I always find it helpful to have a quick list of guidelines to keep in mind for many things that I do in life, whether it’s fashion decisions, large purchases, or even, yes, church interior design. These guidelines simplify my decision-making process and keep me from making big mistakes, especially out of frustration or impatience. So here’s a quick list of do’s and dont’s for church interior design that will help as you work on designing (or redesigning) the spaces in your church.
Don’t copy someone else.
Churches are pretty well-known for copying other churches who do cool things. We see the slow (or fast!) spread of ideas from one church to another when there are good sermon series ideas (At the Movies, anyone?) or new worship styles. And usually, we excuse our copying by saying something like “We all steal from thieves,” or, if we want to be really spiritual and quote scripture, “There’s nothing new under the sun.” And sure, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. But when it comes to your church interior design, I highly recommend not doing a copy + paste from a screenshot you take of another church’s Instagram post or from a Pinterest pin.
Do look at who you are as a body of believers.
What do you want people to know about you? How do you want them to feel when they come through your doors? It’s easy to copy and paste, but it takes significant effort to dial into the philosophy behind your design before making any design decisions. As cool as Elevation, Passion, and The Belonging Co are, they have a unique philosophy and mission that guide their ministry, and their design flows out of that. And so should yours! Your design can and will be as meaningful if it reflects your heart and mission.
Don’t paint your walls gray if you're not “a gray-walled church.”
A few years ago, gray walls suddenly became a huge trend in design. Many people went gray with their walls because it seemed like the thing to do, but not necessarily because they liked it or it was reflective of them. Trends come and go, and some of them can take a lot of effort to undo (I’m looking at you, wallpaper borders of the ‘90s!), so don’t feel the pressure to give in to them if they don’t ring true to who you are as a church.
DO decide the vibe you want people to feel in your space.
Then, choose your paint scheme accordingly. For example, if gray feels too dark or drab for you, look for other options that evoke the feelings you want people to have when they are in your space. I have an entire blog devoted to choosing a paint scheme for your church here that can help you decide what colors will work well in your space.
Don’t dismiss the importance of your lobby and common spaces.
We can often overlook the importance of those spaces and view them more as a pass-through or a hallway leading to the “main event,” the worship center. And many times we invest the bulk of our facilities improvement budget into making the sanctuary the best it can be. There is high value in that, no doubt. But let’s not forget how important the lobby and common areas are!
DO UNDERSTAND THAT YOUR LOBBY IS THE FIRST IMPRESSION, WHICH WAS SO MUCH VALUE.
You never get a second chance to make your first impression. (I talk about that in detail in this blog). Your lobby is most likely the point of entry that a first-time guest will use to access your building. And beyond the value of creating a space that appeals to a visitor, there’s also the value of creating a space that fosters connection for the people who attend your church.
Don’t skimp on directional signage.
Your church building is a place you are very familiar with; of course, you know how to get to the children’s facilities, restrooms, and worship center. But if you put yourself in the shoes of a visitor, how easy is it to navigate your building? Can you find your way from one end to the other using the available directional signage? If not, where can you add signage to support the visitor’s experience?
Do make it easy to get from each main point of your building to the next part.
Your directional signage should be simple, on brand, and strategically placed in high-traffic and obviously visible locations. This will take your visitor experience to the next level and reduce uncertainty.
Don’t keep something on the wall because it's always been there.
Sister Betty may have given that yellowed Footprints in the Sand plaque to the church 35 years ago, and it may offend her to take it down. But that’s not a great reason to keep it on the wall if it doesn’t reflect who you are anymore. There are ways to keep the memory alive without keeping it on the wall. You can take a photo of the plaque and store it in the church archives. Or you can offer sentimental items back to the people of the congregation (or maybe Sister Betty’s family) to see if they would like them. If you have space for significant items, you could even store them and bring them out for a museum-type display on major church anniversaries.
Do cast vision to your people about why you want to make changes.
If you’re spending the time, money, and energy to remodel or refresh your space, you surely have great reasons and motivation. But if your church members don’t know what that is, they may meet the change unwillingly. People generally are change-averse. But if they understand “the why” and connect it with the eternal value of seeing new people brought in and connected to the family of God, they are more likely to be willing to let go of the sentimental items (maybe begrudgingly, but even so!).
These simple do’s and dont’s are a great start to your church interior design project. And if you need further help, I’d love to talk! Reach out and schedule a free discovery call and we can chat about your next project!
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