Imagine walking into a room and instantly feeling at home.
Home is a place where you can leave you shoes at the door, climb into bed, watch your favorite TV show and snuggle up with a good book and cup of coffee.
For junior graphic design major Mike Trobiano his room in Urso Hall has become an extension of his personal style.
Overlooking beautiful downtown Tampa, it’s easy to agree, Urso has one of the best views on campus.
But perhaps one of the most interesting elements in his room isn’t the fantastic views, but rather what surround them.
Around his windows Trobiano has layered old book pages to create a textural element in the rather flat nine foot ceilings, making a dramatic first impression.
“I got the idea for the page wall from a collage I made for a design class last year. I picked up a book from The Old Tampa Book Company downtown for a buck, brought it home and had at it.”
Borrowing another book from a friend, he estimates that it took over 250 pages to cover up the wall.
“I mean, I never had any intention of reading the particular book; I believe it’s about mythical creatures or something, so after the first few pages came out, it was just a matter of how quickly I could tear and roll tape.”
Both books date back to the early 1900s.
The collage is a masterpiece unlike anything found in a typical dorm room.
Floor to ceiling, Trobiano layered pages staggering upon each other so thick in areas, the wall’s teal paint is barely noticeable.
Color is also another notable detail that directly reflects his personal style.
Black, white and various neutral tones of chocolate browns and crème tans are placed around the room in the form of decorative pillows, fleece throws, sheets and his light linen couch.
When asked why he chose these colors, Trobiano said he feels more comfortable surrounded by the colors he wears.
Since he’s always on the go, being the Assistant Editor-in-Chief of The Minaret on top of regular college life, he designed his room as a quiet retreat where he can relax.
His style — very affordable.
With the exception of his couch and a few other items, almost everything in his room is under $40.
For example, when looking for wall art, Mike opted to take black and white pictures he snapped with a 35mm from his class portfolio and position them in a grid pattern.
He also has a lot of personal items like the oil painting his uncle made from his early days as an artist that make his space a direct reflection of his character.
“A lot of items in my room are things I’ve collected over time. The 1950s Westinghouse fan next to my sink I found at a yard sale for like two dollars. The brass dishes I picked up at a thrift store off Dale Mabry. The bamboo tray is actually a
drawer organizer I got from TJ Maxx. But I think one of my favorite pieces is the ceramic owl.”
A few weeks into his ceramics course last year, he modeled one of his pieces after an image of a lime green owl he found online.
About a month after the semester ended, he came across the same owl from the image in white at an antique store.
“When I found it, I was so shocked I almost dropped it. Thankfully it was only $7.50 because at that point, it didn’t matter how much it cost. It was coming home with me!”
Laurel Sanchez can be reached at laurel.sanchez1@gamil.com.