A Lake Geneva woman is among six Gateway Technical College interior design students who will “bring the outside in” through a nature-inspired dining room design at the 52nd annual Milwaukee/NARI Home Improvement Show’s Interior Design Contest Feb. 13 to 16 at State Fair Park in West Allis. These events are often viewed by those looking for inspiration, perhaps to Buy neon lights or other standout pieces for their homes, and so it is a great achievement simply to compete. There could be countless reasons as to why homeowners make frequent improvements to their homes. Whether it’s for safety or comfort, most people tend to opt for more frugal options such as getting wallpaper rather than painting the whole house, DIY options, reconfiguring the existing space to fit more, or even hiring reliable contractors.
Danielle Wales, of Lake Geneva, along with Michelle Adrian and Sarah Mason, of Kenosha, Angie Hovorka, of Racine, Megan A. Schultz, of Caledonia, and Katherine Sturino, of Union Grove, will compete against students from Milwaukee Area Technical College, Mount Mary College and Waukesha County Technical College in the collegiate room-design event.
The winner will be decided by attendees who will be able to vote for their favorite design at the show.
“This design of ‘bringing the outdoors in’ uses elegant, nature-inspired gestures to make guests feel right at home,” said Gateway interior design instructor Rita Serpe. “It brings in an elegant ambiance using elements inspired by the outdoors.”
The dining room combines warm, neutral tones with earthy prints and finishes to create a classic and informal space. Gourmet mushroom-painted walls bring warmth to the informal setting, while white birch branches arranged against the orange far wall further incorporate the nature theme.
There was a very tight budget for this project so the students had to be smart with their money – making a lot of the decor themselves, using Lowe’s coupon to cut costs, and finding cheaper alternatives. They said that the budget was one of the hardest parts of the project so they had to plan everything ahead to make sure they didn’t spend too much.
Students selected a dining table created from a reclaimed section of fence, which they painted and distressed. Each chair surrounding the table is distinctive and unified by the same color pallet. The walls are appointed with salvaged window shutters, exterior lanterns and a mirrored window while birdcages function as artistic light fixtures.
The NARI show will be held at the Wisconsin Expo Center within State Fair Park, 8200 W. Greenfield Ave., West Allis.
