As the founder of The Zen Experience, designer Dara Segbefia has carved a unique niche for herself by focusing on transforming teacher lounges and enhancing the well-being of educators, often in underserved communities.
In conversation with Segbefia, she shares her passion for creating mindful, biophilic spaces that not only beautify schools but also contribute to teacher retention by improving their mental health. From her serendipitous entry into educational design to her recent Wayfair Tastemakers award, Segbefia’s story is one of purpose-driven creativity and community impact.
Read on to discover how Segbefia’s approach to mindful spaces is reshaping educational environments:
DNN: What was the moment you knew design was for you and what led to you focusing your design work on transforming spaces for educators?
Segbefia: I embarked on my journey as a residential interior designer roughly three years ago, and the inception of The Zen Experience coincided with a pivotal moment in my life – my pregnancy with my daughter, Zeniyah, affectionately known as Zen. It was during this awakening that the name for my business took shape.
In 2021, my residential client entered me into a Santa Monica Mother’s Day event, which I won, and it was there that I met my now great friend, Principal Kasiopia. Principal Kasi pitched me an opportunity to design the Teachers’ Lounge at her KIPP Sol School in Los Angeles, which I eagerly accepted. It was such an amazing and rewarding experience that I decided to pivot and focus on schools. This experience was the catalyst for discovering my true passion.
DNN: With increasing rates of burnout and teachers leaving the profession, how do you believe well-designed spaces can aid in promoting mental health and increasing teacher retention?
Segbefia: The testimonials I’ve received have been extremely moving and keep me motivated with every project I take on. Educators immediately have a sense of relief when they see the finished space. Things are organized and they’re not working out of boxes. They feel appreciated and valued, which as a teacher, isn’t typically a normal feeling. When I was interviewing teachers for the KIPP Compton Lounge one of the teachers said, “I need a place to decompress and relax, even for just a few minutes.”
So, I made sure to use larger sized furniture that was comfortable enough to lie down on and quickly take a few breaths. It’s amazing watching all the staff, including the janitors, secretaries, and teacher’s aides, utilize the coworking space. They appreciate the different sections of the space, the colors, plants, furniture, and intentional solutions, which helps with their productivity.
These spaces are also building community. Instead of teachers eating lunches in their classrooms or cars, they are coming to the space and interacting with each other, making plans outside of school and building closer relationships. This all impacts their work, their wellbeing, and the lives of their students.
DNN: Each of the teacher lounges you create is unique and tailored to that specific community. Can you share more about your design process and how you involve teachers and staff in shaping these spaces?
Segbefia: Prior to starting every new Teachers Lounge project, I always meet with the Teachers and Staff to understand their style, inspiration, and energy. I definitely received a “Maximalism” vibe from the KIPP Compton School.
I used vibrant colors and an eclectic mix of furniture and art. Part of this Maximalism style is also represented with a custom comic strip that I had a muralist create on an 18-foot bar paired with an all-black quartz countertop.
I wanted the comic strip to celebrate diversity and tell a story about how a young student was inspired by their teacher to become an educator one day. I love the freedom that Maximalist design gave me in my creative expression at this school, which aligned with the educators’ bright and bubbly personalities.
Mindfulness and biophilic design
DNN: Mindfulness and biophilic design are central tenets in your designs. How do you incorporate these elements, and why are they important considerations, particularly in educational settings?
Segbefia: Whether I’m designing a home, commercial space or Teachers Lounge, I always try to incorporate biophilic design elements that will contribute to a mindful space. This includes plants of all shapes and sizes, living moss, natural light, and blurring the lines between the inside and outside.
I love when clients are open to the idea of a meditation space or yoga room in the home or office. Think beautiful art, a cozy rug, throw pillows, and a few indoor plants. This doesn’t require a huge space, just an area that you can be intentional about that lets you escape distractions and bring you back to the present moment.
Travel-inspired design
DNN: You mentioned your recent project at KIPP Corazón in East Los Angeles was inspired by the teachers’ dreams of visiting Tulum. How did you translate that into tangible design elements?
