Fraternity Lodge

The space in my fraternity lodge is great. It is very multifunctional and all of the furniture can be moved and reorganized, giving the space a new look. When you enter into the room, the first thing people see is our letters on the wall. We put those there to make a statement. They hang over a couch and are behind our huge meeting table. Once you step into the room, you can turn in any direction. We have a closet that is hidden behind the kitchen. We did that on purpose so it keeps the room open and doesn’t’ take away from any wall space.

The kitchen/ meeting table is placed near the kitchen on a carpet. We put a carpet under the table to make the space more inviting. It also makes the kitchen part of the room feel like a separate room.  It’s very nice to sit in. You can also see the TV from the table. We use the table for two reasons. The first is to hold meetings. It’s a long table that can fit the majority of the fraternity. The second use is for eating. The table can also elongate to fit more people depending on the need of the space.

There are a few sitting areas that surround the kitchen table. The first is the couch behind the table against the wall. Personally, it is my favorite. It is comfortable to sit on and a great way to open up the kitchen area for seating. We move some of the chairs from the table and place them on the side, creating a big circle. To the right of the entrance is another small seating area. Two red chairs are placed at a 90 degree angle. It’s the perfect spot to have a conversation and plan fraternal activities. I like how the chairs are not facing each other. It allows for a comfortable conversation to occur.

Lastly, we have a large seating area that focuses around the media center. We purchased a sectional couch to help create a separate room from the kitchen. The furniture is placed against the walls so the focus can be on the TV. We use this space to watch TV, hold informal meetings, to relax and to play games. We decided to buy a rug that is in front of the TV. IT pulls the space together and creates it’s own room. The flow of the space works very well and I believe it attracts a lot of energy. The only complaint is that I wish it was always clean!

Our fraternity lodge can be found in Greek Row on the bottom floor of Wireman.

7th Floor Kitchen

When it comes to kitchens, they should be inspiring and functional. I imagine a kitchen having granite countertops with an island in the middle for extra working space. The cabinets should be really nice, possibly dark wood. A kitchen should have all the necessities a person needs to cook. I am already not the best cook and want to leave the kitchen as fast as possible, but I wouldn’t mind staying in a beautiful space. Our 7th floor kitchen in South Residence hall is pretty much embarrassing.

Our kitchen an eyesore. It looks super cheap and is not very enjoyable. For starters, the kitchen has a huge ice maker in the middle. It stands out so much and forces people to walk around it to enter the room. Then, the kitchen doesn’t have a refrigerator. If I’m cooking, I’d like to keep some of the ingredients at a safe temperature until they are ready to be used. Our kitchen is also missing a trash can and an island. I know there is plenty of counter space, but it looks like the kitchen was built in a closet.

Another issue with our kitchen is the ventilation system… there isn’t one! The alarm has gone off now a few times because the steam and smoke have set off the alarm. When you are cooking, you are facing away from the entrance and get scared every time someone walks in on you. It’s creepy!

I wish the room had granite counters and really nice, or at least reasonable cabinets. The ones they chose are tan and look like closet space.. Terrible. Finally, there is no where to sit after you make the food. The space basically says go back to your room and eat alone.. There is definitely enough space in the front right corner for a round table and some chairs. I just wish Queens wouldn’t take shortcuts and think about how students will use the space. OR in this case, not use the space. It is important to listen and hear what people want.