Home & Real Estate
Equipping your dorm room With a little forethought, you can have all the comforts of home by Kit Davey
W
hen I saw my freshman dorm room, it was love at first site: a 10-foot by 10-foot chamber with creaky hardwood floors, a radiator that clanged and a view to a koi pond. I was glad I had overloaded my parent’s truck with the entire contents of my bedroom. I had everything I needed to create a comfortable, functional and stylish retreat. Although it’s been 35 years since I faced that decorating challenge, I have an idea what it takes to equip a dorm room. If you or a relative are getting ready to go off to college, follow these tips for creating a homeaway-from-home. Preparation. Start by calling your school’s housing office to ask which furnishings will be provided, whether or not you may paint the room, and what sort of amenities and services are offered. Does the room have a sink, or a bookcase and reading lamps? Is the room carpeted and are there window coverings? Do they provide sheets and towels and/or laundry service? Is it possible to
21 Willow Road #41 J. Spillane, install stackable washer and dryer in closet with a new pre-hung door, $3,200 360 Olive St. D. Roeder, photovoltaic solar system, $30,000 1399 Middle Ave. T-Mobile, installation of electrical meter, $3,000 523 Bay Road T-Mobile, installation of electrical meter, $3,000 2 Lassen Court S. Amir, add a sink in laundry room and powder room remodel, $900 18 Network Circle Wilson Menlo Park Campus LLC, commercial tenant improvement, $6,000,000 274 Princeton Road S. Pintz, remove and replace exterior concrete patio/landing/steps and retaining wall, $n/a 180 Garland Drive A. Levin, re-roof, $12,800 327 Grayson Court J. Riley, singlestory addition, $96,000 17 Shasta Lane R. Bradley, new deck, $2,000 926 Siskiyou Drive P. Wineman, 258-sq.-ft. addition to a single-family residence including an interior remodel, $300,000 1104 Pine St. S. Murphy, sewer replacement, $3,479 1080 Klamath Drive M. Modjtehedi, installation of exterior stairs between the 1st- and 2nd-floor balcony, $1,000 3000 Sand Hill Road Sharon Land Company, new commercial kitchen exhaust hood, $10,000 6 Coleman Place #4 J. Pollack, kitchen remodel, $7,500 409 Pope St. N. King, re-roof accessory building, $4,000 1115 Del Norte Ave. A. Tinajero, reroof house, $6,000 1335 Garden Lane P. King, roofmounted with PV system, $37,101 1377 El Camino Real C. Keenan, commercial interior offices modifications, $45,000 320 Middlefield Road Roman Catholic Seminary, supply and install two furnaces and replace two condensers, $77,500 311 Concord Drive A. Fless, kitchen and bathroom remodel, $20,000 1215 El Camino Real P. Ciardella, photovoltaic solar system, $50,000 307 Constitution Drive Tyco Electronics Corp., new blower on roof top, $20,000 531 Pierce Road C. Cummings, gas line test, $500 1035 Pine St. Trinity Church, swap out furnace for high-energy-efficiency furnace, $4,200 1066 Sonoma Ave. A. Jennings, water heater, $1,122
rent a refrigerator? Is there WiFi? Once you know what the school is providing, make a list based on what you will do in the room — study, sleep, snack, dress yourself, hang out with friends, etc. — and what you’ll need to do those things. If you live within driving distance of the school, you’ll be able to schlep almost everything you need. If you have to fly, wait to buy some things once you get there. Sleeping stuff. Take your own pillow with you! (School pillows are cement-like). Buy a comforter with a different pattern on either side so you can flip it over when you get tired of it or when it gets dirty. Two sets of sheets will allow you to go longer between laundry sessions. An extra blanket can be
1036 Sonoma Ave. D. Chaiken, install car charger and circuit, $3,195 165 University Ave. B. Townshend, install charger and circuit from subpanel to exterior wall of garage, $1,308
Palo Alto 3291 Alma St. K. Young, gas line repair, $n/a 735 Homer Ave. K. Kelty, added solar panels, $30,000 210 Emerson St. O. Sherby, fire damage repair, $n/a 1501 Page Mill Road Hewlett Packard, non-structural demolition, $55,000 3623 Evergreen Drive M. and C. Flynn, new deck, $22,900 3836 Dixon Place K. Doshi, kitchen renovations, $24,741 4361 Silva Ave. S. Agarwal, replace existing windows and door with sliding window, $3,500 2890 Middlefield Road Keys School, replace playground equipment and surfacing, $39,000 857 Robb Road demolish old structure and build new residence, $950,000 555 Byron N. Vidalakis, demolish and replace internal fixtures and plumbing and electrical work, $300,000 729 Florales Drive E. and N. Bonnet, residential addition and remodel, $370,000 524 Hamilton Ave. S. Reller, construct commercial and residential building, $1,716,750 3657 South Court J. Salmon, bathroom remodel, $5,000 180 El Camino Real Simon Property Group, interior demolition, $n/a; remodel existing retail space, $273,000 1849 Newell Road D. Lewiston, replace sewer pipe, $n/a 180 El Camino Real Microsoft, nonstructural demolition, $n/a; shell and core improvements, $200,000 2434 Park Blvd. D. Sanders, new tenant remodel, $100,000 177 Everett Ave. S. Lee, electric service upgrade, $103 795 El Camino Real Palo Alto Medical Foundation, equipment replacement, $33,809 870 Guinda St. S. and R. Potter, renovate kitchen, add bath, rewire electrical, new heating system, new tankless water heater, new staircase enclosure, $82,000 3350 W. Bayshore Road Alexandria Real Estate Inquiries, Inc., demolish interior tenant space, $n/a 3089 Higgins Place Y. Tang, addition, $80,365
