“Color absolutely changes peoples’ outlook on the day,” said Daunine Vining, instructor of Interior Design at the University of Nevada, Reno.
Color and reorganization were the main priority for Vining’s 16 undergraduate advanced design students, who were asked to take on the redesign challenge by Sparks Administrative Analyst Teresa Gardner.
Gardner said the desire for a fresh design came after pondering the historic photos that cluster the overly white walls in city hall.
“I wanted a fresh look and feel,” Gardner said. “Something more pleasing to the eye. But I didn’t know how to make it better.”
Gardner’s inability to fix the design faux pas led to contacting Vining.
“The department head, LuAnn Nissen, and I try to find real projects for the advanced design class in the fall semester of each year,” Vining said.
The class visited city hall and began working on a new design concept for the aging building. Gardner also visited the students on campus and helped contribute to ideas.
Vining explained that the students worked more than 45 hours on their design concepts for the lobby, mayor’s office and reception area and assistant manager’s office. Their ideas take design elements like form, space and line into consideration, as well as harmony and flow.
The students presented a design inspired by the blue and yellow Sparks logo but also worked with existing design schemes and suggested colorful new paint.
“The design should really give it a lift,” Vining said. “Most people are afraid of color but once they are brave enough to paint, they love it.”
The public area will be painted tints of blue and yellow, while other areas will take on more neutral browns and natural desert colors.
The design will also regroup and organize all the cluttered photos that document Sparks’ history, in addition to rearranging existing furniture.
As with any project, however, there are budget considerations.
“The project is on hold until the money situation improves,” Gardner said.
Vining’s class was recognized on Nov. 13 with a City of Sparks Commendation for a job well done.
“The students met really nice people and getting the commendation was pretty cool,” Vining said.
Vining, who has been an interior design instructor at UNR for eight years and has been in the interior design business for more than 40 years, has worked all over the United States and Canada.
Vining’s past classes have worked on design projects including the Chocolate Bar in Reno and the Virginia City Opera House. This semester her advanced design students created concepts for a condo at the Trump Towers in Baja, Calif., and an art gallery in New York. The art gallery design could win the students prestige — and cash — if chosen as a design winner by the American Society of Interior Designers.
Vining’s classes are not strangers to winning. Earlier this year, students took home honors in seven out of 14 categories at the Student Career Forum competition in San Francisco. Design categories included home office design, kitchen design, residential lighting, wool area rug design, appliance showroom design and residential bathroom design. UNR’s interior design program was started by Nissen 35 years ago.
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