwill than they do an intentional environment. Of course you want to be wise with your money! But don’t let the pressure of a “do it now” situation lead you to make purchases or choices that are not the right fit for your space. Don’t let a “good deal” be the initiator of your project. If you plan well, you create a focused concept and then execute on that. If you come across deals along the way, that’s great! But at least you’ll know if the items you are considering will work towards a cohesive, intentional space. Have the courage to walk away from the sale :)

It can be difficult to be honest with yourself and your organization about your motives, but it will be the best for your project if you can focus on the greater goals for the space. You are highly accountable to the people who give their time and money to your organization. Ask for wisdom every step of the way!

If you are starting out on a renovation or addition, here are a few great questions to ask

• what is the purpose of the space? What do we hope will happen here?

• who will use this space? How can we consider their needs?

• how do we want people to feel in the space?

• what are our resources? What is our budget? Who should be involved?

• what is our timeline?

• what codes, rules, and regulations do we need to consider?

• when the space is complete, what components will make it successful?

• have we seen any inspiration that we’d like to use? Are there good examples of similar spaces we consider successful?

Church Nursery Products - Crawler and Young Toddler Classrooms

Are you working on updating the church nursery spaces? I shared a few products I’ve enjoyed using for infant classrooms on the blog and am continuing the post with adding items for “crawlers” as they transition to young toddlers. These little guys might be pulling up, cruising, standing, and maybe even working on those first steps. Most church and childcare programs divide up children by developmental milestones in the beginning. The mobility that crawling brings has increased safety concerns but some of these products can help you prepare your space for all the fun that crawling brings too! This isn’t so much a list of “toys” as it focuses more on safety gear, products that have improved over the years, and age appropriate considerations.

These items are great for a crawler / young toddler classroom. If you read the infant post, the first few items have a lot of overlap and the new ones are towards the bottom of the list :)

• foam floor tiles I love using these as a soft play surface. They are so easy to keep clean and wipe down from any messes. Our little one went through a stage of putting EVERYTHING in her mouth when she was learning to crawl and it was nice to have a non-fuzzy surface for her to play on. I use these like an accent rug and put them in the middle of the room over any LVT or carpet that is there. They are easy to add on to also if you are looking to create larger foam pads or different sizes. There are a lot of options out there with great colors and patterns too — think of it as a cute accent rug for your room. These are much easier to maintain than laundering blankets and cleaning carpets or rugs.

• foam changing pad (much easier to clean than a cloth covered one!) I will never go back to cloth covered changing pads. We have one of these at home too and I love it — really cuts down on laundry and again — so easy to spray and clean.

• toy storage Try to find toy storage that is easy for volunteers to manage. Visually accessible. Easy to keep clean. Has some air flow. Avoid deep baskets where the toys at the bottom never get used. A few simple toys that are organized well are better than a million pieces of toys that people have to pick up every time play time is over. The Ikea Kallax series is also a great resource for larger configurations of cubbies.

• furniture anchors (or also called anti-tip hardware) I would strongly urge you to also anchor any loose furniture to the wall. No matter how “low” the shelf or item is. With children able to crawl and pull up on furniture, you cannot be too safe! I like this style of hardware because it doesn’t add much bulk to the back of your furniture (which would keep it from sitting flush with the wall potentially) and it is adjustable with a long length. This is helpful to be able to slide a shelf unit out — especially if something might be plugged in behind it— and slide it back / tighten the straps.

• rocking chair Even with children that can crawl, you’ll want a rocking chair for all of the snuggle time. But you’ll want one that is easy to keep clean even more! I highly recommend one that has a vinyl upholstery on it. Most rockers have traditionally been cloth but you’ll be just as comfortable with a faux leather and it will be so much easier to wipe down when there are spills from the bottle. And there will be spills :) I actually prefer a ROCKER over a glider. I like that the base is open with no sliding mechanism (don’t want little fingers to get caught) and there’s no ruffles or panels to hide crumbs or little toys. Looking for a more commercial grade option? I love the OFS Mention with the rocker base. This chair is more of an investment, but comes with hospital grade upholstery options and warranties on the frame. Reach out if you’d like a quote!

