Plainfield Church Plant Initial Design Recommendations
Consultation Notes Our clients are taking a step of faith in planting a church on the Northwest side of Grand Rapids. They want the church to be welcoming to people who have grown up in church their entire life while appealing to community members who have never stepped foot in a church before. The church service will have elements of both traditional church/liturgy with a fresh, modern take. The Northwest side of Grand Rapids is a growing, up-and-coming part of the city with diversity in age and race. The church was built in the 1900s, but it was last renovated in the 1950’s. The budget for the project is $80,000- including demo, technology, etc. They need help coming up with an overall design plan/aesthetic and organization for initial renovations for the church to open weekly in October. For purposes of this first presentation, we will focus on the sanctuary/halls/entry, pastor’s office, upstairs fellowship hall, two kids’ rooms, and the basement great room (potential rental space). We see the building’s top floor as phase two of the project (after church growth- hopefully sooner than later!).
Designer Goals To create a modern environment that is both welcoming and functional for worship, fellowship, and community while paying homage to the building’s history. To tell a story about who the church is by how the church looks. To think outside of the traditional “church� box to create a new and inviting space- one that is surprising but still familiar (for both those new to a church family and those who have been part of church culture their whole life).
Mood Board: Sanctuary
Sand/stain the wood floors in the sanctuary to a darker color. We recommend keeping the placement of the carpet as it will provide warmth/ better acoustics for the space, but replace it with a slate color (durable & modern update).
Sand and stain the pews to a darker color (that will match the balcony woodwork) and reupholster the cushions to a TEXTURED gray fabric (lighter than the floor, but brings in strands from the walls/ floor). We do not recommend a pattern or color as both can easily go out of style. If you are hoping to host many weddings, neutral is the way to go as it will coordinate with many wedding color schemes and be more attractive to potential bride/families. The stained glass will bring color into the space and will actually pop with more neutrals. A textured seat will be more durable and hide any imperfections from weekly usage.
We recommend painting the front of the sanctuary (stage area) & ceiling a fresh white color, but all other walls a medium gray tone. Additionally, the 2foot line (approx) from ceiling to the trim in the balcony should be white. This will create a gradient scheme with the floors, cushions, etc. and will put the main focus on the front of the sanctuary. The picture above represents a rough idea of where the colors go (not stage layout, finishes, etc. Those renderings will come in working together further).
The wall between the sanctuary entrance and the rest of the room should be opened up (and reinforced with wood beams if necessary). The carpet should also be a slate gray like the rest of the sanctuary. This area, however, should serve as a place for welcoming, information, and alternative seating (tables/stools, etc. for those uncomfortable with the traditional “pew” church experience). The furniture should mix both turn of the century pieces with sleek, modern pieces. We recommend keeping the lighting the white/brass fixtures. They are timeless and will feel less dated with the additional remodeling. They also pick up on the taupeygold colors from the stained glass. The “cry room” off of the sanctuary should also be renovated to the carpet (level the space) with storage/comfortable seating added.
Additional items to be done, but configured with floor plans/renderings: • Square off/reconfigure stage and middle pew section • Add TWO screens on either side of the stage wall that can scroll up and down (so as not to be seen when weddings take place). • Redo the wall in front of the cry room to have mirrored glass. • Sell/remove the balcony seating and add white lacquer seats
The entrance and hallway should blend well with the sanctuary. We recommend utilizing white paint on the wall to keep the hallways feeling bright and open (the stained glass with pop with the fresh white on the walls) in addition to a white/gray tile pattern on the floor throughout the entire entrance and all hallways. The floor will be durable and can be easily cleaned (with the gray tile getting most of the traffic). We also recommend utilizing this floor in the rest of the main floor rooms (office, kids rooms, fellowship room) to remain consistent and have a natural flow. The gray will help to designate “areas” and “walkways” and the white will keep it light, modern, and fresh.
If possible, in the hallways, fellowship areas and classrooms, remove the drop ceiling and get the pipes/natural industrial ceiling painted a glossy white. This will add height to the space and update the look and feel without being a distraction.
The vintage coat hangers should remain in place, but the wall décor (bulletin boards, framing, etc) should be stained either a dark brown like the sanctuary or in a pop of color (cobalt, emerald, etc.- something found in the stained glass). Note: Couldn’t find a picture of a clean bulletin board as an example, but notice the pop of color on the right picture against the white- stunning!
Mood Board: Pastor’s Office
The floor should be replaced with the white floor tiles, but warmed up with a green areas rug or carpet squares.
