Home away from home

By Clara Lee

With the introduction of three new residential halls this semester and two years of guaranteed on-campus accommodation, many first-year students have secured themselves a place in hall this year.

While some have spruced up their rooms with the more conventional photos-on-the-wall aesthetic, others have chosen to take it to a whole new level, maximising their freedom to decorate their personal space without limitation.

The Nanyang Chronicle went door-to-door to visit some of NTU’s budding interior designers, who showed us how they have revamped their rooms.

Gone are the Monday blues

Step into a sea of blue at 21-year-old Rishi Ramathas’ double room in Hall of Residence 16.

Two blue Chelsea flags hang on the wall, with the words “TOUR OF THE CHAMPIONS” screaming in bright yellow on one, alongside posters displaying this season’s line-up.  A large teddy bear blanketed by a checkered blue banner and adorned with several scarves sits on a shelf.  

Not too far away, framed photos of Rishi when he visited the Stamford Bridge football stadium in London — Chelsea’s home ground — line the space above his desk.

The first-year School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering student is a die-hard fan of English football club Chelsea, and took his favourite’s team’s slogan — “Keep the blue flag flying high” — quite literally when decorating his hall room.

“I wanted the room to be a little livelier so that I could look forward to going back after a mentally exhausting day at school,” said Rishi, who purchased the souvenirs from the 12,500 square feet Stamford Bridge megastore, which sells a wide array of official Chelsea merchandise.

He added: “It’s nice to have merchandise because it makes you feel closer to your team. It also contributes to the club’s revenue so it’s a win-win situation.”

Besides displaying his precious Chelsea possessions in his room, Rishi also decorates his space with personalised Chelsea gifts from friends who know about his passion all too well.

One of his most prized items is a framed photo of Frank Lampard — his favourite player —  gifted to him by his friends, who photoshopped his own face onto Lampard’s body.

“Growing up, I idolised Frank Lampard. I believe he is the greatest Chelsea player of all time and one of the best midfielders the world has ever seen,” said Rishi.

With so much of the room decked out in Chelsea’s home colours, one might be surprised to learn that his roommate does not share the same fervour for the football team.

Rishi stays with first-year Sport Science and Management student Martyn Danial, who is in fact a fan of Liverpool, another club in the English Premier League (EPL).

Though the two top-tier clubs are fierce rivals in the EPL, the two roommates maintain that whatever happens on the field, stays on the field.

Aside from making occasional threats to tear down Rishi’s Premier League Champions flag in jest — Chelsea are the reigning league champions — Martyn has no issue in living with the Chelsea fan. He also does not have any Liverpool merchandise displayed in the room.

“It’s clear that making the room Chelsea-themed makes Rishi especially happy, so I’m cool with it. We don’t let such things affect our friendship, it’s just not worth it,” said Martyn.

Hall 16’s “common room”

In the case of a food crisis or emergency, one can always take shelter in the double room of Valerie Wong, a first-year Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information student living at Hall of Residence 16.

Together with her roommate, first-year School of Civil Engineering student Valerie Lim, the two 20-year-old girls have stockpiled so many items and necessities that fellow residents have dubbed their living quarters as the hall’s unofficial “common room”.

Each compartment of their fully-packed shelves is organised to hold everything that the two girls, or perhaps an army, might possibly need.  

One section of their shelf is stocked with toiletries and soap refills that can last them over six months. Daily breakfast is also taken care of, with another section entirely filled with an assortment of spreads, Milo tins, dry cereal and even pre-made tortilla wraps.

“Hall is my second home, so I definitely want the most comfortable and convenient experience possible,” said Wong.

Both girls may seem like over-zealous hoarders, but their neighbours are certainly not complaining.

Armed with a host of kitchen appliances — they have brought from their homes an oven, rice-cooker, blender, portable grill and waffle machine — they often whip up elaborate feasts that can feed a party of 10 at any hour.

They particularly enjoy making fresh “Krispy Kreme waffles” — placing Krispy Kreme doughnuts into their waffle iron until the sweet treats turn golden brown.

Curry is also a hot favourite with their visitors, a dish they cook easily with the help of an extensive range of pots and ladles in their room.

Wong said: “It gives me great joy to cook for people, so having a well-stocked pantry of my own lets me feed my hungry friends.”

Apart from the MasterChef-worthy cooking sessions they regularly hold in their room, friends from all across campus also gravitate to their cozy space for midnight chats.

For nights like these, Wong even has extra blankets and sleeping bags stocked up in the room to make her guests feel as comfortable as possible.

The girls may have everything they could possibly need now, but moving all these items over took an arduous two weeks — even with the help of family members and willing neighbours.

Large plastic boxes have proven to be important assets when it comes to organising their knick-knacks, something they do regularly to prevent cluttering.

“We use Toyogo boxes that are easily kept under the table and can be moved around. Smaller boxes are used to hold medication and skincare products,” said Wong.

Despite having to move so many belongings over — and back home again once semester ends — it is a hassle that Wong finds worthwhile. The multitude of items she has amassed in her room remind her of home, and even more so with the companionship of her friends and neighbours, she said.

Wong added: “It gives me encouragement to cook and improve my recipes when I see them enjoying what I have made.”

Lighting up the world

For those looking for a respite from their busy schedules, first-year Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine (LKCMedicine) student Ameya Subodh’s single room at Pioneer Hall may just be your idea of paradise.

A refreshing peach scent permeates from his room, drawing in visitors from the outside. They are immediately greeted by the sight of three large fleece carpets lining every inch of the floor, in calming shades of cream and maroon.

Candles in glass jar bottles neatly line his shelves and along the edges of his desk. A string of twinkling fairy lights hangs across the wall, completing the room’s dreamy ambience.

The 20-year-old owns a collection of 15 candles, spanning a wide variety of scents, colours and sizes. Most of them were purchased from Yankee Candle and The Body Shop, and emit a fruity fragrance.

Like any dedicated collector, Ameya practises good candle care. He makes sure to trim the wicks regularly and clean the edges of any dried wax, as these routines will allow the candles to burn to their maximum potential.

The science student in him had always been fascinated by the idea of using fragrances for healing purposes. But it was in university when his workload became hectic that he began to actively dabble in aromatherapy — the practice of using essential plant oils to improve one’s physical and mental well-being — by burning candles.

“It’s a gentle and intimate process and it’s really soothing to be the one lighting up the candle. There’s a reason why aromatherapy has been popular for centuries,” said Ameya, adding that he has always has extra candles stashed away in his storage for emergency, in case they burn out too quickly.

His interest in aromatherapy does not stop at Yankee Candles. Investing in a luminous air diffuser has been one of the best decisions he has made in university thus far, said Ameya.

The sleek object brings his workspace to life with a spritz of fragrance and its changing hues of colour, from blue to pink to turquoise.

To complement the therapeutic atmosphere of his room, Ameya also brought three fleece carpets from his home to place in his room. Adorned with elegant designs, these carpets keep him from being homesick, he said.

Last but not least is a trendy mini disco ball, which he brings out occasionally to illuminate his room’s surroundings.

Ameya said: “I use it when I have friends over and when we are just chilling, maybe over a beer or two. It makes for quite a nice and relaxed atmosphere.”