I challenge thee…..

I’ve just been given some good news that I have around 800GBP per room to spend on my boarding facilities. Might not sound like a lot, but it’s a considerable chunk of cash for my small school.

25ish rooms, plus common area and a reading room.

Challenge – I have IKEA and place called SB Furniture as my only real shops I can use.

2 students per room. Rooms are 4x6m

What would you do to bring them up to date?

I’ve watched a lot of interior design tv shows and they always start with a ‘Mood Board’.

In my case the mood is often ‘grumpy but resigned to watching this crap’, they seem to put ideas they’ve seen in catalogues etc on it.

I’d start with room plans noting fixed points for power, lights etc and plan desks, bed and wardrode placements around those.

Paint. Cheapest way to completely overhaul an interior.

After that I’d want to know what furniture each room needs and what of the existing furniture could be kept. From there you’ve got a shopping list to work with.

You’ve only got about £33 per sq m – not much at all really. If you’ve got to also cover labour out of that (e.g. a decorator/carpet fitter etc) then it won’t go as far as it appears.
What’s the highest priority? Furniture or decoration?

What do they look like now? Your older furniture may be better built than new stuff?

New mattresses and paint and USB power sockets.

Spartan – lime green two door cupboard, a metal clothes rack, one bed, new Seally mattress on though, 1980s student style work desk, parquet flooring.

Labour not an issue I pay 7GBP per day just now to my day staff, I was thinking of those all in one IKEA loft beds with desk and cupboards, and one of those standard Ikea arm chairs for them to sit in.

Students will kill ikea furniture in minutes.

Just put toughened glass on the tops
and all be fine.

Can you ask senior students what they felt was missing?

Is there time to make design suggestions part of a student/school project?

Maybe do one unit/bedroom up first as a test run and get opinions rather than do the lot and find any errors?

Ask IKEA if they can give design advice (‘support a local school’ publicity, maybe they might throw in a few things free or cheap as well?).

Haggle for discounts on bulk buy.

Approach other local companies to see if they want to join in for the publicity?

Will anyone donate some books etc for the reading room?

Decent and directable/dimable lighting for each person is always good.

Plenty of power sockets, there are never enough, anywhere!

Wifi

Do different colour walls in some rooms to create variety. Just painting one wall per room a non standard colour would be enough to make things seem more individual, less boring.

Cork boards, picture rail or similar so people can put up personal decorations without ruining the new wall paint.

Privacy curtains in shared rooms.

Lockable storage (even if you keep a spare key).

As much as possible needs to have some kind of washable option – removable chair covers, rugs that can go in the washing machine etc

Large cushion or a bean bag?

‘scrubable’ washable paint rather than just normal type.

Kick plates/finger plates to protect doors etc from damage (if this is likely).

Fly screens for windows (if in applicable climate).

Bookshelf or general shelving unit.Shelves done on metal wall strips so the spacing of the shelves can be changed to suit the needs of the individuals using it.

Shelves high up the walls with space or other furniture beneath – people waste so much storage space by thinking of only eye level or below.