Fabric and CDs become chìc
- posted: 26 June 2007
- scrolllifestyle@byui.edu
The empty white walls of a college apartment can become discouraging and boring for students, but by using design elements and decorations, anyone can make a boring apartment an enjoyable place to spend time.
The first step in figuring out what to do to a room is figuring out what the purpose of it will be.
“The first thing you look at is what you want to accomplish in your space. Do you want it visually exciting? Calming?” said Nolan Parson, interior design department professor.
After figuring out what the purpose of a room is, design and decorations can be implemented and by doing research through interior design books can bring up new possibilities.
“Before you do something, go to the library and look at books on Interior Design for ideas. What you do is a matter of individual taste. No two people are alike,” Parson said.
Ways to add interest to a room include the design elements, color and light. Color can make parts of a room stand out and make a room, as a whole, more interesting and enjoyable to spend time in, as does good lighting.
“Getting the correct amount and kind of light will help the people who aren’t used to the dark lighting. Color adds variety and spice. Go get pillows or curtains to brighten up everything,” Parson said.
The largest blank canvases in a room–the walls–have a lot of potential. Color and decorative elements are tools that can liven up a room.
A large piece of inexpensive colored fabric from the Deseret Industries (D.I). or Wal-Mart can make a room seem larger, and adds interest. Fabric can be hung in a variety of ways: with tacks, on wooden dowels (like a curtain), or stuck to the wall with a liquid fabric starch.
“You can do a lot with fabric. You can decorate the walls with sheets, or use old wood picture [canvases] and stretch fabric over them and hang them on the wall in a design,” said Karilee Park, a junior from Benton City, Wash.
Other wall hangings can include posters from a favorite band. More possibilities include old records from the D.I. or parent’s attics, and free AOL CDs put together to make a wall–hanging. License plates or black and white photographs with interesting frames from a dollar store can go on the wall as well.
“I like to cover my walls with posters from school activities that have already happened, and I also hang old license plates,” said Brooke Oveson, a junior from Sandy, Utah.
However, with so many possibilities, there can be an inclination to cover every white space with as much as possible. Sometimes less is more, and it is best to avoid going overboard.
“Sometimes good design is eliminating the unnecessary. Put something in a room, and take it out. If you don’t miss it then you probably don’t need it to begin with,” Parson said. 
