After Kim's renovation of a middle school teacher's lounge, the counseling staff at the same Title 1 public school approached the PTA, requesting that they bring in Kim to redesign the counseling center. The goal for this project was to add furnishings and decor to the space to help it feel more safe and welcoming for students struggling with anything from family issues to academics or from identity development to social anxiety. The school has an amazing counseling team, and the sterile feel of the center's common space was not in sync with their warm personalities. They wanted a space that felt inviting for a middle schooler: where students would want to come to decompress with crafts at the center table, regulate their emotions by listening to music with headphones in the calm corner, or having a quiet conversation on the couch. 

Kim’s Design Notes: Due to knowing many of the students at the school, I wanted to create a space that reflected their diverse beauty and creativity; something that would de-stigmatize counseling and draw them in because the space looked inviting from the hallway. I did this with colorful neon signs, decor with positive messaging, and figurines of rainbows and balloon animals. I softened the sterility of the 50+ year old window wall with gauzy, colorful curtains, and used bright and playful rugs and floor pillows to distract from the worn orange carpet. While we didn't have time or budget to modify the walls, floor, or ceiling, it was rewarding to see what new furnishings, decor, and plants did to enliven the room and get kids excited to spend time there. A counselor told me after the space was finished that instead of working in their office, they worked on the couch in the common area which was not only more comfortable, but also allowed for greater availability to welcome students into the space! Such a meaningful transformation!