Student’s success colors academy

If you don't believe that color affects a person's mood, just ask Ruth Barton what a little orange, green and purple did for the spirits of fellow students at the International Academy of Design and Technology in Henderson.

Barton, a senior interior design student, recently completed a redesign of the academy's lobby after a schoolwide competition to create a new look.

Before the transformation, Barton said you could literally see students' spirits drop the minute they walked through the doors.

"It didn't look much like a design school where all people think about are color and design," Barton said.

Now decorated in shades of dusty violet purple, apple green and orange, the lobby and attached hallway gallery are vibrant and imbue a sense of life.

"You can't feel down looking at these colors," she said. "Color is key to exciting people."

"The space is now invigorating both mentally and socially -- you can feel the change and our students have been energized by its new look," said John Lehman, academy president.

Lehman initiated the contest last fall.

"You can never underestimate the value of a first impression," he said. "As the face of our school, our lobby plays an important role in creating the perception of IADT as a place where creativity is nurtured and forward-thinking design is embraced."

"You come in the doors and immediately see what we're doing. This is not just a facility for education. It's a showcase of talent," Barton added.

The final four entries were voted upon by the entire student population. She believes the colors she used, as well as the more student-friendly lounge were key reasons her design was selected.

Barton's design was inspired by Wassily Kandinsky's 1913 painting "Farbstudie Quadrate," a study in color that features concentric circles inside square blocks.

"To me, it looked like a lot of people gathering," Barton said of how the painting inspired her.

In addition to changing the colors of the walls and ceiling from a dull beige and white, Barton's design softened the edges of the furniture to make the space more welcoming and introduced an organic theme through various nature-inspired accessories.

She said the completed transformation isn't much different than her original vision for the lobby. Budget constraints, however, did require having a custom sofa made instead of purchasing an Isamu Noguchi design.

The redesign also included transforming an underutilized store into a café and lounge, and creating a more inviting atmosphere for the gallery showspace that lines hallways to the lobby.

"I wanted to create a place where people would want to spend their time," Barton said.

The change has been warmly received. Lehman said the lobby has a newfound energy and has become one of the "major social hubs of the campus."

Barton said working on the project gave her a good sense of what it will be like to work with clients. For example, she didn't include a rug in her original design, but some felt the space was too sparse and sterile without it.

Additionally, she joined forces with fellow student Michelle King to oversee completion of the project after the initial competition. Barton said there is no way she could have obtained all the furniture and accessories, supervised the painting and met with vendors and suppliers while still attending classes full-time and fulfilling obligations at home to her husband and two children.

Barton also received assistance from interior design student Robert LeQuire and several local businesses who offered donated or discounted materials for the project, including Henrickson Butler Design, which donated the tables and chairs for the student lounge.

Barton, who currently has a 4.0 grade point average, is scheduled to graduate from IADT in June and hopes to secure a position working in the hospitality industry.

IADT Las Vegas offers bachelor's and associates degrees in interior design, fashion design and visual communication as well as a bachelor's degree in game design and development. The school is a subsidiary of Career Education Corp., one of the world's largest and fastest-growing providers of private, for-profit postsecondary education.

For more information, call 990-0150 or visit www.iadtlasvegas.com.