Visit this webpage often to get Milwaukee Updates and news coverage about Design for a Difference-Milwaukee. As FLOOR360 brings the interior design community and area businesses together to provide a free makeover, you will meet everyone involved and find out what steps they are taking to create a great space for a special place in our community.
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project completed - arch
The completed 3,800 square foot interior design project was revealed on April 25 to the leadership team at ARCh. Among the improvements were way finding signs, entry ways that accommodate people with mobility issues, a calming room for people with sensory issues, an executive conference room for board meetings, soothing intake rooms for families seeking assistance.
finishing touches - arch
When the furniture was delivered and paint was dry it was time to arrange the furnishings and stage the rooms. Hanging the framed photos and artwork was the finishing touch. Way finding signs were placed everywhere with braille to accommodate those with sight impairments.
Design team prep and paint - ARCh
Work began inside Association for the Rights of Citizens with handicaps in Waukesha on March 18, 2024. Beginning with demo and painting preparations.
Makeover reveal day - Grand Avenue club
(October 2022) The staff at Grand Avenue Club saw their new focus meeting room area for the first time on October 18, 2022 after moving out of the space and not seeing it since September 23! FLOOR360 Kashou Design Studio Manager Kelly Kuehn guided a group of about 25 through the doors with their eyes closed and led them into the room. Then Kelly said the magic words “open your eyes” and you could see and feel the happiness from everyone in the room. Milwaukee Magazine was there to cover it as sponsor of Design for a Difference along with local television stations, CBS58, TMJ4 and FOX 6. The design team used elements that were meaningful for the organization, added new paint, new luxury vinyl plank flooring, and new furnishings with work stations and conference table. The value of the makeover was over $200,000 in donations from the Milwaukee community and businesses – THANK YOU
Design team painting
(October 2022) Kelly Kuehn the FLOOR360 Kashou Design Studio Manager and Director of Design for a Difference leads a group of interior designers to makeover the inside of Grand Avenue Club on Michigan Street. Peg Cumbie and Julie Taylor – FLOOR360, Tami Gilanyi and Alaina Bernarde – Design 2 Construct Development Corporation, Mags Miller – Interior Designer. They’ve been putting in their sweat equity whatever needs to be done to make the transformation happen! Since all the details of the makeover are a secret until the final result is revealed, photos will be in black and white to preserve the surprise.
Shopping with a generous donation
(August 2022) Design for a Difference Milwaukee and FLOOR360 received a generous donation from Bilt Rite Furniture to buy furniture for the free makeover at Grand Avenue Club this September and October. The reason they were so generous is because Bilt Rite Furniture employs members of the Grand Avenue Club, so they are very familiar with the good work they do and services they provide.
The specific things the design team was shopping for inside Grand Avenue Club needs to remain a secret until Reveal Day this October. This group of interior designers who are volunteering their time and talents have been planning their designs since June. Now it’s a matter of gathering the donations to make their plans a reality. Design for a Difference makeovers rely 100% on donations from the Milwaukee Community! Fill out the donation form or visit the Amazon Wish List.
inside the Grand avenue club milwaukee
(July 2022) Built in 1856, this building was known as the Insurance Exchange Building for many years. The mission of the Grand Avenue Club is to provide adults who have experienced mental illness with pre-vocational training, paid employment opportunities, supported education, and enriching evenings/weekend/holiday programming. 85% of people with a serious mental health issues are unemployed. Grand Avenue Club seeks to assist and collaborate with this population to achieve individual and organizational goals. The Design for a Difference Makeover will take place in a 3,000 sq ft space in the main level where the staff and members process clothing donations for their second hand boutique. The space also includes The Lincoln Room and a conference meeting area. 3
Grand avenue club receives a makeover
(June, 1 2022) Between March and May, people submitted nominations of non-profit facilities to be considered for a free Design for a Difference makeover in 2022. After reviewing all the nominations of deserving non-profits requesting a makeover, FLOOR360 and Milwaukee Magazine made site visits to a few finalists. The final selection decision was made soon after, and on June 1, 2022 a delegation from FLOOR360 and Milwaukee Magazine gave the news to Rachel Forman, Grand Avenue Club Executive Director that her organization was chosen. Their focal meeting area on the main floor will be transformed through the power of design by volunteers and donations from the interior design and business communities. Keep checking back for updates.
CBS58 Sunday Morning Feature
(MILWAUKEE, November 2019) – It’s a creative collective of businesses that want to help. Volunteers and designers recently unveiled a revamped and refurbished group home for troubled youth in Milwaukee. The floor to ceiling redesign was made possible through the efforts of Design for a Difference. Watch Story
2019 Makeover is Complete!
(October 13, 2019) – The completed Design for a Difference interior makeover of Walker’s Point Youth & Family Center was unveiled to the leadership team and volunteers for the first time! It was an emotional and exciting day for both the design team who planned and executed the makeover as well as the leadership team and volunteers for the non-profit. FLOOR360 and Milwaukee Magazine are very proud to bring the Design for a Difference movement to the Milwaukee area. The local interior design community came together in June to start planning, then used their business connections to receive donations and installed their designs over two weeks while the Walker’s Point staff moved out. Everyone who works at FLOOR360 put in volunteer hours to make it happen especially Bob Kashou FLOOR360 carpet consultant and Kelly Kuehn the project leader and manager of Kashou Design Studio inside FLOOR360.
