Home & Lifestyle Show features local designers

What would you do to decorate a 10- by 10-foot room? This the question Home & Lifestyle Shows of Michigan asked four teams of Eastern Michigan University interior design students. Their responses will be showcased in the Designer's Challenge at the inaugural HLSM show Saturday and Sunday at EMU's convocation center.

The teams of EMU students each had a blank 10- by 10-foot canvas to work from, four identical pieces of Art Van furniture and $500 to shop, explained Terri O'Brien, owner of Northville-based Street Marketing, HSLM's producer. The back-to-back rooms each have two walls each to decorate and concrete floor underneath, she said.

O'Brien said the Designer's Challenge has given students a real-life experience in design, including planning, materials gathering, execution and working on a team. "One of the challenges is to make sure that everyone's voice is heard," O'Brien said.

Unique designs, real-life experiences

The challenge started with a level playing field, with the same pieces of furniture and the same small space to decorate, but the teams came up with very different ideas, O'Brien said.

The Floral Focus team includes Rachel Harris, a senior who lives in Detroit, and Rikki Cummins, a Livonia resident who's also a senior; Israa Bzeih, a Dearborn resident who's a sophomore; and Priya Ghandikota, an Ann Arbor resident who's a sophomore. The team designed its space with sustainability and nature in mind.

Cummins said she enjoyed creating a computerized image she knew would actually be brought to life. "We're really into sustainability and bringing in nature is part of sustainability," she said.

To that end, the team is using lots of plant life — "I have a Gerbera daisy I've been keeping alive," Cummins said — and re-purposed fabrics for the pillows, as well as framed botanicals. A large mirror is set on one wall to make the space look larger and colors are inviting: purples, blues and yellows.

Cummins said her favorite element of the design is the textured wall, which the team will create by painting two shades of purple and then brushing the surface.

IMAGE gold bridesmaid dress

Harmonious living

Team Coexist includes Safa Viqar, a junior from Livonia; Cynthia Saadeh, a junior from Farmington Hills; Kim Collier, a junior from Toledo; Sara Wutwut a junior from Dearborn; Katie Ward, a junior from Fraser; Carly Adams, a junior from Stevensville and Kaitlyn Czinski, a junior from Riverview.

The team took its inspiration from college students sharing an apartment space and took on the challenge of bringing together everyone's personality to create a harmonious setting.

"Each team member brought a decor piece that best represents them," Viqar said. "We all come from different backgrounds, so these elements help embrace it within our space."

For example, Saadeh brought a souvenir statue of the Eiffel Tower, which represents her French roots, she said. Others items include a family heirloom music box and a camera to represent interest in photography.

"What I liked best about participating in this challenge was being able to work with a group and seeing our development of ideas," Viqar said. "I enjoyed it giving us the chance to be able to go through the steps of the design process and then be able to actually execute it."

The team chose a mixture of warm and cool colors, Saadeh explained. The walls are a mixture of yellow, orange and blue, with seven overlapping squares representing the seven team members. On the wall is also a refurbished wood sign, with different seven planks coming together, bearing the "coexist" team name.

The floor includes an inviting burgundy rug to make the room homey, Saadeh said.

Vintage looks, design on a budget

Two other teams are competing, including the Mod Squad team and the Revitalize team.

Mod Squad members are Madeline King of Milford, Erica Trossen of Ann Arbor and Jordan Stefl of Plainwell. Revitalize members are Lincoln Park resident Phyllis Maierle, Midland resident Sarah Anker, Petersburg resident Anna Pollock, Carleton resident Millicent Murphy, Allen Park resident Megan Nemeth, Midland resident Mary Levengood and Whitehall resident Nicole Borgman.

Mod Squad's design is a 1960s look, using geometric patterns and sustainable materials like a bamboo woven rug and thrift store accents. The colors are gray, brown and green.

Revitalize focused on budget wise decorating and creating a refreshing and revitalizing atmosphere. The team plans to use cool purples and blues in its decorating, as well as multiple wall hangings to create visual interest.

The HSLM show is Saturday and Sunday and students in the Designer's Challenge have 3-11p.m. Friday to bring their design visions to life, including painting the walls. The designers will also be on hand to speak at the show's Fresh Idea Stage on topics from sustainability to designing on a budget.

HSLM show attendees will be able to vote for their favorite room design and each voter is entered into a drawing for a 50-inch television, O'Brien said. "They'll be able to watch all their HGTV shows larger than life," O'Brien said.

Details

Home & Lifestyle Shows of Michigan, produced by Northville-based Street Marketing and presented by Art Van Pure Sleep, is hosting its first event at Eastern Michigan University's Convocation Center Oct. 17 and 18. The event, which is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, will feature, in addition to the Designer's Challenge, more than 100 interior and exterior design exhibitors.

Also on tap will be Small Home Communities, a 600-square-foot virtual tour of a minimalist living space; Home Tips on Paint Chips, sponsored by Anderson Paint; and The Fresh Idea Stage, where experts on sustainability, color trends, kitchen functionality and other relevant topics will speak every 30 minutes.

Tickets are $5 and available at the door or online at www.emich.edu/emutix/. Children 12 and under get in free.

READ MORE bridesmaid dresses plus size

Fashion is a lifestyle pretty girls that love fashion and cooking