Making a stage look great can be a difficult task for anyone, especially those of us who are not professional interior designers. Although it might be daunting to come up with a creative stage design, there are so many great ideas for how you can redesign your stage to look great.
Another aspect that makes designing a stage difficult can be the comparison to other churches. It is easy to see other churches’ Instagrams and live streams and wonder how they afforded such a great stage design. Although that might be a temptation, I want to reassure you there are many budget-friendly options when it comes to creating a great stage design.
But just because we are trying to be budget-friendly, does not mean we should be willing to sacrifice the quality of our stage designs. The stage might be the first thing a guest sees when they walk into your auditorium on a Sunday morning, so it is important to make a lasting impression with a great church stage design.
There are so many options for budget-friendly stage designs for churches that will be eye-catching. Here is our list of the 25 best affordable and creative church stage design ideas.
Best, Creative, and Affordable Church Stage Designs
1. PVC PIPE
When it comes to creating a beautiful stage design with limited budgets, sometimes you’ve got to be very crafty and that’s exactly what James Felver and Micah Jacobson did with their stage design.
James and Micah cut-tied 2” PVC pipes and hung them from the ceiling of their auditorium. Following that, they used the stage lights to make them appear in different colors.
They were shrewd when it came to this one. Although it might take some extra work, it could save you tons of money and give you a great-looking stage design that your entire congregation will think looks good too.
2. Wood Pallets
Another great option for a stage design is to use wooden pallets. Wood pallets are pretty cheap and can create a cool effect on your stage. They can bring a natural look with a shape that is eye-catching.
A way that many churches do this is to buy wooden pallets and lean them up against the stage walls. Other churches opt to hang the wooden pallets from the walls.
However you do it, using wooden pallets for your stage design can be a great accent to a typically bare stage.
3. Wooden Shapes
An alternative option to the wooden pallets is to create wooden shapes. Wooden squares might not be your preferred option when it comes to a stage design, but if you have another shape you’d like to create you can create it.
Many churches build their logos out of wood and place them on stage. Triangles, squares, and octagons are all options for your church stage design. You can make those look however you would like, so the customization is a luxury.
Wood might be more expensive now than it has been in the past, but this option can still be done for rather cheap, as compared to some more contemporary options.
4. Area Rugs
But maybe you don’t have as much space to put large wooden letters on your stage, having an area rug is a great alternative for churches with a small stage.
Trying to create a great stage design with limited space can be a challenge of its own. You don’t have space for LEDs or lamps, but you might be able to put a rug down. A rug can offer a nice accent that looks well put together.
I would mostly recommend using an area rug on the ground as opposed to hanging it on the wall. It will look best on the ground and if you get a big enough one it can make the stage look full but not crammed.
5. LED Lights
Led lights, like rugs, don’t take up that much space. The LED tape has been pretty popular for its ability to generate different shapes and various colors, so it might be the perfect option for your church.
We do recommend however that if you do get LED strip tape you get a high-quality option. Many companies that sell LED tape don’t make high-quality products. So, if you do end up buying LED lights, be sure to splurge a little for sticky tape and longer-lasting LEDs.
6. String Lights
String lights can also boost the appeal of your stage. The can provide ambient lighting that makes the stage feel homey.
String lights have become very popular recently. Both at church and for homes, string lights have grown in popularity. Many people love the look of string lights, so they would be a good option to incorporate on your church’s stage.
Although string lights are popular right now, they might not always be, so we don’t recommend spending the entire budget on what might be a fad. For the time being string lights look incredible and should be considered for a stage element at your church.
7. Truss and Ground Lights
Moving on to a different kind of light, some stage designers might opt for stage lights on a plain stage. Dynamic lights can bring many different dramatic effects.
Relying on truss and ground lights also gives you a ton of customization through different lighting techniques like the use of color, layered lighting, and filter lights. There are so many options when it comes to using truss and ground lights for your church’s stage.
If you are planning on using truss and ground lights you should consider hiring someone who is a professional when it comes to creating a lighting design. Programming lights can be a challenging task, so it’s worth hiring a professional to set up your ideal vision.
8. Corrugated Plastic
Another stage design that can utilize lights to create some beautiful effects is using corrugated plastic. Like the PVC piper option corrugated plastic is a pretty simple material, but paired with a great lighting set up it can become something truly special.
This is another option that might be considered budget-friendly. Although it is budget-friendly, you also have to keep in mind the need for a good light setup. The light setup might be another expense that you have to take into account when thinking about purchasing corrugated plastic.
Regardless of the price, corrugated plastic is an incredible-looking stage design that should keep your stage looking great for years to come.
