Glenn Dale United Methodist Church

Glenn Dale United Methodist Church is a repeat client we have worked with since 2012. Our work together began with the first of three grants to restore their Historic Perkins Chapel. The chair of the trustees was quick to call on HD Squared for this project as she knew that Melanie and the team would be able to assist with all of their renovation and remodel needs.

Fire Damage in the Chapel

In March of 2020, there was an electrical fire in the sanctuary that required repair to the ceiling, walls, some of the pews and the carpet. The church leadership also wanted to take the opportunity to update and repair other areas of the church while a contractor was on site. There was an aging kitchen and an additional common area that needed an update to match the newly remodeled sanctuary.

How did we rise to this challenge?

Collaborating with committees for approval can be a challenge, especially during the early months of the pandemic. Melanie created and then presented intentional designs that the church leadership saw paid homage to their beloved space while modernizing it with more sustainable elements. She helped guide them through the decision making process every step of the way.

Melanie’s holistic design vision and thoughtful finishing details resulted in a unified space that’s both beautiful and functional.

Highlights From This Project

• The former wall to wall carpet was replaced with carpet tile, enabling easy maintenance and replacement in the future. This carpet tile was selected for its recycled content, future recyclability, as well as indoor air quality benefits.
• The direction of the carpet pattern was thoughtfully placed to guide visitors’ eyes to the pulpit where a bold, solid burgundy carpet captures and holds their attention on the speaker. This pattern and color were selected not only to complement the sanctuary carpet but also to ensure the high traffic areas show less wear and tear overtime. 
• Not all of the original pews were replaced, allowing the space to retain much of its character. The new finishes were designed with the intention to complement the existing church pews.
• Low-VOC paints were utilized throughout the church halls, sanctuary and kitchen to help improve indoor air quality.
• The once all-white halls and trim work now offer depth and definition with a tone-on-tone painting technique grounded by new darker cove base to complement the updated carpet tiles.
• Trim work was strategically added to the hall pass-through to further define the new design of the hallway. The neutral wall tone was selected to further unify the connection of these two spaces. 
• The kitchen work was economical but effective. New, bright, textured laminate counters replaced the previous dingy and outdated yellow countertops. The existing cabinets received a new bright white coat of Low-VOC paint and updated hardware to freshen up the space. 

Photos by Geoffrey Hodgdon