Church Design

Back in 2005 we worked on an addition for Trinity Lutheran Church, located in Crete, Illinois, and in 2021 they invited us back to refresh their lobby space. We were honored to be welcomed back a second time, to create a space that reflects the heart of the church and the people in the community.

Intentionally building a program for individuals with special needs provides your church an opportunity to share the Gospel with individuals of varying abilities and allows them to fully grow in their faith. It also lets the families of those with special needs feel supported, knowing their loved ones feel comfortable and confident in their environment, and are valued members of the church family. The following projects we worked on for Chapelstreet Church's Masterpiece Ministry and Parkview Community Church show how design can help support a special needs ministry:

When it comes to children’s ministry, Orange is known for its curriculum that emphasizes the importance of combining the influence of both home and church to teach children the Gospel. Orange also thinks broadly about how children and families experience church as a whole. As a Design-Build-Furnish firm, we value collaboration and learning, so recently I attended the local Orange Tour stop with fellow Aspen interior designer, Kristen Freeman, where we learned more about how design can help support children’s ministry.

Don't do it yet. But after reading this first paragraph, close your eyes for a moment. Imagine a stressful time in your recent past. If you could escape anywhere in the world to help reduce your anxiety, where would you go?

Just like your home decor gives people clues about who you are—your style and taste—so do church interiors. People can quickly identify who you are as a church, what you value, and who you're trying to reach based on the furnishings, finishes, and equipment you have throughout your building. While it's not practical to stay on-trend with every interior design fad, incorporating some current design details will help keep your building fresh and relevant. Here's a quick snapshot of five interior design trends we've been integrating into churches, which will stay fresh for some time to come:

Creating a vibrant and functional children’s ministry space, while communicating your church’s vision and DNA through it, is no small task. Use these four tips to help you as you start to envision your new design.

It’s one of the least thought about spaces in the church. No one wants to spend money to update it. As a matter of fact, no one even really wants to talk about it. Know what it is? It’s not the storage closet or the coat rack. It’s the church office!

A few years back, I was at a trade show exploring the latest contract furniture designs. I stepped into the Steelcase showroom toward the end of the day and was immediately drawn to their new workspaces.

For many churches, attracting and retaining families is a high priority. One way to do this is by creating a dynamic, stimulating environment for kids—one where kids are captivated by the features of the room and where parents feel confident their children will be safe and have fun while they worship in an age-appropriate space.

In the landmark Barna/CKN study, Making Space for Millennials there are some strong, big-picture ideas for making your physical space more Millennial-friendly. But when it’s time to make those ideas a practical reality, are you equipped to make the design choices that will bring your principles to life?