Home for the average college student is a square room or two, entirely surrounded by white walls. Throw in standard-issue furniture and strict decorating regulations and there's no wonder why students living in dorms and apartments can feel like they are carrying out a prison sentence.
Even with dorm-in-a-bag like options at the local Target and Wal-Mart, making a small space a comfortable living area for studying and hanging out can be a challenge for any budding interior designer.
After living in Hadley Village for the past year, Sarah Hodges, a senior English and music performance major, has managed to gradually give her apartment a good ole' lived-in vibe. Fuzzy throw pillows, a sarong skirt tacked to her living room wall, and a plastic sled greet her frequent visitors.
And yes, there really is a skirt on the wall.
"I wore it for about a week, and then tacked it up on the wall," Hodges said, laughing, looking up at the unconventional, multi-colored flair hanging above her. "A few months later it got hot outside, so I took it down and wore it."
In defiance of the UB apartments mandate that prohibits painting, Hodges has managed to break up the creamy beige colored walls with ornate draperies.
A fan of Hello Kitty, Hodges uses her nightstand as a showcase for photos and memorabilia. Antique keepsakes from her grandparents are kept alongside pictures of friends and family, as well as a few random knick-knacks, including a tiny plastic Darth Vader.
The my-first-place feeling evaporates in Hodges apartment with working twinkle lights that are taped-up around the room. They are both functional and unique, serving in place of decorative candles, since open flames are another University restriction.
Hodge's roommate, senior biochemistry and biophysics major Rachael Brurst, has managed to make her own bedroom a place of marvel after moving in just two weeks ago. A decorative glass bowl catches the sunlight that comes through the window and lands on her Babar yoga poster. A few plants sit atop yaffa blocks storing DVD's.
"This one needs a bigger pot," said Brust, picking up a plant twice the size of the pot that it lives in.
The girls have managed to disguise most of the university-issued furniture, but that is not what pleases them most about their apartment. The small but fully equipped kitchen is Brust's favorite feature.
"I love being able to cook," Brust said, and there is evidence of this in the spinning spice rack and fresh fruit resting on the counter.
Across Hadley Village in another apartment, Gretchen Lindner, a senior school of management student has not had much time to decorate. An open bedroom door reveals boxes yet to be stored away, and she and her roommate Amanda Karl, a senior French major, have compiled a list of things they need to purchase.
"Our roommate moved out last year," Lindner said, and she took the trashcan with her. Currently they are still unpacking, but hope to soon add some finishing touches to the apartment as the semester gets underway.
Lydia Goldstein, a freshman undecided major living on her own for the first time in an off-campus apartment with her brother, was able to overcome her own decorating woes with relatively new furniture passed down from her parents and family members.
Area rugs in the bathroom and kitchen warm up blas?(c) floors, and Chinese lamps from Ikea help keep the space streamlined and modern looking. Chili pepper stickers adorn the kitchen cupboards.
"You don't have to spend a ton of money, a lot of stuff people will be willing to give to you," Goldstein said. "Even if it might not be exactly what you want, it will still work."
Corkboards covered with updated photographs and some of her paintings add a splash of interest to the walls. In the corner of her bedroom hangs a three-tiered red net with cubbyholes for storage.
"There's rumors of a ping pong table in the living room," she said. "Right now it's really clean and stuff but it'll be packed with crap probably in a few weeks. We'll just keep adding to it."
Need more ideas for decorating your petite space? Visit www.hgtv.com,
www.interiordec.about.com, www.bhg.com or www.rentaldecorating.com.
