Laura Underwood has transformed her empty Tucker room from nothingness to a comfortable sanctuary for friends to come in and relax.
In her room, lime-green curtains hang over the windows, and the light shines through onto her large, navy-blue floor rug giving the room a rich glow. Her two-bulb, silver floor lamp pours mood lighting over a vast array of photographs from her high school days. A black futon is positioned under her lofted bed, covered with colorful pillows, inviting friends to sit.
Stephen Short has a chair.
“My roommate got it from CCF for free,” Short, a junior in computer science, said, referring to the wheeled brown leather chair that is stationed in front of his television set.
Residence hall rooms are like blank canvases for students to convert how they wish. Some students like Underwood, a freshman in First Year College, concentrate on matching color schemes and creating healthy lighting. Other students’ priorities lie in different areas.
“The whole room is dedicated to the Wii,” Short said.
His room is positioned carefully to give enough room in front of the television, which he said was the most important part of the room.
Short even moved his desk into the closet of his Metcalf room to give him more floor space.
Freshmen such as Alyssa McNamara, an art and design major, and Elizabeth Wallace, a biological sciences major, had to learn about lack of space when they moved into their Sullivan room.
“The room is tiny,” Wallace said. “It would be nice if it were bigger.”
McNamara managed to help the issue by bunking the beds. Another strategy is lofting the beds, which, according to Underwood, has become a standard in many residence halls on campus.
The walls of residence hall rooms are another opportunity for decoration. Many hang up pictures from their past. Underwood said this is a great way to keep memories from home while in school.
Other students, like McNamara, decided to hang posters up as a way of bringing the room to life. She said she plans on hanging up band posters such as Radiohead and The Ramones as well as a map of campus in hopes of getting around easier.
“It didn’t really help,” Wallace said.
“It’s just for decoration,” added McNamara.
McNamara also added a roommate contract to the wall, which she said is a list of rules for the room. The list contains humorous decrees such as “Make your bed every morning” and “No sewing after midnight.”
The girls also said they had purchased a mirror for the wall, but it fell down and broke.
Short learned the hard truth about wall decorations last year. Now, his walls remain void of any posters or photographs.
“We did that last year,” he said. “It all fell down because the tape didn’t hold.”
Even though resident advisors greet new students with name tags for students’ room doors, students like Underwood choose to make their own. She and her roommate made a door poster with monkeys.
Another way to brighten up a room is with plants. McNamara said she wanted to get a live plant, while Underwood said she was content with her artificial Gerbera daisies. Both girls said they are even considering getting a fish.
“[Beta fish] are pretty,” McNamara said. “And low maintenance.”
Rearranging the rooms tends to happen a lot, according to Underwood. She said she and her roommate had to try different combinations about six times before they were satisfied with the furniture placement and spacing. She added it was a lot easier if you knew your roommate.
McNamara said she will most likely move things around before the end of the year. She said she would need a change of scenery as well as trying to get the “feng shui” better. “It is crowded the way it is,” she said.
Underwood said she only took a few days to settle in and get most of her decorations in order. Others like McNamara and Wallace said they still have a lot to finish up.
“We still need to do a lot,” McNamara said. “We are kind of behind on the decor.”
Transform your room, spend little
Provide seating — even in small rooms, fold-up chairs or floor pillows can make a room more inviting. Head over to Target for chairs, which range in price from $7 to $19.99.
Colored chalk will easily wash off most surfaces. Or use butcher paper and colored pencils. Unleash your inner artist and draw a new mural or work of art once a month or whenever you feel inspired.
Frames are essential for holding photos of home or new friends at college. Buy them almost anywhere or create your own with a cardboard matte and glitter, buttons, feathers, beads, or any other decorative knickknacks. Or you could use funky memo holders to display favorite photos on your desk or bureau.
French memo boards can hold a whole bunch of pictures, ticket stubs or magazine cut-outs. Buy one at Bed, Bath, and Beyond; Linens’ N Things or make one out of cardboard, fabric, and ribbon.
A laundry line is a great alternative for you to string up pictures or ticket stubs on the wall or across the room. Urban Outfitters has a laundry line with suction cups for easy use.
Magnets are useful and decorative on any metal surface. Customize that Micro-fridge and display your praiseworthy papers with magnets of flowers, superheroes, butterflies, or Magnetic Poetry (also a fun distraction from studying).
Dry erase boards on your door or in your room are handy for communicating with friends and roommates and making notes to yourself. Or get a dry erase calendar at an office supply store and keep track of your busy schedule.
Sheer fabric draped across the window or over a bed creates a soft, romantic look. Or if you have an open closet, put up a colorful shower curtain to individualize your space or hide dirty laundry.
Lights are fashionable and functional. A desk lamp for late-night studying is a necessity, but adding mini-lights strung across the room can create a more personal atmosphere. White lights will complement any decor, or choose colored lights in funky shapes like stars or hearts.
Source: rentaldecorating.com
