For my first design studies assignment for this semester, I was asked to swop photos with someone from a different discipline. Helen gave me photos of her bedroom at home and her university bedroom. I decided to look at both because they were quite different. I managed to get a better analysis by doing so.
[If I chop and change from past tense to present tense, sorry. I’m just writing it out how it is in my notes.]
My findings…
First thing to notice is Helen has two beds in her bedroom at home – this could be a sister’s room as well or could just be an extra bed maybe for guests.
Even though there is a lot on her desk at home it is organised – knows where things are, everything has a place?
She is definitely a textiles student! She has a fashion book at home, many coats, scarves and dresses on her bedroom door. In her uni flat, supplies like fabrics take up three shelves and space beside bookcase. In her uni flat she has a quilt and a few pillows that are covered in different patterns – which she must like. The quilt, pillows and an elephant hanging thing could be from home or perhaps just there to add colour to the room.
I noticed a bible at her home – could she be religious, family religious or just there for no reason?
She likes to keep things from her past – perhaps can’t seem to throw them away – they are sentimental and hold memories. She also has photographs on her bookcase; these would be of special times with friends, again a reminder of the past.
Her uni room is tidier than her bedroom (her bedroom at home isn’t messy, just has a lot of stuff) does she not feel at home at uni? Or just has less things – easier to organise?
Then I noticed a book on Shetland, this could be the reminder of home when she is missing it.
Helen has two thriller novels in amongst her books at home. On a first look of the room you wouldn’t expect to see this genre in her bookcase. I thought perhaps she likes the suspense or fear? Different to her life? From this I thought she may like detective programmes.
From the posters that were in her bedroom the music taste seems very mixed – Indie, pop, alternative…
From her tastes, she appears to like a mixture of things – doesn’t like one particular genre.
I think she is influenced by her friends because of the photos that are on show. This to me show she is a friendly person. She may be influenced by religion as well.
A couple of extra things I noticed were motivational cards (unopened) on the wall behind her desk at uni – were these to encourage her when she is working? She had a postit on her mirror at home, and if she is anything like me, this would be a way of trying to be organize, then I came to think that she may be organize but forgetful.
When we met…
I was very nervous about meeting Helen because I felt I was judging her. She was just as nervous as me!
She was surprised at how much I picked up on, most things I had written were right which really surprised me!
She does share a room with her sister but the posters are her sister’s not hers. Yet I still was right about her music taste – she likes a mixture of music genres.
The two thriller books she has not actually read, but were suggested by family. She likes a mixture of genres because she gets books suggested to her. However, she does indeed like detective programmes but thats not the only type of programme she likes.
Her grandma used to say to her “there is a place for everything” and this is the reason she puts things in specific places because she knows where they are. This is the thought I had when I wrote “everything has a place” before.
Helen really does like pattern and colour, but the pillows and quilt weren’t from home, they were bought for when she moved. The reason was to make it more homely and to add colour. The ‘elephant hanging thing’ was a Christmas present from a friend also to add colour.
She isn’t religious, the bible was a gift from Sunday School which she went to because it was “the done thing” in her community.
She keeps absolutely everything, so I was right about her keeping things from her past and not being able to throw things away.
She is in fact very attached to her home. She likes being in Dundee but misses home. She also told me she found it hard removing things from her bedroom to take to Dundee. She isn’t used to having so much space in her flat so that could also be the reason why it is very neat.
She is influenced by her friends and also her family. Obviously I was wrong about religion.
She bought the motivational cards herself as a way of telling her that “things aren’t bad” and they are in a place where she can see them easily.
And I was totally right about her being organised but forgetful! She makes to-do lists a lot but then forgets to actually get round to finishing what is on the list.
The assignment itself...
The very weird thing was I am a lot like Helen, so it was easy for me to read her rooms. At the start of this assignment I felt really uncomfortable with the fact that someone was analysing my room to find out things about me. I was particularly shocked at how Helen was able to see that I find it hard being myself around new people. I did not like the thought of looking into someone’s room especially of someone I do not know, it is their personal space and I did not want to intrude.
It was interesting to see what could be told from looking at a room (in my case, two rooms).
