Advertising senior Jessica Howe knows all about Cedar Village’s reputation for less-than-standard living areas, at least when it comes to cleanliness. It’s been a work in progress, but several bags of cleaning products and two years later, Howe has turned her apartment into what her friends say should be the model for Cedar Village pamphlets.
Advertising senior Jessica Howe knows all about Cedar Village’s reputation for less-than-standard living areas, at least when it comes to cleanliness. It’s been a work in progress, but several bags of cleaning products and two years later, Howe has turned her apartment into what her friends say should be the model for Cedar Village pamphlets.
The student Jessica Howe, advertising senior
The crib A Cedar Village basement apartment
The State News Can you describe your room?
Jessica Howe My room is mostly made up of plums and lavenders and white, and then I like to use lime-green as an accent color. When I was putting it together, I tried to stick with one wood tone and tried to find light, fluffy things to come home to after a really long day of work and classes.
SN How did you get the idea for this scheme?
JH I actually watch HGTV all the time. It’s probably like the only channel I watch. They were doing a bathroom remake and they used a lot of plum and silver, which I thought was really creative, and I just really liked the purple, and you don’t see it in rooms a lot. So I thought I’d try it in my room.
SN Cedar Village doesn’t have the best reputation for clean apartments. How did you fight to break the mold?
JH When I was a freshman, one of the friends I had made, Megan, suggested Cedar Village to live in. It was October of my freshman year, so I had no idea. We came here, and we actually got 13th in the lottery, so we got to pick a really good apartment. Then about two months later, I started hearing about how Cedar Village was crazy and really dumpy, so I got a little worried. But once I moved in, I just put a lot of work into it. I bought a lot of cleaning supplies, carpet cleaner, stuff like that. I really worked hard on it to make it how it looks now.
SN Is your bedroom similar to how your room at home is decorated?
JH It’s not really similar to my room at home at all. My regular home is sort of empty because we moved after I graduated, so it’s pretty plain. There’s just some pictures of family. I definitely would say I like my room at school better.
SN What was the most challenging part of decorating your bedroom?
JH The curtains were a challenge because the ceilings are cement. I didn’t know how I was going to get curtains hung up, but fortunately my dad had a cement drill and drilled holes in the ceiling for me.
SN Your paper lantern above the bed seems unique. Where did that idea come from?
JH I really like when people have lights hanging over their bed. Anything that hangs from the ceiling, I think, is cool. When I saw the paper lantern, I just had to get it. Again, with the ceiling, it was kind of a challenge because we had to drill a hole in cement, which I don’t really think is legal in Cedar Village. But I thought it was really cool and I definitely think it makes the room.
SN You said one of your favorite parts about your room is your bed. What did you look for when you were sheet shopping?
JH The bed was really a process. I would say I’ve picked up things over the past three years that I saw here and there. Really the goal was just to make it the softest, comfiest bed that I could possibly make. It definitely worked, because people always joke that my bed is the comfiest in East Lansing.
SN Do you have any advice for decorating an apartment bedroom?
JH I guess my advice would be to just find something you really like. Find a common theme for your room. I really wanted to do things with plum and white and silver, and just make it really classy but still comfortable. So find something, like, if you want your room to be comfy, find lots of soft stuff. Or if you want it to be modern, find lots of sleek stuff.
SN Your desk is really organized, but there’s a lot to it. What were you going for?
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JH Part of the reason I picked the desk was because it was a really great deal … Another thing I liked about it is I like to be really organized, and it has dividers up top so I can have divided sections for each of my classes. It keeps me organized, anyway. Also, it was small and compact, so it used space up the wall instead of the side. I just try to keep things on it that make me happy. (I have) a postcard from my boyfriend when he was on study abroad, and a Valentine’s Day card from one of my friends, pictures of my nephews, stuff like that.
SN Where are the pictures on your wall from?
JH This wall I actually saved and kept clean for a whole year just because I wanted to do a collage from my study abroad this summer. There are postcards that I bought in France and had framed. I bought (this picture) from a street vendor and got a really good deal on it. I was so happy, I thought it would look great in my room. (Others) are pictures I took on my study abroad. I have pictures from Lantau Island in Hong Kong, one from Victoria Peak in Hong Kong and then from Cinque Terre, Italy. And those are the three coolest places that I went all summer so I love having them up and being able to see them every day.
Do you have a fabulous pad? Have you put extra work into making your dorm, apartment or house stylish? Would you like to see that space featured in The State News? If so, e-mail The State News at features@statenews.com.