• sturdy coat hooks Diaper bags can be heavy! And if you have several hanging up, you’ll want a nice strong row of hooks to support those bags. Make sure to appropriately anchor them to your wall!

• consider adding child safety locks to all of your lower cabinets if there’s any chance of children accessing low storage. I’d recommend using the screws to anchor the locks.

• foam climbing blocks These are a great destination for your little crawler! The foam cover is easy to keep clean and the pieces are easily rearranged / modified for the way you want to play. Supervision is always required — there’s definitely the potential to roll off :) But these blocks are nice and low to the ground so there’s not the potential to end up climbing too high. Look for ones that fit the color scheme or theme of your room. How cute are these that look like a tree log?

• safe toys There are a lot of toys out there — but this is a great example of a safe and age appropriate toy for babies crawling and sitting unassisted. When looking for toys make sure to choose ones that

  • have pieces that are large enough to not pose a choking hazard.

  • are easy to clean / maintain. Everything is still going to get put in there mouth, so get toys that are easy to wash / clean. These little blocks are a great example. There are lots of silicone toys out there but I really like this style because they don’t have a lot of small crevices to keep clean.

  • are light enough for the child to pick up / interact with

  • are not easily ripped / torn (like paper or cards) If you want books, board books are appropriate or Indestructibles (books printed on “indestructible” paper that kids can chew or pull on and it won’t rip…)

  • do not have moving parts that could pinch little fingers. They can definitely roll or move! Just make sure that there’s not a situation for little hands or fingers to get stuck. These little cars are great!

  • consider an activity center like this. It has both sit and stand options and lots of ways for little ones to interact!

  • if you are using walking toys, you’ll look for ones that are sturdy and don’t tip easily

• evacuation strollers Consult with your local authorities (for us it’s our fire marshal) to determine how your space is classified and the laws and guidelines you need to follow for evacuating your little ones in the case of an emergency. Since crawlers cannot walk unassisted, you need a way to get them out (and get ALL of the kids in the classroom out) as quickly and safely as possible. You will need to take into account the student capacity for the classroom as well as how many staff/ volunteers you have available. I completely understand that these options are very expensive (compared to most other strollers.) Please make sure that you are following all of your local codes with the highest level of safety. You’ll also want to consider the best way to store the strollers so that they are easily accessible in the event you need to use them. Some take up less space than others but offer less seats. If the stroller requires any practice to operate, your volunteer training is a great time to introduce them to the strollers. Some programs include “taking a ride around the hallway or outside” as a part of the curriculum / typical day. You may want to invest in a sturdier stroller that always is set up and ready for a ride. This style does NOT fold up, however it is built for more frequent use and has less parts so it’s easier to clean and maintain.

• bluetooth speaker Make it easy for staff or volunteers to play music with the kids! There are a lot of bluetooth speakers out there — just make sure to have one that’s easy to keep charged and easy to operate. It’s easy to send out Spotify playlists to your team with the songs you’d like played (or create a playlist on the music service of your choice.) The little ones will love it!

As those little ones begin to walk, they are also gaining greater motor skills and longer attention spans. You’ll want the spaces you create for them to evolve with them at the next stages too!

All of the items linked above are either purchases that I have made recently and recommend or ones recommended by my clients. The Amazon links above are considered “paid links”. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases but each of these is a sincere recommendation that I think will help you have a great space!

Church Nursery Products - Infant Classroom

Thinking about giving the church nursery spaces an update? I’ve got a roundup of some products that you might want to consider for your littlest attenders! These are just a few examples of items that can help your space be more clean, safe, and fun.

Church Nursery Classroom - Infants

These items are great for an INFANT classroom

• foam floor tiles I love using these as a soft play surface. They are so easy to keep clean and wipe down from any messes. Our little one went through a stage of putting EVERYTHING in her mouth when she was learning to crawl and it was nice to have a non-fuzzy surface for her to play on. I use these like an accent rug and put them in the middle of the room over any LVT or carpet that is there. They are easy to add on to also if you are looking to create larger foam pads or different sizes. There are a lot of options out there with great colors and patterns too — think of it as a cute accent rug for your room. These are much easier to maintain than laundering blankets and cleaning carpets.

