Design That Matters: My Latest Big News!

As most of you know, for the past several years, there has rarely been a time that I have not had some kind of design project going, whether in my own home, in a client’s home, or even some other special project for various organizations, but for the past several weeks, I’ve been working on the most unique (and one of the biggest) projects I’ve ever done. To start, the location definitely holds the record for being the farthest place I’ve ever worked from, and it’s also a place I’ve never actually been!  But it’s the purpose behind the project that makes it one of the most meaningful opportunities with which I’ve ever been able to use my love for design. This project is a surgical clinic currently being built in El Progreso, Honduras, which will serve as a place where local residents there will be able to receive much-needed medical attention, all under the care of many different wonderful surgeons and medical professionals from here in the States who will be traveling at different times to volunteer their time and abilities to serve those in need.

This clinic is being built by a wonderful organization called Medical Missions Outreach, with which our family has been involved since its start many years ago.  The mission of this organization is to organize and lead groups of medical professionals, as well as other volunteers, on mission trips to countries all around the world for the purpose of setting up free short-term clinics where people can receive the medical care they may not otherwise have the opportunity to receive.   All of this work is also done as a way to share our faith and the love of Christ in these areas across the world, and is done in conjunction with local missionaries who are able to provide spiritual support to the patients long after they visit the clinics.  This organization is led and directed by my brother-in-law and sister-in-law, along with several others, whom God has gifted with amazing knowledge, ability, and experience to facilitate all the details of leading the groups as well as setting up these clinics where thousands of people may be seen in a week’s time.

This surgical center in Honduras will be the first permanent facility they have been able to build, and is due to host its first clinical team in August of this year!  Not only will it be a nice medical facility, but it will house the team members during their stay, so it includes 6 living quarters similar to hotel rooms, a nice common area, kitchen, and large dining area for the team as well.  There is also a small apartment to provide a longer term living space for a manager or director to stay. When my brother-in-law asked me if I would be interested in helping them choose the furnishings and finishing designs for this facility, I was truly honored to have the opportunity.  We don’t often think of practical skills like decorating and design as being a form of ministry, but I’ve learned that God often gives us opportunities to serve Him in more ways than we can imagine if we don’t limit Him.  And this is my latest opportunity. I’ve spent a lot of hours gathering the elements needed to achieve these design plans, and I thought you might be interested in getting a first-hand look at some of them!  (You can shop some of these items via the slides under the design boards.) Since my main focus was the living quarters and common areas, here they are, beginning with the apartment.  This space includes a small living area, kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom. I’m loving how these colors and pieces came together…

I chose to go with a general global feel in the whole project, combined with some industrial elements to keep things clean and colorful.  Obviously being on a tight budget, I wanted to choose pieces that look great and function well, but were also very affordable.  For both the apartment and the living quarters, I was amazed to find so many great pieces that fit this plan well! You’ll notice many of these pieces are from the Opalhouse collection at Target, which provided just the look I was hoping to find at the prices we needed as well.  Here are some glimpses of the colors and textiles for each of the 6 living quarters…

The furnishings for each of the living spaces is a practical industrial look which is versatile enough to go with each of the different design plans of the rooms…

And one of my favorite spaces is the large open common area which includes the living and sitting areas, the dining room (which will have 3 of the dining table sets!), and the kitchen!  This will provide a nice place for the teams to relax and congregate during their downtime.  I was able to get some fabulous deals on so many of these pieces that I think will provide a nice space for the purpose.

I’ve shared all this to, first, give you a glimpse of what design work I have been up to this summer, and secondly, to introduce you to Medical Missions Outreach, which I highly recommend if you are looking for an organization to travel with for a missions trip.  My son, Grant, will be traveling with them for the 3rd time in August, and I may possibly be traveling to this clinic in Honduras to see the finished project when it’s complete, if scheduling and details work out! I encourage you to check out their website HERE, see their upcoming travel opportunities, learn more about what they’ve done in the past, and contact them if you have any questions at all. There is a video tour of this surgical center progress, done by my brother-in-law, Bradley, on their Facebook page HERE if you’d like to see it!  Just scroll down to the post from May 8th for that. And lastly, if you may not be the type to be adventurous enough to travel for one of these clinics yourself, maybe you’d like to donate to help give the opportunity to someone else.  There is opportunity for secure, tax-deductible donations on their site as well!

Here are a few shots from one of Grant’s trips!  If you’ve been on a trip with MMO in the past, I’d love to hear about it!

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