I haven't shared a dorm room but I have several rooms in US Army barracks overseas so I know your pain. Yes, divide and conquer, er in this case divide and conceal (your half). Or, pretend you are on HGTV's "Designing for the Sexes" TV show and blend the 2 styles. Life is full of compromises, if one wants to be happy and a successful team player....Sounds good anyway. ;)
Screen divider brainstorming: Inexpensive muslin fabric (dyeable), fabricate a shoji (sp?) screen frame and cover w/ cheap kraft shipping/wrapping paper (I use it for gift wrap), resale linen sheets or tap top draperies, saris as mentioned before, hinge together several salvaged old doors w/ character or some of those 50-60's smooth hollow core doors for asian/contemporary look (I am using several right now as temporary desktops.
Paint: If problem painting wall, how about covering wall(s) w/ painted kraft paper or tear up paper grocery bags w/ torn/shredded edges exposed. Maybe attach w/ a water soluable glue/paste? Remnant wallpaper (strippable), clearance gift wrap or remnant fabric, new carpet scraps??? What's your style?
I endorse LA resale stores too! I like to hit the "Out of the closet" chain. My fav is one on Fairfax for furniture. Also like the several jewish organization stores in the same area on Fairfax. Or, last time I was in LA visiting dau, I spotted a coffee table and chairs that looked abandoned in back on a neighboring apt bldg. I asked a resident and they nearly begged me to take them away cause they had been sitting there for weeks. So, as you drive, walk or whatever around, keep eye open for abandoned treasures. Resale shops are one of my favorite things to do in a large city! Clothing too!
Good luck and someday you'll have a place of your own.
erinloechner
December 28, 2006
What's your roommate's style? Maybe you can work with a good blend.
I'm a fan of beccajo's response--- AWESOME thrift stores in L.A. And don't worry about finding the cooler thrift stores-- I decorated an entire room with Goodwill and Salvation Army finds alone!
Maybe you could find a color palette in common with your roomie (i.e. black and white), and then go to town on your side of the room with the colors that you agree on. Don't know if this helps, but you can check out my bedroom if you'd like any fun, weird ideas.
Good luck, and let us know what you come up with!
beccajo
December 27, 2006
OMGcordelia.....you live in LA? Hello thrift stores! The 3M peel-and-stick hooks would allow you to hang funky textiles, posters, strings of lights, whatever you felt like. And you could remove them pretty quickly when/if your roommate tires of them. I had a collection of saris in college (actually I still have them) and I would hang them as curtains, wall art, you name it.
Another quick and easy way to change the look of your room is with colored light. This is a crazy hack of an IKEA lamp, you could also just use post-its.
The last suggestion is one that would involve your roommate too, get all of your floormates to decorate a canvas (say, 8x8 inches) and hang them as an installation on your wall. I've done this several times, for my birthday, and recently for a friend's new apartment, and it's been a smashing success. You get a totally original and meaningful work of art. Either hand them out and ask them to be back by a deadline, or throw an art-party with paint, glue, glitter, feathers, etc. and have them all done at once.
sparkie
Hi!
I haven't shared a dorm room but I have several rooms in US Army barracks overseas so I know your pain. Yes, divide and conquer, er in this case divide and conceal (your half). Or, pretend you are on HGTV's "Designing for the Sexes" TV show and blend the 2 styles. Life is full of compromises, if one wants to be happy and a successful team player....Sounds good anyway. ;)
Screen divider brainstorming: Inexpensive muslin fabric (dyeable), fabricate a shoji (sp?) screen frame and cover w/ cheap kraft shipping/wrapping paper (I use it for gift wrap), resale linen sheets or tap top draperies, saris as mentioned before, hinge together several salvaged old doors w/ character or some of those 50-60's smooth hollow core doors for asian/contemporary look (I am using several right now as temporary desktops.
Paint: If problem painting wall, how about covering wall(s) w/ painted kraft paper or tear up paper grocery bags w/ torn/shredded edges exposed. Maybe attach w/ a water soluable glue/paste? Remnant wallpaper (strippable), clearance gift wrap or remnant fabric, new carpet scraps??? What's your style?
I endorse LA resale stores too! I like to hit the "Out of the closet" chain. My fav is one on Fairfax for furniture. Also like the several jewish organization stores in the same area on Fairfax. Or, last time I was in LA visiting dau, I spotted a coffee table and chairs that looked abandoned in back on a neighboring apt bldg. I asked a resident and they nearly begged me to take them away cause they had been sitting there for weeks. So, as you drive, walk or whatever around, keep eye open for abandoned treasures. Resale shops are one of my favorite things to do in a large city! Clothing too!
Good luck and someday you'll have a place of your own.
erinloechner
What's your roommate's style? Maybe you can work with a good blend.
I'm a fan of beccajo's response--- AWESOME thrift stores in L.A. And don't worry about finding the cooler thrift stores-- I decorated an entire room with Goodwill and Salvation Army finds alone!
Maybe you could find a color palette in common with your roomie (i.e. black and white), and then go to town on your side of the room with the colors that you agree on. Don't know if this helps, but you can check out my bedroom if you'd like any fun, weird ideas.
Good luck, and let us know what you come up with!
beccajo
OMGcordelia.....you live in LA? Hello thrift stores! The 3M peel-and-stick hooks would allow you to hang funky textiles, posters, strings of lights, whatever you felt like. And you could remove them pretty quickly when/if your roommate tires of them. I had a collection of saris in college (actually I still have them) and I would hang them as curtains, wall art, you name it.
Another quick and easy way to change the look of your room is with colored light. This is a crazy hack of an IKEA lamp, you could also just use post-its.
The last suggestion is one that would involve your roommate too, get all of your floormates to decorate a canvas (say, 8x8 inches) and hang them as an installation on your wall. I've done this several times, for my birthday, and recently for a friend's new apartment, and it's been a smashing success. You get a totally original and meaningful work of art. Either hand them out and ask them to be back by a deadline, or throw an art-party with paint, glue, glitter, feathers, etc. and have them all done at once.
Good luck!
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