• foam changing pad (much easier to clean than a cloth covered one!) I will never go back to cloth covered changing pads. We have one of these at home too and I love it — really cuts down on laundry and again — so easy to spray down and clean.

• swing There are so many great motion swings out there! You don’t have to get a big one to give that little baby a nice ride :) This one is nice and compact and has motion / noise features. I know there are a lot of Mamaroo fans out there too. I love that it’s on the more compact side and doesn’t have a huge base.

• bouncer One of my favorite things about a bouncer is that they are easy to move around the room! Easy to pick up and bring the baby with you wherever you are playing

• sit up assist seat I would actually recommend this INSTEAD of a more rigid foam sit up seat. The fabric on this is much more flexible for different anatomy / body types. For some reason my girls never liked the more rigid foam seats and using a fabric sit up assist seat was much better suited to their body/ability as they began to learn to sit up.

• exersaucer/ activity center Once the little one has more stability, they’ll love a spot to sit supported and have lots to touch and play. It’s great to have a variety of places to care for and play with the babies. Their abilities change so quickly, so it’s great to have options for every stage!

• crib When considering cribs, please consider your local guidelines as well as if your facility is considered a “daycare” during the week. You’ll want to adhere to the highest level of safety and emergency preparedness. If your facility needs evacuation cribs, they will be ON WHEELS and able to be moved easily in case of an emergency (and fit through the door frame:) Also — please be aware of age appropriate safety guidelines. Although many companies do styled photoshoots with pillows and blankets paired with cribs, it is NOT safe for a young infant to sleep with pillows and blankets due to suffocation hazards.

• sound machine Got little ones trying to nap? A sound machine is a must to help cut through the extra noise in the classroom. This one is easy to use and can be controlled from your phone. The different color light options are fun for little ones too :) Looking for a low-tech version? This sound machine is a perfect fit!

• toy storage Try to find toy storage that is easy for volunteers to manage. Visually accessible. Easy to keep clean. Has some air flow. Avoid deep baskets where the toys at the bottom never get used. A few simple toys that are organized well are better than a million pieces of toys that people have to pick up every time play time is over. The Ikea Kallax series is also a great resource for larger configurations of cubbies.

• rocking chair You’ll want a rocking chair for all of the snuggle time —but you’ll want one that is easy to keep clean even more! I highly recommend one that has a vinyl upholstery on it. Most rockers have traditionally been cloth but you’ll be just as comfortable with a faux leather and it will be so much easier to wipe down when there are spills from the bottle. And there will be spills :) I actually prefer a ROCKER over a glider. I like that the base is open with no sliding mechanism (don’t want little fingers to get caught) and there’s no ruffles or panels to hide crumbs or little toys. Looking for a more commercial grade option? I love the OFS Mention with the rocker base. This chair is more of an investment, but comes with hospital grade upholstery options and warranties on the frame. Reach out if you’d like a quote!

• are your volunteers feeding babies? Arm them with some cute burp cloths

• sturdy coat hooks Diaper bags can be heavy! And if you have several hanging up, you’ll want a nice strong row of hooks to support those bags. Make sure to appropriately anchor them to your wall!

• consider adding child safety locks to all of your lower cabinets if there is a chance of babies crawling around in the room. I’d recommend using the screws to anchor the locks.

Typically, churches create a different space for kids as they begin to crawl. Check back in for more recommendations for those little guys!

All of the items linked above are either purchases that I have made recently and recommend or ones recommended by my clients. The Amazon links above are considered “paid links”. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases but each of these is a sincere recommendation that I think will help you have a great space!

acoustic treatments

Sound panels and acoustical treatments are often one of the last items to be considered on a project but they can also be a design feature if you incorporate them with intention.

Flat, smooth, hard surfaces all reflect sound. Adding soft, absorptive, multifaceted, and porous elements can help absorb and disperse sound waves. Here are a few ways to add acoustic treatments to help your space sound as good as it looks! We’ll start from some of the most basic and work our way down to more intricate ones….

Some of the most “traditional” and affordable acoustic treatments are the rigid tackable wall mounted sound panels. They are often produced in nominal material sizes — the 4x8 being the most economical. These are most commonly used in performance spaces and rooms with a high volume. A company like Benton Brothers is a great resource for these.

