DIY: Shared Room

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These tips from design guru Mark Montano will work whether you share a room with a stranger or a sister! For more tips from Mark, check out his Web site, markmontano.com.

1. Start by talking to your roommate (or your sis) about your style likes and dislikes before you go shopping for room stuff.

2. Negotiate the items each of you can\'t live without and the ones you can compromise on. (You don\'t really need all 50 pictures of Adam Brody--you can live with just three or four, right? Right?!)

3. Find a theme that you can interpret for each style, like flowers. We blended girlie daisies with dark red rock-star roses.

4. To visually delineate your separate sides, put curtains with different fabrics on each side of the window (buy an extra flat bedsheet).

5. Arranging things symmetrically helps different styles look better together, so position similar items in the same place on either side of the room. Put chairs at the foot of each bed, dressers between the beds, and mirrors over each bed.

DIY: Room Divider

room divider, diy, do it yourself, dorm room dilemma, screen room divider ROOM DIVIDER\r\n\r\nSupplies: a metal- or wood-framed three-panel room divider (try finding one at Bed Bath & Beyond), six 9-to-15-inch-long tension rods ($12 each, at hardware stores), three flat sheets that match your bedding, scissors, needle, thread\r\n\r\n 1. Carefully remove fabric from divider.\r\n 2. Measure the length and width of one panel in divider. Add 5 inches to width and 4 inches to length. Cut a fabric panel this size from a flat sheet.\r\n 3. Machine-stitch a 1/2-inch hem on both long sides. Fold down a 2-inch flap along one short edge and stitch down to create a tube for tension rod. Repeat on other short edge.\r\n 4. Repeat with remaining two sheets.\r\n 5. Insert tension rods into both tubes of one panel. Gather fabric along rods. Tighten rods until panel hangs neatly in frame. Repeat with other two panels.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nPrices for all supplies are approximate.

DIY: Pink Chalkboard

pink chalkboard, diy, do it yourself, blackboard, slate, dorm room dilemma pink chalkboard with plant trim CHALKBOARDS\r\n\r\nSupplies for one board: an 8-by-1-foot piece of 1/2-inch-thick plywood ($10, at hardware stores), sandpaper, 3 cups acrylic paint in any color you like (we used pink and black), 1 1/2 cups water-based glazing medium, 1/2 cup powder tile grout ($3, at hardware stores), 2-inch paintbrush, 6 yards faux flower vines, staple gun\r\n\r\n 1. Sand edges and front of board until all are smooth.\r\n 2. Mix together paint, glazing medium, and powdered grout until well blended to create chalkboard paint. Using the paintbrush, cover the entire front of the board evenly with the thick mixture. Let it dry overnight. Gently sand over the paint. Wipe away excess dust. Apply a second coat of the mixture. Let it dry and gently sand it again.\r\n 3. Wipe the board with a soft, damp cloth until clean. Staple vines around frame. Prop board against wall.

DIY: Stenciled Dresser

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STENCILED DRESSERS

Supplies for one dresser: a five-drawer lingerie chest (try Kmart or Wal-Mart), assorted colors of high-gloss spray paint ($5 per can, at art supply stores), stencils ($6-$10, at craft stores), screwdriver.

1. Remove drawers. Cover the drawer pulls with masking tape or remove them with a screwdriver. Tape a stencil on one drawer front. In a ventilated area, spray-paint over it. Neatly peel back stencil to reveal design.

2. Continue with the other drawers. Spray-paint some of them a solid color so the stenciled ones really pop. Let drawers dry at least two hours.

3. Put the drawer pulls back on with the screwdriver and return the drawers to the dresser.

Prices for all supplies are approximate.

DIY: Flower Garland

diy, do it yourself, flower, garland flower garland FLOWER GARLAND\r\n\r\nSupplies: about 2 1/2 yards each of faux rose and daisy vines ($4 per vine, at craft stores), temporary mounting putty ($2 per pack, at office supply stores)\r\n\r\n 1. Measure the height of one whole side of your window and half of its width. Twist together the ends of the rose vines until you have one long vine that will fit the combined measurement of this space. Repeat with the daisy vines.\r\n 2. Twist together one end of the daisy vine with one end of the rose vine to create one long, continuous vine. Drape it over the top of the window and tuck it around the curtain rod, letting the ends hang down.\r\n 3. Secure vines to window frame with mounting putty, which won\'t ruin the dorm room wall.