Dorm room decorating dilemmas

Q. I am starting college this fall and don't have enough storage in my dinky dorm room. I also hate the furniture in there. Is there anything I can do to spruce it up a bit? -- Dani, 17, Las Animas, Colo.
A. Wow! I remember the first time I saw my dorm room. It was so boring and depressing that I wanted to go home! Fortunately, you have come to the right place for some ideas:
First, see if you can replace the horrible wooden desk chair they give you with a fab Oh chair from Umbra in a color that you like. Next, let's cover that desk with a cool tapestry in the color scheme you like best. UrbanOutfitters.com has them starting at $32, and if you get three, you can use one for your bed and one for a wall hanging to cover that awful white or brick wall!
Next: storage. How about under-bed storage boxes for some of your clothes and a cool trunk from Kmart for extra things. If you put a cushion on the trunk, you have a great place to sit. And without the cushion, you have a place for your stereo.
There are a ton of shelving systems out there that are sturdy and easy to put together. However, you can easily make a shelf that is 8 feet high (plenty of storage) and 18 inches wide out of three planks of 1- by 12-inch pine board. Have one of the planks cut in five 18-inch-wide pieces at the lumber yard or Home Depot. Nail them together (with the help of a cute guy you have your eye on) and boom, a ton more storage for about $30. Paint it a color to match your new chair and your tapestries, and you have tons of room and digs fit for the future president. Let me know how it all works out!
Q. I can't take it anymore. I share a room with my little sister. I have no privacy. Please help me. She is 10, and I am 14, and I don't know what to do. -- Candice, St. George, Utah
A. OK, calm down and take a deep breath. Before I give you some suggestions, I want to tell you that I have five younger brothers, and I know what you are going through. I know this will sound corny, but keep in mind your sister probably wants to be just like you, so set a great example for her and let her know that you still love her but you need some of your own space sometimes.
First of all, if you have bunk beds, take the bottom bed and curtain it off. Attach a light in there so you can read and be alone in your own space. If you don't have bunk beds, see if your parents will let either (or both) of you put canopies around your beds for some privacy. You can make one easily by using a hula hoop and some twin sheets. Take three twin sheets and stitch the top of the sheet (or other fabric) around the hoop all the way around so it is gathered at the top like it would be on a curtain rod. You have to do this by hand because, unlike a curtain rod, there is no end to slip on the curtain. Instead of sewing, you can use safety pins around the top.
Now when you use sheets, you don't have to finish the edges and you can find something that easily matches your bedding. If you choose to use fabric for this project, it looks nice if you stitch around the edges at the bottom.
Okay, you now have three sheets hanging from a hula hoop. Next, with some heavy ribbon or satin rope, tie three pieces that are about 60 inches long in between each sheet. This is where Mom or Dad come in. Attach a hook or an eye screw to the ceiling and hang your canopy from the ribbons or ropes. Jump in, and don't forget to put the "do not disturb" sign on the side. Good luck!
XNeed help with your room? E-mail your question to markmontanonyc@aol.com. Mark Montano writes "Cool Room," a monthly room makeover column in CosmoGirl magazine. He is also the author of "Super Suite: The Ultimate Bedroom Makeover Guide for Girls" and an award-winning fashion designer in New York City. He has appeared on networks like MTV and Lifetime to discuss hip decor, and his fashions have been featured in publications such as Vogue and The New York Times. For more information about Mark and his work, check out www.markmontano.com.