Wall tacked acoustic panels in the Athens Church auditorium

I don’t know why— but I think these panels look significantly better when they are pushed together. Perhaps it’s me just trying to break away from the 4x8 module, but I think playing around with the spacing even if you can’t change the size can add some design to the room. The panels can be made in almost any size / shape, however the cost is significantly greater for the labor if you break away from the 4x8 size.

These can come wrapped in a myriad of fabrics, but the most commonly used (and affordable) is the Guilford of Maine FR 701- 2100 series You can order samples and color cards on their site. If you are using sound panels to cover a significant portion of wall, it is likely that you will need to cover them with a fire rated fabric. Always check with local fire and building codes when covering walls with a fabric to make sure it meets safety standards for your space.

With panels that are wall mounted and wrapped in fabric, I recommend installing them so that the bottom is no lower than 5’ off of the ground. This will help the panel last as long as possible — keeping it above handprints, chair backs, and young children.

This image is taken from the Guilford of Maine website - representing the array of colors in the acoustic panel fabric line FR-701.

If you are considering adding wall panels to a performance space, I would consult with an AVL company (audio/ video/ lighting) to discuss how the wall panels can impact the audio of your space. If you are looking for an AVL company Clark is a great one!

Looking to add walls panels in a smaller application like a meeting room or office? Check out companies like Turf - they offer a myriad of shapes and colors to cover walls and ceilings.

Turf panels have a variety of styles to absorb sound

Adding treatments over head can also be a great way to absorb sound. A common treatment is lapendary - an apsorbative treatment tacked directly to an open ceiling. This treatment can really help — and be affordable in cost per sq ft — but it does have a “plastic bag”-like appearance, so I would not recommend it on especially low ceilings or ones that get a lot of sunlight. This treatment is great for large areas with very high open ceilings. Ceilings with a lot of metal truss and pipes are helpful to hide the look too :) If it is within the means of your project, I HIGHLY recommend reaching out to a professional like Benton Brothers to assess your needs. It is much better than guessing :-) and they have so many resources for you!

Acoustic lapendary tacked to the open ceiling between trusses

You have probably been in a lot of spaces with a sprayed insulation. It has a bit of a fuzzy appearance. This can be done as a fire barrier in some applications but also can have a significant acoustical impact on the space helping diffuse and absorb a great deal of sound in the ceiling. Consult with your architect or contractor to see what type of spray insulation might be right for your space. Again - this one can help a lot but isn’t always the prettiest up close — so I’d recommend on taller ceilings. Treatments like lapendary and insulation are going to be more cost effective per sq ft than more decorative baffles and suspended features.

This image is taken from the Spray On site showing the K-13 Sound Absorption and thermal spray

The spray insulation in the ceiling helps with the acoustics in this open office space.

This image is taken from the Turf website - showcasing their suspended baffles

Baffles (shown above) are a name used for any suspended blade-like feature. Typically they hang with open space between each baffle. They can come in a variety of shapes and sizes — but they use the panel and the space in between each unit to deflect and trap sound. This takes your ceiling from a flat plane to a space with significantly greater surface area. If the blade is covered in a material like felt, that material helps absorb the sound even more.

Another way to add overhead treatments would be a more isolated design feature. A suspended trellis or beams can offer noise reduction over a meeting table or concentrated area. This feature offers a high aesthetic value but will not address larger noise concerns across a big room. The wood beams shown below are from Soundply

The wood beams are actually acoustic beams. They have a micro perforated surface to diffuse and absorb sound over the lobby table.

We used a felt trellis feature from Buzzi Space over the community table in this project to help absorb sound over the table.

The felt trellis shown helps absorb sound over the community table

Incorporating a material like felt can help with noise and can add a great texture to your space. I’d encourage you to use this in spaces where you are still able to access them to clean (because felt loves dust bunnies :). These are some felt trellis features that also incorporate light fixtures from Light Art.

This image is from the Light Art website showcasing their Acoustic Trellis

Adding curtain panels can help break up a space and add texture too. Curtains area. unique feature in that they can look great and still run the entire height of a space — offering acoustic support at every level of the space.

Snowsound fabric panels divide up an office to add privacy and cut down on noise

Fuller plusher fabrics (such as velvets) are used in theatrical spaces often because the texture (lots of surface area) is very effective with helping absorb sound. If you are looking for theatrical drape, GA Stage is a great resource.

