Houzz Tours
My Houzz: Eclectic Dorm Living in Illinois
5 Judson University roommates add their crafty and creative spin on student housing
On the quiet campus of Judson University is a small student apartment in Volkman Hall dorm that five friends from all around the world call home. The group came together through a number of connections over the years, from being classmates, roommates, suitemates, and even teammates on the volleyball team.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Bri Simmons from Geneva, Ill., Carolyn Terwilliger from Kansas City, Mo., Eleanor Walters from Albuquerque, N.M., Stine Pflaumfrom Chingola, Zambia, and Kristina Dieselberg from Bangkok, Thailand.
Location: Volkman Hall at Judson University, Elgin, Illinois
Size: 650 square feet
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Bri Simmons from Geneva, Ill., Carolyn Terwilliger from Kansas City, Mo., Eleanor Walters from Albuquerque, N.M., Stine Pflaumfrom Chingola, Zambia, and Kristina Dieselberg from Bangkok, Thailand.
Location: Volkman Hall at Judson University, Elgin, Illinois
Size: 650 square feet
Swimming around in a small bubble-like enclosure is a solitary beta fish named LePoo. The girls' favorite episode on the hit TV show Friends was their inspiration for the fish’s name, as LePoo was name of the character Rachel’s dog.
The Volkman roommates dreamed of a owning a fish well before the school year started. Pflaum bought the fish tank, and two weeks into the semester, LePoo joined the family. "It was a roommate date, so we went to Anna Shea's and then we went to Meijer afterwards to get the fish," Dieselberg says.
Mounted Fish Bowl: Ebay
The Volkman roommates dreamed of a owning a fish well before the school year started. Pflaum bought the fish tank, and two weeks into the semester, LePoo joined the family. "It was a roommate date, so we went to Anna Shea's and then we went to Meijer afterwards to get the fish," Dieselberg says.
Mounted Fish Bowl: Ebay
"I found the pallet in a Dumpster," Dieselbeg says. "I was tired of it sitting there so I grabbed it and brought it inside and started sticking shoes in it." Now this found wooden pallet is a clever shoe shelf that rests at their front door.
Home looks different for everyone. For Dieselberg it is a place with a personal touch, seen through her DIY projects, or the vintage edge from secondhand items from thrift stores. She made Volkman Hall, a place where painting and structural change are prohibited, feel homey by "adding as much stuff without making it unorganized or messy, to hide the bare walls."
Magnetic scrabble tiles spell out the roommates' names, and a crafted paper chain hanging from the ceiling counted down the days to Christmas.
A small row of 50-cent stockings and a decorative ampersand came from a community thrift store.
A row of mini records from a community thrift store adorns the wall above the kitchen.
Picture frames and artwork fill another wall.
Dieselberg put her own DIY touch on her seasonal decorations. She says, "I saw something online using book pages from a concordance and Mod Podge. I chose words that were uplifting and interesting. I first put leaves on it and after that I thought it would be fun to make it seasonal."
"I love antiques and vintage, and the used look. I don't like the shiny, clean, white look," says Dieselberg. She gets inspiration from simple things like dried roses and DIY projects she sees online.
Left to right: Dieselberg, Simmons, Walters, Pflaum, Terwilliger.
Dieselberg's biggest challenge was not the inability to paint or rip up the carpet, but to create a space where all the roommates feel at home. "I’m trying to make everyone in the room happy and avoiding tacky." Creating that dream space as a student is a tough balancing act, as each of the young women have differing dreams and aesthetics, but the apartment with its eclectic hodgepodge of found items and secondhand buys does the job of making shared student housing a home.
Dieselberg, senior, Intercultural Studies major: "I'm always searching for the living space that would make everyone happy, including a desire for a great bathroom with a rain shower, TV, hot tub, and big windows."
Simmons, senior, Education major: "My dream job is to work in the heart of Chicago as a teacher. My dream travel destination is Australia, and I dream of a big glass shower in my future dream home."
Walters, senior, Architecture major: "I want to enter the design industry after my studies, whether it be furniture or clothing. My favorite designer is William Morris, 1940s and 50s vintage clothing, and my biggest home desire is for a wall-sized south facing window."
Pflaum, senior, Elementary Education major: "I consider myself a "farm girl" with no affinity for the city I live in. My dream vacation spot is Mombasa, Kenya or anywhere along the Indian Ocean. My dream home would include a huge library with a lot of sofas and a big pool outside."
Terwilliger, senior, Psychology major: "My favorite designer is Jeffrey Campbell. My ultimate home item would be a rainfall shower and I want to move to downtown Chicago into an older apartment complex with hardwood floors."
Dieselberg's biggest challenge was not the inability to paint or rip up the carpet, but to create a space where all the roommates feel at home. "I’m trying to make everyone in the room happy and avoiding tacky." Creating that dream space as a student is a tough balancing act, as each of the young women have differing dreams and aesthetics, but the apartment with its eclectic hodgepodge of found items and secondhand buys does the job of making shared student housing a home.
Dieselberg, senior, Intercultural Studies major: "I'm always searching for the living space that would make everyone happy, including a desire for a great bathroom with a rain shower, TV, hot tub, and big windows."
Simmons, senior, Education major: "My dream job is to work in the heart of Chicago as a teacher. My dream travel destination is Australia, and I dream of a big glass shower in my future dream home."
Walters, senior, Architecture major: "I want to enter the design industry after my studies, whether it be furniture or clothing. My favorite designer is William Morris, 1940s and 50s vintage clothing, and my biggest home desire is for a wall-sized south facing window."
Pflaum, senior, Elementary Education major: "I consider myself a "farm girl" with no affinity for the city I live in. My dream vacation spot is Mombasa, Kenya or anywhere along the Indian Ocean. My dream home would include a huge library with a lot of sofas and a big pool outside."
Terwilliger, senior, Psychology major: "My favorite designer is Jeffrey Campbell. My ultimate home item would be a rainfall shower and I want to move to downtown Chicago into an older apartment complex with hardwood floors."
Volkman Hall has been a part of Judson University's campus as a student dorm since 1963. It was named after Bill Volkman, a contractor and former school trustee. The building consists of 40 units at approximately 650 square feet, and every year, 150 students call it home.
More Houzz Tours:
Abbey's Aesthetic Outburst
Paula Coldiron's Affordable Elegance
Cozy and Crocheted in the Netherlands
More Houzz Tours:
Abbey's Aesthetic Outburst
Paula Coldiron's Affordable Elegance
Cozy and Crocheted in the Netherlands
When it comes to decorations, "I'm inspired by things I already have," says Dieselberg. "Everything started with that picture with the yellow and accents of red," chimes in her roommate, Simmons, as she points to the Chicago cityscape digital print hanging over the sofa. The roommates chose to use the picture as a focal point, pulling the yellow and red as accent colors for the rest of the room.
Artwork: Ikea