Harkness personality altered by new furniture

Harkness Co-op got a new personality this summer. New furniture and general refurbishing have left the co-op with a whole new look.

An estimated $1.5 million dollars were spent to replace things like lighting fixtures, lobby furniture, carpeting, beds and desks. An old fireplace was replaced and a new baby-grand Yamaha piano is sitting in the lounge.

The old furniture and carpets were stained and ripped and the beds were creaky. The walls, which were discolored and peeling in spots, were repainted.

While these massive changes were greatly needed and welcomed by many, others think the renovations changed the comfortable feeling that many Harkies love.

The new furniture and repainted walls have solved these problems but have given the lobby a sanitized feeling. One resident said "I feel like I'm lounging in the lobby of a hospital rather than a dorm."

Recently, students spent an afternoon painting colorful murals in order to brighten the lounge. An aesthetics coordinator was appointed to get plants and other items to decorate the lounge and make it less sterile looking.

The improvements made in the dorm rooms had more universal acceptance. The light peach-colored walls warm the rooms, and the new beds were described by one resident as "giant recycled legos" because they stack easily. Many residents also like the contemporary design of the desks and beds.

Much of the new furniture is made of 97 percent recycled materials, a fact that pleases many residents. The lounge couches are covered in pleather, a type of simulated, "vegan" leather. One resident commented it smells a little like leather and makes an "authentic squeaky leather sound" as one sits down. A surprising hazard is that the extra firm cushions have caused a number of residents to bounce off when they sat down too heavily.

In order to conserve energy and water, motion sensors now control the lights and flush the toilets. These sensors are quite sensitive and residents have found the ones in the bathrooms to be especially wasteful. Opening and closing the doors can trigger the toilet a second or third time, using gallons of water unnecessarily. Students have responded by covering the sensors with duct tape and using the manual flush.

Pleather!: One Harkness resident sits in a new chair in Harkness. The furniture is made out of "vegan" leather. (photo by Nicole Russo)
 

Nice and new: Harkness bedrooms got a new look with brand new beds, desks and paint jobs. Residents quickly made the place seem like home. (photo by Nicole Russo)