All of the above treatments are applications that are added after a space is occupied. But the greatest consideration for the sound quality of your space can begin right from the start! If you are embarking on a renovation or new construction, talk with your architect about how you can shape the walls, ceilings, soffits, etc. to achieve your acoustic goals for the space. Consider the materials and surfaces to not only support the design aesthetic, but also support the function of the space. Incorporating texture into your materials from the start can offer a more discreet and well incorporated design rather than materials applied after the space is finished. Consider all surfaces - including the floors, walls, and ceilings. Surfaces with greater texture will provide more surface area to disperse sound — example: the bumpy, pitted texture of brick will help reduce echo more than a flat gypsum wall. The more texture your materials have and the more texture and variety there is in the architecture of the space, the more sound will naturally be broken up for you. The more like a flat box your room is… the more you create an echo chamber :)

If you are looking to add sound panels or acoustic treatments to your space, here are a few resources that can help

• Benton Brothers

• Turf

• Snowsound

• Soundply

• Buzzi Space

• Light Art

• GA Stage

How to Choose a Lobby Carpet

Picking out flooring can feel daunting — there are SO MANY options. Here are a few tips for creating a great lobby space — specifically with CARPET.

Carpet is great for a lot of reasons —

one of them being ACOUSTICS. It can dramatically help with absorbing noise and reducing echo in a space. Even if it’s not a cushy high level loop, just having all that square footage of a soft surface can help reduce noise.

Carpet is much more slip resistant than hard surface flooring. It’s a good idea to not only have carpet at all major entryways but to up your carpet game by using walk off carpet tiles at these locations. These are the stiffer, more bristle-y carpet tiles that help get water and dirt off of your shoes as you enter a space. You have probably walked on it thousands of times and never really noticed it. You should tailor the dimensions to your space, but adding about 8-10’ of walk off carpet at entries can help get you a few steps of yuck removal as attenders enter. Walk off carpet is used in lieu of other flooring (it gets installed directly to the floor or walk off system — not on top of your other carpet.)

Carpet tiles can also be very easy to repair by YOURSELF. Most carpet tiles are installed with either a direct glue down or a “lock dot” sticker type system. The glue used is strong enough to hold the tile, but remains sticky and pliable enough that even years later you can pull up an individual carpet tile to replace. I know no one has ever had coffee spilled on their carpet… or a red sheet cake pulverized into their carpet at a youth event… but let’s just say that “if you did” you could replace damaged carpet tiles relatively easily :-) It is recommended that you add 10-15% to your carpet order to have replacement stock for repairs later.

There are soooo many PATTERNS and styles to choose from that can give you a lot of different looks. A lobby is a HIGH TRAFFIC area so we’ll be looking for patterns that help support that. Here are some things to look for when choosing a carpet tile pattern.

• Are you serving food and beverages in this space? If so, spill some coffee on that carpet tile and see how it takes it. Pour a coke on it. Grind a bagel into it. Try it out before your attenders do :-) The busier the pattern in the carpet, the more it will help hide stains. This includes a color differentiation within the yarn colors AND the larger pattern created by how those colors are represented. Typically, you want something with at least 3 different yarn colors (when you look close up) and something that creates patterns to help break up the visual. DO NOT confuse pattern with “wacky” or “gaudy” —- I’m just saying that it should have a few different shades of gray or brown to help break it up. (See below for a pattern example.

• Darker colors will help hide stains and cover wear and tear better. I still recommend having a style with a lot of patterning to help hide things no matter your colors.

• When selecting patterns, do NOT just look at one piece of carpet tile. Use the tile to represent the colors but look at product photography as well as small mockups with MULTIPLE tiles to give you a greater sense of how that pattern would repeat over a larger space. Most patterns take several tiles to understand how it will look over a larger space.

• Are you trying to break up a very LARGE lobby? Consider having multiple styles or pairing the carpet with other flooring materials to create different zones. For a subtle effect, I like to find a color that is offered in several different patterns / variations.

  • Here’s a good example: this carpet tile from Shaw Contract comes as a part of a collection. Each style in the collection has the SAME colors in it so that you can pair them to break up a space and each carpet will complement the other styles well.

