tuesday, october 13, 2009
Decorations for a “creative” place
Let’s say you have a drab college building or office (or whatever) that you’re allowed to modify, and let’s say you have money burning a hole in your pocket. Here are some things you might want, based on what friends and I have looked at or gathered for our college’s little building to make it a warmer place to learn and hang out:
- Papercraft ceiling cat (free) — print this out and stick it above some computers.
- La Estrella and eye chart light switch covers ($4.50 each) — there are a ton of tacky switchplates for sale online, but the right ones are amusing in otherwise boring rooms.
- Elephant Party mobile ($32) — so cute that you can pretend it’s not for babies.
- Geek clock ($25) — to be placed in a room only visited by people who won’t get frustrated by it, aka the Physics and Math study room.
- Blik “fly” stickers ($25 for smaller restickable ones or $35 for larger permanent ones) — it’s much cheaper to make your own stickers if you have access to the vinyl cutter in the Art department, but not everybody has a convenient Art department.
- The World’s Largest Crossword Puzzle ($30) — perfect to install in a common area as a looming presence that can never be finished.
- Cost Plus pillows ($10-20) — make the dingy couch look fancier.
- World map (free if you have one hanging around) — hang this upside-down (or get an upside-down map) to remind yourself that cardinal directions are arbitrary.
- Vitra Algue ($30-35 for a 6-pack) — these are good to tuck into corners of pipes running along walls, as if plants are growing out of them.
- Right Brain Terrain “alternative motivational poster” ($15) — cheesy but pretty.
Also, if you have photos of people who spend time in the building, get them printed (for a few dollars at Snapfish etc.) and put them on the refrigerator with eccentric magnets. Add a magnetic poetry set and find out what kinds of horrible phrases your friends come up with. On a bulletin board, pin postcards and magazine clippings among the flyers.
Fake flowers usually aren’t a very good idea.
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