Sigma Kappa Sorority House (GVSU) Design Recommendations
Description of the Project The Kappa Beta chapter of Sigma Kappa at Grand Valley State University is moving their sorority house to a new location. They will be located by a number of other fraternity/sorority houses with similar styles, so they are looking for a way to make their house stand out, be inviting, and warm (for the 31+ women living there and the 100+ members). The design should be sustainable, timeless, and classic but with a fresh, youthful take. The Sigma Kappas are searching for professionals that can assist in identifying sustainable and attractive furnishings and interior design, including paint colors, furniture and artwork.
Designer Goals Our goal is to create a modern, yet traditional living space that is functional, smart, and inspiring while respecting/paying homage to the history, culture, and values of the Sigma Kappa sorority and the women who live there. We will try to push the women to think outside of the box & trust our expertise while listening to their needs.
General Mood Board
Color Story Lavender and maroon are the colors of Sigma Kappa. We want to honor these colors in everything we do while adding in accent colors that will make it feel more three-dimensional (navy, emerald, and gold predominantly). In the pages to follow, pay close attention to how we are intentionally adding those elements through paint, rugs, and furnishings while still making it feel natural/well-designed.
Large-scale commissioned, art pieces of the five sorority founders to be the focal point on the wall in the living room.
All walls (with the exception of accent or otherwise specified) to be painted a gray with a lavender hue (neutral, but still paying homage to the sorority). White trim would accompany.
Composites framed in the stairwells since they are tall, open spaces. Most recent composite hung above the entry way console/guestbook. Additional art would include mirrors (throughout the house and large scale by front door in preparation for formals) and abstract pieces.
Chapter room would be dramatic with a navy color or completely wallpapered. A gold ceiling could also add to the drama. The folded seats would be white & during large meetings would be a nice contrast with the blue. Additional furniture in this room would be tables that can be used for dining/studying that can be easily moved for meetings. The trophies would also be housed there in a display case. The coat of arms would be a brass gilded piece or framed on the wall. Additional shelving/accessories would be a white lacquer. Rugs would be traditional style with numerous colors strewn throughout the house for depth and drama.
Many of the hard furniture finishes would be a mix of nice wood (classic) and white lacquer (modern). The soft seating would be a mix of performance velvet (like the pieces you have from Israel’s), leather (bring in some red/maroon tones), and a durable linen.
The living room would have ample seating for large groups, and even the coffee table would be available for seating (ottoman style). A white lacquer media cabinet would be added for storage. Decorative accessories & pillows would be added for personality. The purple chairs you currently have could also be added to this space.
The study (smaller meeting space) would be painted an emerald green with a white lacquer table, cherry wood or leather chairs, and the charter. A white board would be added for functionality and would not be too stark because it will look intentional with the white lacquer table (see previous page for table example).
The linen-colored & charcoal velvet couches from the current house can be moved to the new space and utilized in the study rooms on the second and third floor. Update the tables/ art/media cabinet in these spaces and they will feel fresh & new.
The kitchen (like the living room/ rest of the hallways) should be painted the lavender gray. This will lighten it up. White wire Bertoia stools should be added to the counter top & white baskets above the counters for additional storage.
At the back entrance, add a wall of benches/trays/hooks for boots/shoe storage. Also add an accent color to contrast the wall. Message boards & mirrors can be added as needed.
Let’s Talk Budget… Per our conversation, if you’re going to “DO” it, we recommend doing once & doing it right. That is why we have suggested you use a significant portion of your budget for quality items as much as possible. Costs can obviously be saved at all levels, and these are rough, rough estimates.
One thing we do know, though, is this- due to the time crunch and sheer size of this project, we will charge $2,500 lump sum for two designers for this entire project (regardless of hours/time, etc.). We will work 110% until the project is complete. We are passionate about the this and believe this to be more than a fair asking price due to work load required. Payment can be made all at once at the start of the project or in smaller sums over the course of the project.
What’s Next? Whew! That was a lot of information. Now that you have seen the inspiration/recommendations, soak it all in. Let us know if you have any questions. After processing the information, you have a couple of options. Call or e-mail to set up an appointment to discuss your likes/dislikes of the design and how we can move forward together with Hunt & Gather managing the project (we would discuss specific items, purchasing, what we should be hunting for, budget, and timeline). Nothing. This wasn’t what you were looking for, and you would like to discontinue working together. Of course none of the ideas you’ve seen are written in stone. The WHY is more important than the WHAT at this point, so don’t get too hung up on individual pieces. Instead, think about this: Do you like the mood? Do you understand the concept? Can you see fun, personable, quirky Sigma Kappas living in a space like this? We hope you are inspired by what we have come up with. We hope you feel pushed to think outside of the box. We hope you feel listened to, and we hope you see that we were intentional in our designs. We look forward to hearing from you!
THANK YOU Kelley Howley & Fernando Ramirez Hunt & Gather 951 Cherry St. SE huntandgatherGR@gmail.com