Segbefia: One of my recent projects was a Teachers Lounge remodel at KIPP Corazón in East Los Angeles. I worked with the teachers and staff to design a space inspired by their dreams of visiting Tulum.
In this new lounge, I incorporated neutral tones, organic materials, biophilic design elements, and a Zen design flow that gave teachers and staff a place to recharge before heading back to the classroom.
Designing for good
DNN: As a mom of two young girls, how do you instill a sense of mindfulness and involve your children in your design work? What lessons do you hope they learn from your mission?
Segbefia: I am a mom to two young girls, Zen (4) and Zoey (2) and I prioritize mindfulness with my kids whenever I can. We love doing yoga together, and we read positive affirmations to start our day.
My girls also love coming with me to check on the school’s progress or to source materials. I think it’s important to teach kids at a young age the importance of giving back; especially when it comes to schools. My girls love their teachers so much so it’s great they are seeing me pour back into this community.
DNN: There has been a rise in popularity of mindfulness and well-being in design. How do you see this movement evolving? Are there any particular trends or innovations you’re excited about in this space?
Segbefia: We’re seeing a big movement toward more mindfulness at home and in the workplace. Being booked and busy is not the goal anymore – everyone is talking about a soft life and prioritizing self-care.
With interior design, it’s all about how the space makes you feel. I love to evoke the senses through my designs – what makes you happy, what type of art motivates you, are you drawn to plants or a specific scent – all of this is the vibrational energy of the space.
Wayfair Tastemaker award win
DNN: Your recent Wayfair Tastemakers award is a testament to your impactful work. Congratulations! What does this recognition mean to you, and how do you hope it will further amplify your mission?
Segbefia: Winning the Wayfair Tastemakers Award was very exciting! I’m very grateful to be recognized for my work and the difference I’m making in these communities. I work in many cities that are unfortunately known for crime and poverty, not beautiful interior design. My goal is to shine the light on the amazing teachers and administrators in these communities doing incredible work.
I also want students and families to see that they are worthy of beautiful spaces. I hope my interior design work continues to make an impact in schools and brings in more families from these communities. If your home is in Compton or East Los Angeles, you shouldn’t have to drive far to send your child to school. Let’s give back to the schools in our communities and create beautiful spaces to make it the best experience for educators and students.
DNN: Beyond teacher lounges, are there other sectors or communities you hope to impact through your design work, centering around mindfulness, community-building, and well-being?
Segbefia: I strive to create spaces that positively stimulate the mind, body, and spirit. I hope to create a new paradigm in education that prioritizes the mental and emotional health of educators through my lens of design. My goal is to connect with people that want to positively elevate themselves whether it’s healthy living, community gatherings, education, or physical activity.
I also strive to promote health awareness and equity in design within communities. I hope to impact them in a way where they’re more likely to sit down in these intentional spaces to pause and take a moment to inspire, eat healthier, and give back to the community.
DNN: For designers interested in giving back or incorporating more mindfulness into their practice, what advice or resources would you recommend to them?
Segbefia: I think it’s so important to understand the client and what they enjoy, versus implementing designs that you like. Make the client feel like they are family. You need to reach them on a personal level and truly get to know what hits their senses. Whether its texture, sound, or beautiful visual art, all of this should come together in the final design of the space.
DNN: Lastly, what’s next for you and The Zen Experience? Are there any exciting projects or initiatives on the horizon that you can share with us? And what is the dream project that you’d love to have realized?
Segbefia: I am currently working on a project, Heaven’s Angels Academy, which is opening at the end of 2024. I am designing the entire school, so this is a project close to my heart. It’s also a full circle moment for me because before I started my Interior Design firm, I was a receptionist for a nursery in Long Beach.
I remember hearing the good and the bad from educators and realizing what would be needed for a successful school to function. I’m also working on a school that is being built from the ground-up and I’ll be designing the conference room and teacher’s lounge.
My dream project would be to design a school on a larger scale such as a University, or an Athletic Space – especially at the college level. These students are under a lot of stress with school and sports and it would be great to create a space where they could decompress.
I couldn’t be more proud of this human and what she’s doing for these schools. Please keep shining you light on this world.
What a beautiful story and amazing designs! Congrats on all the success, Dara!