Rise Up

Desiree Carrillo from The House Modesto in Modesto, CA brings us this great use of marquee-style lettering and LED tape.

After getting the graphic for their conference, they decided to go with a theme of light and angles. Desiree decided to do some research and she came across the post “Chevron? More Like Chevright!” on CSDI and loved how they incorporated the chevrons. She decided she wanted to do the same thing but instead flip them so the arrows pointed up, as if to “rise” up from the bottom. She also had this idea of doing a “light wall”. She had seen many posts about how different churches had done them, so she just decided to come up with her own way using collective resources. The RISE letters were repurposed from a previous conference, and the theme colors were blue and green so she decided to spray paint the old red letters a lime green so that they would “pop” more.

For the chevrons, they framed them out and used metal sheeting. They decided to try this instead of masonite because they thought they would get a better reflection with the LED tape. Unfortunately, the metal was too reflective and instead didn’t hold any of the light in or spread it like they had hoped. They ended up painting the metal sheeting in a eggshell white. The chevrons were very lightweight and easy to move around which made it convenient for transporting. Also, unlike “Chevron: More Like Chevright!” Desiree decided to use two strands per chevron instead of one because she wanted them to really pack a punch of color (this also brought the cost of the LED’s up). For the 45deg angles, they ended up repurposing some old wood they had from a previous project. Looking back now, Desiree believes crown molding (as seen in the other post) probably would have been way easier than creating their own. Lastly, they built a basic box frame for the chevrons using 2×4’s and then attached eye bolts and suspended them above the stage.

This entire stage design: light stands, light bulbs, work lights (for the light wall), LED tape (w/ decoders and PSU’s), lumber, and paint cost them about $5,500.

All of the LED tape, accessories, and DMX decoder were purchased from Amazon.

Check out her portfolio for some more pics and vids: http://www.lightingdezigns.carbonmade.com

Creating Dynamic Chevron Stage Designs with LED Integration

Chevron patterns have become a staple in modern church stage design, offering a geometric visual language that conveys movement, direction, and energy. This design from The House Modesto demonstrates how chevron elements can be adapted to support specific thematic messaging-in this case, the concept of rising upward. The upward-pointing arrows create subconscious visual cues that reinforce the spiritual theme without requiring explicit explanation.

The material selection process for this project reveals important lessons about light interaction that apply to many LED stage designs. The initial choice of metal sheeting seemed logical for maximizing LED reflection, but the reality proved that too much reflectivity can actually diminish the desired lighting effect. When surfaces are overly reflective, they create hot spots and glare rather than the smooth, even glow that makes LED tape installations visually appealing. The solution-painting the metal with eggshell white-demonstrates how surface finish dramatically impacts lighting outcomes.

The decision to use two strands of LED tape per chevron rather than one shows how design requirements should drive technical specifications. While this choice increased material costs, it achieved the design goal of creating vibrant, saturated color that would read clearly throughout the worship space. Church stage designers often face this tension between budget constraints and visual impact, and this project shows that strategic investment in key elements can deliver disproportionate visual returns.

Suspension and rigging considerations are often overlooked in stage design discussions but represent critical safety and practical concerns. The use of eye bolts and aircraft cable (implied by the suspension method) provides secure attachment points while allowing for precise height adjustment. This approach enables the team to fine-tune the chevron positioning for optimal sight lines from all seating areas, ensuring the design reads effectively whether viewed from the front row or the balcony.

Related Designs

• Chevron? More Like Chevright! – Discover the original inspiration for this design featuring downward-pointing chevrons and crown molding details.
• Reverberation – Learn how Fair Haven Church created a stunning LED cross design using u-channel and tape lights for their worship space.
• Faithful Creation – See how Southern Hills Church built a budget-friendly 12-foot cross using coroplast and simple 2×4 framing.
• In the Darkness, Light – Explore how Church at the Cross built stunning hybrid LED and incandescent fixtures using buckets and Edison bulbs.
• Ground Zero – Discover how Pleasant Valley Church created a haunting memorial stage design using foam board and LED lighting.

Pro Tips for LED Chevron Stage Designs

Test Your Materials: Before committing to large quantities of any reflective material, test a small sample with your actual LED tape under stage lighting conditions. What looks good in daylight or under shop lights may behave completely differently under theatrical LED fixtures. Document your tests with photos from audience sight lines.

Plan for Power Distribution: LED tape projects require careful power planning. Calculate total wattage needs, plan power supply placement for minimal cable runs, and ensure adequate ventilation around power supplies. Overheating is the most common cause of LED system failures in church installations.

Consider Modular Construction: Building chevron elements as separate, manageable units makes transport, storage, and installation significantly easier. The lightweight design shown here allows for quick setup and teardown, which is essential for churches that share their sanctuary space with other ministries.

Document Your Process: Take photos during construction to create a visual guide for future volunteers. Label all components clearly and store them together. The investment in documentation pays dividends when the design needs to be reinstalled months or years later by a different team.

Related: Weathered – Explore a modular backdrop built from reclaimed wood, corrugated roofing, and warm practical lights.

Related: Portable Reflections – Explore an affordable reflective stage treatment that multiplies the impact of a small LED lighting package without permanent mounting.