    • You could use the Aware Tile in color Ink as a main field carpet tile

    • And you could create some accent areas in the Conscious Tile color Ink that pair really nicely!

    • sometimes it can be difficult to determine which collections go together from looking online. I highly recommend using your designer, dealer, and manufacturer reps to understand which lines pair well with one another.

Good Pattern Example

Pattern doesn’t have to be wacky or oddly colorful. This carpet tile from Patcraft is a great example of using a few shades of gray to create an organic pattern that can really help with wear and tear as well as make spills less noticeable.

Try to avoid

Carpet that has no pattern going on. A carpet like this has a few gray tones, but no pattern. Stains and wear and tear will show up quicker and easier.

Saving a few dollars with a basic carpet like this will only lead to greater maintenance and replacement costs soon.

Where do you get carpet tile? Why can’t I just order it all online? Carpet is still sold through dealerships run by installers. You will want to find a local dealer (hopefully they have a great showroom for you to look at!) Their staff can help you assess the needs for your project, measure the space, and order the appropriate quantities. They will also help you with selecting transitions and the base that will go around the perimeter to cover the transition from wall to flooring. Your installer will be able to test your site for moisture conditions and select the best glues or installation system for your project. If any floor prep is needed for the project, they will also have the materials and know-how to get the floor ready. You aren’t able to just order the carpet on your own… but you don’t want to! You want that expertise from the installer to get the best finished product and you want the warranty on their labor to help with any issues in the future. Dealers also have direct relationships with manufacturer reps. They can order you samples for your project and get answers to any technical product questions you may have.

You may have noticed that I am referring to carpet TILE a lot but not to giant rolls of carpet. Rolled goods or “broadloom” carpet is not manufactured as much today as it once was. Most commercial projects use carpet tile because it’s so much easier to repair and replace later. Instead of hiring professionals to replace 12’ of broadloom carpet in a room, you and your car keys can just pop off a stained carpet tile and replace with a new one. Although it is not in use as much for large open rooms, broadloom is GREAT for stairs and platforms where you want the carpet to waterfall over the edge and cover the side.

As you prepare to place an order, talk with your installer about ordering extra to have for repairs. This can also be called “attic stock.” It is often recommended that you add 10-15% to your carpet order to have replacement stock for repairs. It’s good to order this at the SAME TIME as placing your larger order so that you can

• take advantage of better pricing with the greater quantity

• have the carpet be a part of the same “run” or dye lot as the rest of the other carpet. Often if it is a part of a different run at the mill, it can have very slight shade differences.

• have the replacement on hand in case the pattern is discontinued. You never know when a pattern will be discontinued. Once it’s gone, it is very expensive to get the company to reproduce that carpet — and often comes with high minimum orders.

WHERE TO LOOK FOR LOBBY CARPET

Here are just a few manufacturers of great lobby carpet options — but your dealer will have many more!

Shaw Contract

Patcraft

Interface

Tarkett

Mannington

Mohawk

Best of luck with your lobby refresh!

UGA Vet Med Student Lounge

The University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine has a large academic building on campus. There are many classrooms and lecture halls, but just one main central hub for students to congregate, eat lunch, or study. When I “met” this space, it had such a variety of furniture pieces — telling the story of the evolution of the space over the years. There was a piano. A fish tank (quite appropriate for the vet school!) And a bulldog statue. It was also very cozy and felt like a haven from more utilitarian spaces. Our aim was to bring focus and purpose back to this space (without losing the cozy haven) and create a lounge area where students felt welcome to gather, dine, and study.

Communal table at UGA College of Veterinary Medicine

One of the biggest goals was to create a seating layout that offered a variety of interactions for students; but we also aimed to use types and arrangements of furniture that DISCOURAGED students from moving and rearranging the room. One of the sources of frustration from the original space was that students would move around the armchairs and sofas to create their own seating groupings… but that often left the room looking more chaotic and disheveled. We chose to create different seating zones - some offering more flexibility than others, to offer inviting seating for everyone— from a party of 10 to a solo studier. The entrance of the space offers a communal table while the back and sides are lined with banquettes. There are a few freestanding tables and chairs as well as. a lounge at the end with swivel seats and coffee tables. This space is adjacent to a kitchenette where students can prep their lunch, so having adequate dining tables was high on the priority list.