9. Drapery
Moving on to an option that suits a more minimal approach, drapery is a good choice for a stage design idea. It is inexpensive, doesn’t take up that much space, and can really impress your congregation.
We think that this option is best for portable churches that don’t have much time to set up, but still want an interesting additive to their stage design. It is great for portable church stages because it is easy to set up and still looks great.
If you are a smaller or portable church, we strongly encourage you to consider going with the drapery option.
10. Balloon Arches
Balloon arches are a fun element to add to your regular stage design. Sunday to Sunday, you might feel like your stage design is boring, so you should consider adding balloon arches for a special Sunday.
Mother’s Day, Easter, and Christmas are all days that might benefit from the added effort of a balloon arch during the Sunday morning service. Although balloon arches aren’t the cheapest thing, and you would only use it for a few Sundays out of the year, it might add value to your church to invest in a balloon arch for the stage.
Balloon arches can be a fun pop to your traditional set design.
11. Origami Stage Design
Similar to the corrugated plastic that we talked about earlier, you can use that material some create fun and different shapes that bring a bit of a different look to your stage.
The great thing about this option is that it means that you can make your stage completely custom. Of course, you can draw inspiration from other church designs, but with the origami stage design, you are not tied to one idea or way of doing things.
12. String Art
String Art is another stage design idea that might be perfect for your church. String art can be created and placed on your stage. Plus, with the use of lights, you can get some great effects with string art.
String art Installation might be a more expensive option, compared to the others on this list, but it does look great and professional.
13. Backdrop Banner
Creating a backdrop banner might be a good option too. It should be relatively inexpensive, depending on what size banner you are getting, so it is a budget-friendly option.
Backdrop banners give you tons of customization. They come in different colors, you can add logos, and you can place different textures on them.
Creating a backdrop banner is a great choice for a church stage design.
14. Fabric
Using fabric can be another good selection for your church stage design. Fabric comes in many solid colors. Solid color will look great on your stage, so this one should be considered.
We would recommend choosing a fabric color that matches your church’s colors. Plus with this choice, you can always change it. Fabric is pretty inexpensive.
15. Wooden Crates
Similar to wooden pallets, wooden crates are another wood-based stage design. Wooden crates, however, bring more dimension to your stage.
If you have the space for it, wooden crates can add depth and texture to your stage. It is a unique stage design, so people might be surprised when they walk in.
16. Plants and Greenery
Plants and greenery are a way to liven up your stage. Adding the green color can make the stage feel homey. Plants however can take a lot of maintenance, so try to get plants that don’t need too much or are artificial.
17. Wooden Crosses
Wooden crosses are a classic. Churches have been putting wooden crosses on their stages for years, so it might be worth considering. If people have been doing it for years, it must be some people’s preference.
Furthermore having a cross on the stage can remind people of the good news and make the focal points the Gospel and Jesus.
18. Sliced Tree Trunks
Sliced Tree Trunks are another unique design. Once cut, they don’t take up that much space, and they look great. Although it might seem dated, this option can be a standout for your church stage.
19. Window Panes
Window panes are another great way to utilize space on your stage. For churches with the smallest stage, window panes hardly take up any space, so it’s worth looking into them.
20. Block Letters
On the other end of the spectrum, if your church has too much space on stage, consider doing block letters. You can make block letters out of almost any material, and they are great for filling up space.
Create block letters that say, “Jesus” or, “Life,” or even the name of your church.
21. Lamp Posts
Lamp posts are another eye-catching design that can set your stage apart from other signs. It is a good stage design because it is not overdone and is a unique design.
22. Window Pane Arches
Not every church has pristine window panes, but you can consider creating them. This project would take some time, but in the end, it would look incredible. It stands out from different designs because it is a classic that many churches do not use anymore.
23. Script Lettering
Like block lettering, script lettering gives you the customization to put words on your stage. Script lettering however shouldn’t take up as much space.
24. Spotted Circles
Spotted circles also might be a good option for your church. You can create light circles that are mesmerizing, and that people will like to look at as a part of your stage.
25. LED Wall
The final stage design is an LED wall. LED walls have become immensely popular in recent years. Although they have expensive materials, you can’t beat the flexibility and reliability of a good LED wall.
If you are on a limited budget, you could look for a second-hand LED wall or shop for deals.
Your church’s stage has a huge impact on how people take in your services. Although there is no one best church stage design, there are tons of unique designs that are inexpensive and look great.
Ultimately a stage design shouldn’t distract from the focal point of God during your worship service. It should simply set the stage for your worship team and lead the pastor to engage the entire congregation in service. From online service to in-person a unique stage design can truly help your congregation to engage in worship.
