4-H explores interior design
By By Beth Randall / 4-H youth agent
July 4, 2004
As a little girl, I rearranged the furniture in my room weekly. Luckily I had a small room and light furniture. As a big girl, I like to watch home decorating shows on television. At any rate, I have always liked designing and decorating especially 4-H projects.
On Wednesday, Lauderdale County 4-H will host a "Let's Decorate Workshop" for young people ages 8 and up. The class will be 1 p.m.-3 p.m. at the 4-H office. It is free, but participants must call the office to register and bring white poster board and scissors.
At the workshop, participants will learn the elements of design, furniture placement, design techniques and much more. Participants will plan, design and decorate a bedroom by making a design board. We will have lots of fun as we learn. Who knows, we may find our next famous interior designers.
A big part of interior design involves planning your space and the furniture you will use in your room. Here are some helpful hints for furniture arrangement:
1. Arrange furniture in groups according to the way it will be used. Consider your activities in the room: working, studying eating, sleeping, reading, etc.
2. The largest pieces of furniture should be placed first in the room. Use the space in the room to the best advantage for sofas, beds or dining tables. Then place smaller pieces.
3. Avoid putting too much furniture in a room. You do not want a cluttered look.
4. Do you have a center of interest? Make your room as attractive and convenient as you can. The way you arrange and use it reflects your own personality.
Storage is my biggest problem at my house. I have so much stuff and often don't know where I should put it. Below of some storage tips:
Store things near point of first use.
Store items at convenient heights.
Store together things used together.
Store articles where they are easy to see.
Store items where they are easy to reach.
Discard seldom- or never-used items.
For more information on the 4-H Interior Design Project, call your county's MSU Extension Service office. The number in Lauderdale County is 482-9764.