Little details helped give life to the space. The staff was intentional to select greens and blues that gave color and interest. And the fish tank got a refresh and found a good home in the center of the room. They make great study companions :-)

Student Kitchenette open to Student Lobby

We were also able to update the Student Kitchenette space during this project. This area was closed off from the lobby and did not welcome students to use the amenities. By taking down a wall, this gave much greater access and allowed for new cabinets and appliances to be added. This space became much more usable and really flows well with the student lobby hallway.

Perhaps one of the most fun aspects of the project was to work within some of the existing building conditions to highlight its history.

We were able to expose the ceiling and paint it white. This not only added volume to the space, but made it feel much airier and open. The light ceiling also really accentuated the natural light coming from the back windows. We used an acoustic wood beam feature to give rhythm to the ceiling and add warmth to the space.

The brick side wall of the space is actually one of the exterior walls of the original vet school building (pictured above). It still had the openings and window sills from the old exterior windows. These spots were once just painted over but I felt like they begged to become art in the space. The geometry really worked well. We found some old photos of vet school students hanging out at a restaurant downtown to use as art— and it felt very appropriate for our lounge and dining space.

Aren’t the columns cool?! Those are original from the building addition in the 50s and it felt like a great retro vibe (and good budget move) to incorporate them into the space. They just got a coat of paint and were ready to go.

This was such a rewarding space to work on. It’s fun to think about all of the lives that pass through this space that will go on to make amazing discoveries and care for our pets. Glad we could give them a wonderful lounge space!

empire south // peach state pride

We really enjoyed the opportunity to team up with the Peach State Pride brand to expand and re-envision the their space in downtown Watkinsville, GA.  Retail units can feel kinda blah with "builder beige" paint and acoustical ceiling tiles, so we set out to create a store that spoke more to the identity of their brand.  

After spending some time with the Peach State Pride team and learning about their company, I quickly saw that this was a company truly built on pride (or more like overflowing-esteem-and-pure-LOVE) for the state of Georgia.  This was not obnoxious fandom. This was a respect and admiration for a place that has a rich history and celebrated culture. I was kind of amazed at their love for Georgia history and impressed with their knowledge of the state's businesses, economy, and even interest in small towns that scatter across the land. It is always refreshing to find someone with true passion! Ok-- so now you get it--they love the peach state. From there, we discussed the feeling that they wanted the store to embody. Some features that were important: rich history, southern charm, and a casual, yet refined, atmosphere.

The shop already occupied a retail space, and they were looking to expand into the unit next to them as well. It was exciting to get to double the size of the store, but making a seamless transition between the two units meant both needed to just start from scratch. The two spaces looked a little different as you can see below...

TWO ORIGINAL UNITS:

Brick. It became a "must have" for this project.  The brick gave a rich texture and color and really added to the old southern charm of the space.  We used it to create columns and arches that gave the space a rhythm and connected the two combined units.   We know we aren't fooling anybody-- this building was not built in the 1820's-- but the brick really did make the space feel older, more substantial, and more established.

The ceiling and floor provided other opportunities to unify the two spaces.  We removed all of the ceiling tiles and painted the exposed structure above. For the floor, we removed the mismatched laminates and chose a rich, brown stain for the concrete.

The details. Finding decor for this space was like being on a glorious treasure hunt.  Many of the items in the store are family heirlooms of the owners, and others are memorabilia from across the state. We used these props sparingly throughout the space, but it does give you a sense that there is something to be discovered as you meander through the tables of merchandise.  There are old paintings, antique maps, vintage signs...and a little bit of tarnish on the metal.  Everything has a little history, a story behind it.  

One of my favorite details in the space is actually the wallpaper.  I don't use a lot of wallpaper (mostly because it's difficult to change later) but it was one of the ways that we could add pattern and texture to the walls and further that southern charm feeling.  This one pattern in particular seemed just right for the mens side of the store. Refined. Subtle. And it went nicely with the deer above the mantle.  It looks good on you, Mr. Deer! 

