Design That Holds Up: Sarah Harjung on Aesthetics with a Purpose in Affordable Housing

Affordable housing design can be often misunderstood and reduced to finishes and aesthetics, but the reality is far more complex. Every material, layout decision, and product selection carries long-term implications for maintenance, cost, and how residents experience a space. 

In this episode of The Comms Exchange, Sarah Harjung, Director of Design at Wilshire Pacific Builders, shares how her work sits at the intersection of design, construction, and compliance. With more than 20 years of experience and a focus on multifamily renovations, she brings a perspective shaped as much by job sites and budgets as by design intent. 

More Than Just Picking Finishes 

Sarah is quick to push back on the common perception of her role. 

“I feel like a lot of people hear, ‘I’m interior design,’ and they think you pick paint colors,” she said. “You have absolutely no idea how many restrictions and things I have to do just to pick a bathroom faucet.” 

Her role has evolved well beyond traditional interior design. Today, she moves through every phase of a project, from reviewing state requirements and funding constraints to walking job sites and coordinating with contractors, vendors, and ownership teams. 

That expanded scope reflects a broader truth about affordable housing. Design decisions are not isolated. They are tied directly to compliance, durability, and long-term operations. 

“Every decision is carefully thought out,” Sarah said. “Everything is intentional. There’s nothing that’s just picked because it’s pretty. The pretty is actually the last part.” 

Durability Is the Real Design Strategy 

When asked where design makes the biggest impact, Sarah does not point to visual elements. She points to performance. 

“The biggest one that I focus on is durability,” she said. “How it’s going to function, how it’s going to hold up over time.” 

That focus shows up in material choices that may cost more upfront but reduce replacement cycles and maintenance costs over the life of a property. Quartz countertops, for example, have become a standard selection. 

“In affordable housing, affordable doesn’t mean that you have to sacrifice quality,” Sarah said. “It might cost you a little bit now, but it’s going to save you over the course of 10 to 15 years.” 

The same thinking applies across flooring, fixtures, lighting, and fabrics. Products are selected based on how they perform under repeated use, how easily they can be cleaned, and how long they will last before needing replacement. 

Where Creativity Actually Happens 

Within the constraints of budget, compliance, and durability, there is still room for design to elevate a project. For Sarah, that opportunity shows up most clearly in shared spaces. 

“The biggest creative avenue that I get are the community spaces,” she said. 

While individual units often have limited flexibility, community rooms allow for more expressive design decisions that can shape how residents interact with the property. Sarah often uses tile, lighting, and layout strategies to create spaces that feel intentional without exceeding budget. 

“One of the biggest compliments I get is when people say, ‘That’s affordable housing? There’s no way,’” she said. 

Those moments matter, but not for aesthetic reasons alone. They signal that a project has achieved something more difficult: balancing cost, compliance, and experience without compromising any one of them. 

Designing for Use, Not Just Appearance 

For Sarah, the success of a project is defined by whether people actually use the spaces created. 

“It could be beautiful,” she said. “But if it doesn’t function, it’s bad design.” 

Many of the properties her team renovates include underutilized or abandoned common areas. Transforming those into functional spaces often has a greater impact than any finish upgrade inside a unit. 

Community kitchens, learning centers, gathering areas, and business centers all create opportunities for residents to connect, access resources, and build a sense of community. 

“When you can take a space that wasn’t used and turn it into something the entire community can use, that’s when I know it works,” she said. 

The Challenge of Working With What Already Exists 

Renovation work introduces a different level of complexity than new construction. Instead of starting with a blank slate, Sarah and her team work within the constraints of existing structures that often do not meet modern standards. 

“Renovating is always a bigger challenge,” she said. “You have to start with someone else’s footprint.” 

Older buildings may have narrow hallways, inaccessible layouts, or outdated mechanical systems that require reconfiguration. Addressing those issues while staying within budget requires constant tradeoffs and creative problem-solving. 

“You have to look at where everything exists and figure out how to make it the most accessible and usable space with the least amount of cost impact,” she said. 

That process involves balancing structural realities with design goals, always with an eye toward maintaining feasibility for the project. 

Finding Value in What’s Already There 

While existing conditions often create challenges, they can also reveal unexpected opportunities. Sarah recalled a historic renovation in Florida where the team uncovered original architectural elements hidden over time. 

“We found hand-painted wood ceilings and original stone flooring,” she said. “I was like, no one is touching these.” 

Those discoveries allowed the team to design around historic features, preserving character while updating the rest of the building to meet current needs. 

“When we find something like that, it’s very exciting,” she said. “We try to restore it back to its original glory if we can.” 

Explaining the “Why” Behind Every Decision 

Sarah’s experience in preconstruction has shaped how she communicates design decisions to clients, contractors, and subcontractors. Rather than presenting selections as preferences, she explains the reasoning behind them. 

“It’s not just a designer coming in saying, ‘This is what I want,’” she said. “It’s understanding the original problem and explaining why this solution works.” 

That approach has been especially important in a construction environment where alignment across teams is critical. 

“Once you can make them understand, you’ve sold your point,” she said. “And you’ve earned that respect.” 

The Takeaway 

Sarah Harjung’s work highlights a side of affordable housing that often goes unnoticed. Design is not about surface-level decisions. It is about creating spaces that hold up over time, support daily life, and function within a complex web of requirements. 

“It is so much more than just picking out beautiful fixtures and finishes,” she said. 

Listen to the latest episode of the Comms Exchange, Affordable Housing Design That Works: Durability, Creativity & Community, with Sarah Harjung on 

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-comms-exchange-a-podcast-by-30-90-marketing/id1842404323?i=1000758432509 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6WF4OXtaR7i7yDtz9RyR04?si=01fb2dd676cd435a 

Youtube: https://youtu.be/WUwu4n7abfU?si=obnE3DZ7N7xKUTr7