The office should be functional and conducive to work, but welcoming and bright for meetings with parishioners. The wood paneled walls are a great feature (and still a modern look), so we recommend keeping them. Since the room is on the smaller side, to break up the wood, white/light colored accents and furniture are recommended.
The furniture should be comfortable and modern. To break up the wood paneling, one large piece of art (or a series of 3) should be centered over the couch with a predominantly white or light color.
Utilize the white system for the stand-up desk IKEA hack.
Mood Board: Fellowship Room
The fellowship room should be a space for small gatherings, refreshments, staff meetings, prayer groups, etc. Because it is such a large space, it makes sense to break it into two areas (similar to how it is now)- one area that is more of a “conference table/meeting” area and the other a mingling/sitting area.
We recommend using the white tile in this room as well, and the two spaces can be defined by either two large area rugs, or an inlay of the gray tile (from the hallway) that imitates an area rug. Rugs will be more “warm” and welcoming, but at such a large scale, they can be rather expensive.
Adding curtains/decorative items will make the space feel warm and welcoming. On the wall behind the conference area, a buffet, storage shelves, and white board can be added to make the space more functional for meetings/serving. The existing conference table can be reused with adding updated, bright chairs.
The whole room can utilize different shades of blue- brighter in the meeting space, and moodier in the sitting space.
To further differentiate the space, we recommend a focal wall behind the couch in the lounge area.
Mood Board: Kids’ Classrooms
We recommend just working on the two classrooms on the main floor (the old treasurers office and the one across from it) for the first phase of this project. The kids room should have a color story for each room (we used orange and yellow, but they can be any color). A color story is a sustainable way to do kids’ rooms- can be adaptable to different ages. A fun way to make the color evident before you even enter the room is by having the door for that room also pop in the same color (see mood board). With the halls being gray/white, this will be a fun visual even in the hallway.
To mix the modern and vintage, utilize green vintage chalkboards and tables updated with fun modern seating and storage (toys/ books/coats/etc.
To provide warmth and comfort to the white floor (as previously mentioned), put carpet squares on the floor in the color scheme (or with accenting colors).
A focal wall can be customized for each room with a system of white boards/chalkboards/etc. that move around and create different visuals for lessons & creativity. This is a custom piece and can be further discussed upon meeting again.
Mood Board: Basement Great Room (Event Rental Space)
The event space should have a modern-vintage vibe with a neutral color scheme. Similarly to the sanctuary, if you plan on renting this space out for events and weddings, it would be best to remain relatively neutral so as to mesh well with a number of color-schemes.
Since the walls are cinder-block, we recommend skim coating them with a white to freshen them up. The ceiling should again be exposed (and the drywall columns exposed) and painted white to flow with the rest of the church scheme.
To modernize & warm up the space, redo the basement floor to a wood tone (same or different from the sanctuary Gray curtains can be added to the entire depending on your north wall (window walls) to add drama preference). and warmth.
Although the industrial-brick look is great (and something we discussed/saw on LeAnne’s Pinterest inspiration), we don’t think it can be done effectively in a faux paint. Instead of the industrial look with the brick, we recommend achieving something similar with wood coming up onto the wall. This can be the focal point wall- where speakers have the “floor”, where presentations are given, where a bridal party sits, etc. You could also have a retractable screen with technology that would come down for use depending on the event or meeting.
The kitchen isn’t a high priority, but for a simple update, paint the cabinets white and add a butcher block counter top. This is affordable and easy update that can make a huge impact. Also, eventually providing modern seating and tables could make the space more desirable for renting.
What’s Next? Whew! That was a lot of information. Now that you have seen the inspiration/recommendations, soak it all in. Let us know if you have any questions. Please read all of the content. Some sections are a little “wordy”, but we want to provide the rationale to our choices & recommendations so that you understood WHY we made the design choices (as opposed to focusing on the WHAT). The WHAT can always change After processing the information, you have a couple of options: Call or e-mail to set up an appointment to discuss your likes/dislikes of the design and how we can move forward together with Hunt & Gather managing the project or clarify design questions. Nothing. This wasn’t what you were looking for, and you would like to discontinue working together (we sure hope not!). Additional pricing for services would be given at the follow-up meeting that fit your specific needs. Rememberdue to the size and scope of this project in particular, this presentation is only to give you the general design feel, aesthetic, and direction. Further meetings/presentations would include floor plans, renderings, specific budget numbers for design elements (flooring, paint, furniture), and options for finishes, colors, etc. Hope you love our designs! Can’t wait to hear from you!
THANK YOU Kelley Howley & Fernando Ramirez Hunt & Gather 951 Cherry St. SE huntandgatherGR@gmail.com