UK interior design students develop trauma-informed redesign plans for Lexington children-and-family nonprofit The Nest

University of Kentucky interior design students completed a semester-long project to develop trauma-informed redesign plans for The Nest, a Lexington nonprofit that supports families and children in crisis, according to LEX18. The effort centers on rethinking the physical environment of The Nest to help children feel safer while caregivers seek stability and services.

LEX18 reported that the students’ work focused on how interior design can affect children experiencing stress, fear, and disruption. Rather than treating the space as purely aesthetic, the project used a trauma-informed approach, which typically emphasizes predictability, comfort, and reducing sensory stressors for people dealing with difficult circumstances.

The Nest has served Lexington-area families for nearly 50 years, LEX18 said. The redesigned plans are intended to support the nonprofit’s mission by improving day-to-day conditions in areas where children and families interact with staff during visits and program participation.

The UK program conducted the project as part of its interior design coursework, with students producing design concepts and recommendations for how The Nest could adjust layouts, materials, and visual elements to be more supportive for children in crisis. LEX18 did not specify which exact design elements the students selected or whether the nonprofit will implement the plans immediately.

LEX18’s report framed the students’ deliverables as a way to translate training and design research into practical options for a community organization. The Nest’s leadership and staff would be positioned to review the proposals and decide which recommendations could be pursued based on needs, space constraints, and available resources.

As with any design concept project, the next steps depend on The Nest’s capacity to move from planning to execution. LEX18 did not report a timeline for renovations, funding amounts, or whether the students’ plans include cost estimates or phased implementation, leaving those details to be confirmed by the nonprofit and the university.

For families served by The Nest, the intended benefit is straightforward: a more supportive setting for children and caregivers during periods when safety and stability are priorities. For the public, the project illustrates how local universities can collaborate with long-running social service organizations to address practical obstacles that affect service delivery, including the experience of children in crisis.