Chris McClanahan is an aspiring interior architect residing in Mason, OH. A born designer, she earned a degree in Digital Media in 2007 from the University of Central Florida and began a career in web and print design. After taking a long hiatus from work to raise two boys, starting a real estate investment company with her husband, creating a nonprofit organization, and completing countless renovation projects, Chris reevaluated her goals. In 2021 she decided to pursue her life-long dream and enrolled in the Interior Architecture BFA program at Ohio University. It has been a rewarding and challenging experience that has allowed her to hone her innate artistic talents and acquire new practical skills that make her a thoughtful, enthusiastic, and inspired interior designer.

While assessing the possible topics for her senior thesis project, Chris recalled the nonprofit organization she and her husband co-founded. With the goal of providing temporary housing for at-risk mothers and their children, the nonprofit helped a family for one year. Chris determined that transitional housing with onsite supportive services would be the focus of her thesis project and created Bloom Haven - a single-site facility for survivors of domestic violence. The goal of this project is to address the lack of affordable housing options for survivors and provide access to necessary services and valuable amenities. By utilizing trauma-informed design, Bloom Haven will create a safe and empowering place for survivors and their families to find healing, community, and a path forward.

My Senior Thesis

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