600 Hansen Way Equity Office Properties, general tenant improvements, $266,910 900 Hansen Way Nest Labs, tenant improvements, $75,000 820 E. Greenwich Place S. Ramrakhiani, new garden shed with half bath, $6,000 1080 Tanland Drive Prometheus Real Estate, remove bearing wall, $4,000 285 San Antonio Ave. A. Shroff, add master bed and bath, $120,000 305 Churchill Ave. W. Campbell, add fireplace and patio, $20,000 890 Marshall J. and D. Nelson-Gal, bathroom remodel, $12,500 656 Georgia Ave. B. Adini, interior remodeling, $90,000 2918 Kipling St. D. Chou, extensive interior remodeling, $135,151 285 Hamilton Ave. Thoits Brothers, interior tenant improvements, $74,375 740 Florales Ave. T. Ji, install skylights, $2,800 329 Lincoln S. and N. Hawkins, gas-line replacement and new gas stove, $n/a 900 Arastradero Road VMWare, new tenant improvements, $15,940,000 2165 Waverley St. D. and K. Rivette, new porch, entryway and partial roof, $14,044 261 Colorado A. and G. Chen, kitchen and bathroom remodel, $60,000 3919 Bibbits Drive R. Hyde and J. Bogart, kitchen remodel, $25,469 1563 El Camino Real N. Solvason, post-fire remodeling, $116,547; postfire remodeling, $11,421 3836 Dixon Place K. Doshi, closet addition, $6,000 100 Hamilton Ave. ECI Hamilton LLC, two added private offices, $15,000 301-315 University Ave. J. Twaddell and Wells Fargo, exterior wall repair, $24,000 4015 Miranda Ave. enlarge existing office, $8,000 395 Page Mill Road Whismen Ventures LLC, interior tenant improvements, $55,000 1121 Fife Ave. K. and T. Carey, replace shower tile, $5,000 2471 Bryant St. C. and H. Rudolf, addition, kitchen remodel, and roof improvements, $145,000 271 Curtner Ave. Dalton Realty, apartment complex repairs, $30,000 489 Martinsen Court N. Behrens, remove chimney and fireplace and restore wall, $8,000 1745 Eisenhower St. T. Bullock, kitchen and bathroom upgrades,
used to drape across your shoulders during late-night study session, and can also be used for picnics. Decorative pillows can prop you up if you like to study in bed. A clip-on lamp will allow you to read in bed, or can be used elsewhere in the room to supplement the usually dim lighting. A lighted clock will get you to class on time. If the floors are cement or hardwood, take along an area rug to place by your bed. Don’t forget your bathrobe and slippers! Study stuff. Make sure you take one or two extension cords and a surge protector for your computer, as many dorm room’s outlets are few and far between. If you require java while studying, take along a onecup coffee maker with a reusable filter. Take along a desk lamp, if your school does not provide one. Assemble your office supplies in a shoebox for easy transport. If your room does not have a bookcase, try a collapsible one from Cost Plus. Dressing and hygiene stuff. My dorm room had a dinky closet with no hangers in it. Take along a handful of hangers, just in case. Storage will be at a premium, so use a suitcase to store out-of-season clothing and your bookcase to house T-shirts or sweaters. Buy plastic, stackable storage units, if necessary. Install wall hooks, if allowed, to hang often-worn coats and hats. Since the bathroom will probably be miles away, keep $2,500 3040 South Court bathroom remodel, $7,500 3337 Vernon Terrace H. Huang, interior remodeling and additions, $80,500 630 Ramona St. K6-Bryant LLC, interior tenant improvements, $760,000 660 High St. Vecchiou Family Trust, new furring wall, $40,000 327 Curtner Ave. G. Ong, apartment improvements to three units, $24,000
all your hygienic supplies in a plastic caddie with a handle for easy transport. Remember to include a plastic cup so you don’t have to drink out of the faucet. A laundry basket on wheels can make washday easier. Start collecting quarters for the drier. Entertainment stuff. If you plan on serious snacking, rent a fridge from your housing office and keep cloth napkins, plastic plates, cups and silverware at hand. An iPod dock with mini-speakers can help take the edge off a sterile dorm room. If you play the guitar, take it along. Other essentials. Collect your friend’s, family’s and doctor’s addresses and phone numbers in an address book on your computer. Record your eyeglass and medical prescriptions. Extras. To keep homesickness at bay, bring along a few family photos or an album. Add several scented candles and potted plants here and there. If your room is cable-ready or has an antenna outlet, hook up a portable TV. Paint the ceiling a bright color. For a finished look, add curtains and a framed piece of art that harmonizes with your bed covering. N Kit Davey, Allied Member, ASID, specializes in re-design, staging, design consulting and professional organizing. Email her at KitDavey@aol.com, call her at 650-367-7370 or visit her website at www.AFreshLook.net.
3146 Avalon Court F. Yang and R. Chang, demolish house and replace with new house, $380,000 851 Homer Ave. S. Tong, kitchen remodel and window replacement, $40,000 217 High St. R. Elliott and R. Thomas, kitchen remodel and other improvements, $11,500 3251 Hanover St. #204 Lockheed Martin, install new reactor equipment and modify existing, $30,000 3045 Cowper St. First Church of Christ Scientist, existing tenant im-
provements, $n/a 228 La Para Ave. J. Kiger, demolish pool, $n/a 907 Cowper St. B. K. Hu, deck leak repair, $7,000 342 El Carmelo Ave. C. Ho, reconstruct part of existing roof, $7,000 965 Colorado Ave. J. Nakata and C. Fischer, bathroom remodel, $8,000 2501 Embarcadero Way City of Palo Alto, PV system (solar panels), $n/a
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