| Tips on Decorating a Dorm Room |
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By Kelly Wolfe
Scripps Howard News Service It's ironic that the first few steps many young people take into adulthood are spent unpacking in an eggshell-white dorm room. At a time in life when nothing seems as important as self-expression, one stands, eyebrows knitted, wondering how a tiny, perfunctory room could ever truly reflect individuality, while still abiding by lame rules such as no decorative painting, candles or nails in the walls. The good news: the options are growing by the year. Even as some 15 million students are heading off to college, retailers are increasingly reaching out to a market where the average student spends $2,544 year, according to a survey by 360 Youth/Harris Interactive. Among the leaders of the pack are Target and Kmart, who are using funky brand names such as Todd Oldham and Joe Boxer to create havens of cool for young adults. "Back to school and back to college are the biggest seasons for us after the Christmas holidays," said Douglas Kline, a spokesman for the retail chain Target. Target has responded to the demand for such mundane items as shower shoes, bath towels and 85-piece get-you-started kitchen sets but also with products Kline calls "delightfully unexpected, " such as a reversible butterfly chair and star-shaped ottoman. Kmart is also on board with smiley-face laced Joe Boxer body pillows, funky desk brighteners and brightly-striped bed rest pillows. Packaging reflects the offbeat theme of Joe Boxer's school supplies -- "Snooze Kits" include a comforter and sheet set, "Fleece Officers" are fleece blankets, "Personal Dumpsters" are wastebaskets. "All of our packaging is a bit twisted," said Colette Sipperly, a spokeswoman for Joe Boxer. But even with funky dorm gear, college kids still need to think practically to make the most of a tiny room. "Finding space is the most daunting challenge in a dorm room, so build up and not out," said Joan Steffend, host of Home & Garden Television's Decorating Cents. "Consider stacking storage shelves with baskets, for stray papers, on top of desks and dressers." Don't forget under-the-bed space. Plastic storage units are perfect for holding T-shirts or underwear. Steffend suggests those searching for a little more character rummage through flea markets to find drawers from broken-down dressers. Paint them, add some new hardware and casters to the bottom and you've got a horizontal under-bed dresser. Not only should roomies call one another to determine who's bringing the television, who's bringing the refrigerator and who's bringing the stereo, Steffend suggests roomies also decide on a common, dominate color. Throw a rug on the floor for warmth and "punch up" the room with multi-colored duvets and pillows, she said. And to cover up those bare walls, create a "graffiti wall" to hold funny quotes and goofy drawings. Be sure to check with the college or university to make sure such items, no matter how delightful, will be welcome. For example, George Washington University in Washington, D.C., provides students with refrigerators and microwaves, so students should leave those items at home. And at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tennessee, students get "microfridges," a refrigerator, microwave and freezer tucked into one compact unit. The University of Tennessee also allows students to buy linens, rent lofts and purchase carpets through the school, according to Jerry Adams, assistant director of university housing. Andrew Sonn, director of housing services at George Washington, said items such as halogen lamps, candles and incense are also prohibited. Students are allowed to hang posters on those boring, bare walls, but only with poster putty, which can be purchased at the campus bookstore. Most students abide by the rules, he said, but some like to push it a bit. "We had someone bring a hot tub in," he said, chuckling. "I'm not sure how they got it in, but one of our staff members discovered it during a routine inspection." (Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.shns.com.)
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