All of the little trinkets and knick knacks were a simple way to help define the different sides of the store-- there's a women's section and a men's, and then the unisex items in the middle.  

I think the shop does a really great job of offering something for everyone... even for the people not [yet] obsessed with the state of Georgia.  

I feel like I'm seeing the Peach State Pride peach logo EVERYWHERE these days.  Grateful to get to partner with this brand that is on the move!

decatur city church office

"Nestled in a hallway nook." That's how I like to describe the location of this space.  This room is created by the junction of a pass-through from a hallway to a stairwell.  Hard to describe, but oddly enough, it's a beautiful, unique space with a wonderful view and lots of natural light. Untapped potential :)

The staff needed to turn it into home base for their team and create an open office+lounge.  We paired their modern eclectic taste with their brand colors of gray and gold to form the concept for the space.  Overall, we created 6 workspaces for the staff and a communal lounge spot in the center.  

The first decision? Yellow column. It was begging to be a fun focal point of the room.  

We kept the decor pretty simple in this space, but one of my favorite touches is the "art" over the sofa--- just a few sconces on the wall.  So easy to create!

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BEFORE

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BEFORE

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AFTER

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AFTER

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Gwinnett Church

Guys. Talk about a MASSIVE project.  Gwinnett County has been one of the fastest growing areas in the country for years, and Gwinnett Church building really reflects that explosive growth.  This building was years in the making and it's just the beginning of what they plan for this community.  Taking a project from a pile of dirt to a finished space is definitely the most challenging endeavor....using floor plans to envision spaces instead of real walls and floors just waiting to be designed (disclaimer: I am not an architect or a contractor...they helped too :).  But perhaps more exciting than just "decorating" these spaces was walking through the process of finding the creative voice to display the heart of the staff and the heart of the church for the community of Gwinnett.  They provided so many unique, individualized touches to these environments that make them so much more personal.  Also, with new construction projects...things change (duh?). Budgets get reallocated and floor plans change....and therefore designs change.  I could go on forever, but this project was really a labor of love for dozens, if not hundreds of people....and you can tell by the way it looks :) I hope you enjoy looking at some of the highlights.

Green Room

The big "JESUS" letters were part of a stage set they used in a previous series. They kept them and wanted to incorporate them in the new building so we thought this was a great spot!

Speaker Room

This is a little cozy room where the speaker for the morning can relax, and prepare quietly...as apposed to the hustle and bustle of the green room.

Staff Lounge

a multi-purpse for staff to meet, eat, or just work amongst other people

The Atrium

The thing that originally drew me to the field of interior design is actually logistics. I really love creative problem solving and working on spaces that not only need to have decor but also need to function. For this project with BRR Architects we got to explore defining this high-traffic space with flooring patterns and furnishings.  

This atrium is an addition to the front facade of North Point Community Church.  The church needed a larger common area at their entry-- a very accessible space, but out of the traffic of the main hallways.  The architects crafted the Atrium to be a beautiful meeting place.  The window wall is really stunning, and although very spacious, it feels like a bit of a haven from the flow of people in the halls.  The church has thousands of attenders every Sunday, and the Atrium location provides the perfect anchor to the building-- a clear spot to meet up with a friend or get your questions answered at one of the Guest Services desks.

We created custom designed info booths for their Guest Services team to greet you at either end of the space.  Each one is made of four pieces that form a circular information booth that can be approached on all sides. They also have the ability to position the pieces with some space between, making it easy for a volunteer to step out from behind the booth to assist a guest.  Both the info booths and all of the lounge furniture are modular and portable, providing a lot of flexibility.  This was very important for the staff as they use the Atrium for a myriad of events outside of their typical Sunday services.

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We utilized  flooring changes in the space to define different zones and add texture and pattern.  The entrances have an LVT product with a steel look, helping further the subtle industrial elements from the architecture.  An elm look LVT is used as a transition to the main carpeted path as well as a border to the seating area where we used a silver linen look LVT.  All of these flooring materials also help bring out the colors found in the stone used  throughout the space.

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The wood added to the headers and walls really helps complete the Atrium. It adds warmth and variety to the neutral gray palette, and helps draw your eye up to the height of the space.

Furniture completes the space with timeless pieces that are easily moved and reconfigured for Sundays and events.