Volunteers are Making a Difference
(Summer 2019) FLOOR360 is forever grateful for the dedicated interior designers who have been planning the makeover of Walker’s Point Youth & Family Center for the last six months. Everyone inside Walker’s Point moves out for two weeks so demolition, installation, painting and decorating can be completed. That’s where volunteers and area businesses donate their materials and skills to make the space special.
Walker’s Point Youth & Family Center Receives Makeover
Spectrum News1 WI (Aug. 14) “Our shelter does great work, but our shelter also looks like it’s been doing great work with teenagers for 40 something years,” O’Connell said.
Soon that will change. A Wisconsin organization called Floor360 will soon renovate the house.
“So what we can do is at least give them a space that is uplifting, something that is fresh and new to help them feel relaxed and comfortable in their space,” said Kelly Kuehn, a design studio manager for Floor360 in Milwaukee. Watch Story
About Walker’s Point Youth & Family Center
(From their website)
Teens who come to us for help are usually doing so because they are having serious problems at home. Many leave home because of reported physical or sexual abuse or neglect. Many of these teens also come from alcohol or drug addicted families.
In recent years we have noted a major rise in homeless youth needing services. Our goals are to encourage families to work out their problems , help youth to decide upon a positive course of action and ensure a more stable living environment for youth.
It is difficult to get a full sense of the size of the homeless youth population in Milwaukee, as these vulnerable teens tend to stay out of the public eye. Yet according to the national runaway prevalence study from the Urban Institute in 2010, one in five youth run away from home before reaching the age of eighteen, and that half of these run away two or more times. Reports of child abuse and neglect, a common issue cited by youth in emergency shelter, have also been at very high levels.
Walker’s Point Youth and Family Center is licensed as a child welfare agency by the Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services. The Runaway and Teen Crisis shelter is a state licensed group home. Read more about the Youth & Family Center
Design for a Difference Design Team Meets On-Site
(July 30, 3019) The Design for a Difference-Milwaukee team met together on-site at Walker’s Point Youth and Family Center. This was the first time the interior design professionals who are donating their time and talents have seen the space. The most important meeting in the process is when the design team meets with the people who use the facility day in and day out. The design team learns how the spaces are currently used, and what the staff hopes for the space in the future.
Below is a photo of some members of the design team with a list of all the members.
Amy Seckinger – Amy Seckinger Designs
Sally Lyons – FLOOR360
Kelly Kuehn – FLOOR360 and Design for a Difference – Milwaukee Project Leader
Bob Kashou – FLOOR360, Kashou Design Studio
Chelsea Puetz – KR Schaetz
Katie Ryan – Kreativ Stone & Design
Natalie Blais – Milwaukee Magazine
Katie Williams – Milwaukee Magazine
Natasa Jones – Natasa Jones Interiors
Christine Mutschler – Office Furniture Resources
Anna Janke – Peridot Design
Lin Linder – Terra Domus Design Group
Shalina Ali – True Skool
Fidel Verdin – True Skool
Design Team Meeting #1
(July 19, 2019) Milwaukee Magazine as our partner, offered to host the first design team meeting to review floor plans and photos of Walker’s Point Youth and Family Center, the recipient of the 2019 Design for a Difference-Milwaukee makeover. FLOOR360 Milwaukee / Kashou Design Studio Manager Kelly Kuehn is the design team leader for Design for a Difference- Milwaukee. Kelly organized a meeting of the interior design professionals who are donating their time and talents from July through October to plan, design and execute the makeover inside Walker’s Point Youth & Family Center. The objective of the first meeting is to inspire each member of the design team to commit to one area inside the non-profit that they will be responsible for designing.
Sharing the Good News
(July 10, 2019) The Design for a Difference-Milwaukee selection committee comprised of FLOOR360 and Milwaukee Magazine representatives, requested a meeting with the leadership team at Walker’s Point Youth and Family Center in Milwaukee on July 10. Before that time, the selection committee had decided that the recipient of the 2019 Makeover will be Walker’s Point Youth and Family Center. The selection committee had the pleasure of surprising Executive Director Audra O’Connell and Director of Housing and Crisis Services Ryan Miller with the good news that their non-profit had been selected this year.
Announcing the first Design for a Difference-Milwaukee Makeover
Written by Chris Drosner
Milwaukee Magazine (July 10, 2019) Design for a Difference, a national movement that provides a professional makeover of local nonprofits’ spaces free of charge, is stepping in to make that happen. The initiative, spearheaded locally by FLOOR360, has selected Walker’s Point Youth and Family Center as its first recipient in the Milwaukee area. Over the next three months or so, a volunteer team of designers will work with suppliers, installers, painters and other volunteers to plan and execute the renovation using donated furniture and materials. Read more about the initiative
BEFORE MAKEOVER PHOTOS
