410 RENTED ROOMS

Dormitory rooms are living rooms as well as sleeping rooms;
therefore the bedroom aspects should be minimized. This is easily
done if beds without visible frames are used. See page 422. In
dormitories or sorority houses where the usual conspicuous bed
frames are supplied, a petition to the authorities may accomplish
the substitution of hidden bed frames known as Hollywood beds.
Beds on such frames look like couches and can be placed parallel
to walls, covered with a medium or dark spread, and supplied with
large box cushions, thereby creating a sitting-room effect. A
washable wall finish or a 4-foot band or dado is desirable where
couch or sofa beds are used.

Personality in the appearance of an institutional room is desir-
able. Individuality is expressed by personal possessions and hob-
bies, which must be arranged to look orderly, uncluttered, and
clean. Since there is usually no place in a dormitory room to
hang up trophies, pictures, and souvenirs except on a high picture
molding ingenuity should be exercised in providing a place. Small
bulletin boards are usually inadequate. Large composition board,
obtainable at lumber yards, can be cut to fit a wall space and hung
from the picture molding. A tennis net can be hung from the
picture molding to hold photographs. Hanging shelves are useful
for books and hobbies where floor space is limited.

Students should usually decorate their rooms as soon as they are
definitely located before study and activities take all their time.
They should not, however, buy their furnishings until they reach
the campus and see their rooms.

A woman student should consider her college room a valuable
opportunity to gain experience in expressing herself and achieving
a good-looking home-like effect. She should be willing to take
the time and effort to do a thoughtful job, because this experience
is valuable for a potential home maker.

Planning the Room

Consider the architecture and decoration of the dormitory.
Consider the style of the furniture in your room.
Select the theme or mood to express in your room.
Plan the color wheme to suit the room as well as yourself.
Determine what articles of furnishings are needed.
Make a tentative bwi%et of costs.