thewalk/WALK
ON
THE WALK IS IN We take a look at the rooms of two different pairs of Penn students to see how they chose to style their spaces: a Riepe double shared by two freshman girls and an off-campus double belonging to two upperclassman guys.
Emily Lipka '16 & Sara- PaigE Silvestro '16 The WALK: Where are your homes away from Penn? Sara-Paige Silvestro: Barrington, New Jersey. Emily Lipka: Towson, Maryland—a hip city near Baltimore. The WALK: What are you studying? SS: I’m looking at Cognitive Science and a double minor in Classical Studies and Philosophy. EL: Hopefully Economics and Urban Studies, but we’ll see how that goes. The WALK: What was your room design inspiration? SS: I was inspired a lot by photos. On a stressful day, it’s really good to look at happy pictures. It brings good vibes to my room. I was also pretty inspired by music—I have lots of band posters and even brought my record player. EL: I wanted to create a comfortable and homey environment, and I’m pretty sure that’s how it worked out. I used tips and ideas from Anthropologie’s home decorating magazine and recreated things I saw in catalogues. It’s pretty easy to be crafty when there’s a visual aid to mimic. Photographed by Laura Petro ’16.
60 THE WALK / WINTER 2013
The WALK: How did your personal style influence your room? SS: I like looking at things that make me happy, just like I like to dress in a way that makes me happy. I like to promote good vibes. EL: I peg my personal style as eclectic, and that is definitely reflected in my room. Especially in my bed: none of my pillows match each other, and all of the colors simultaneously clash and complement each other. The WALK: What is your advice to freshmen trying to create a room that reflects their style and personality? SS: Spend time making your room your own. Make it livable and enjoyable and not just white walls and a bed. Follow your own style because this is your home for an entire year. EL: Wall decals can cure any white wall. Also, don’t worry about having everything match. Sometimes the best way to decorate is to throw things together that would never typically seem to fit together. And last, but probably most importantly, don’t feel stifled by not being allowed to use hooks or screws; command strips are a godsend. W