Students get creative in real-world redesigns

Saccades are rapid eye movements that shift gaze from one point to another, playing a role as a person enters a new room.

East Carolina University student Laci Deal thought of this, combined with people generally pay more attention to displays placed on the right side of a room, when talking to Dr. Rebekah Rogers inside the Dail House about where to position certain paintings. They had a bright and bold, Pirate-themed piece and, using Deal’s insight on eye movement, visual merchandising and interior design, they hung the painting on a right wall near the front entrance of the house. This made it likely for guests to quickly notice and admire the art piece to their right after opening the front door.

Chaz Weaver places a centerpiece on a table inside the Dail House. (ECU photo by Rhett Butler)

“It’s exciting to be part of a real-life project, versus designing something on Canva or Adobe,” Deal said of students working with Rogers for the recent redesign project for the Dail House, an ECU event space located across Fifth Street from main campus.

Rogers, ’07, ’10, an instructor and national board-certified health and wellness coach, connected to students via Dr. Marina Alexander and Jesús Nieves, faculty members in the Department of Interior Design and Merchandising. Rogers hosts university events throughout the year in Dail House along with her husband, Chancellor Philip Rogers.

For students, real-life projects are key to shaping their experience.

“We had fun with it,” Chaz Weaver said. “It was all of us students in there having fun and doing what we like. I’m more of a fashion student, but that’s why I really liked this because we’ve had fashion projects and we had a housing project like this, which opened my eyes to new things.”

Interior design and merchandising students often gain real-world experience and connect to ECU alums through their capstone projects, such as the planning for last year’s opening of the Hilton Garden Inn in downtown Greenville. Developers and ECU College of Business alumni Paul Adkison and Scott Diggs engaged with various Pirate students and faculty and worked with Clarendon Properties, which also had connections to ECU programs and reviewed student ideas.

With the Dail House project, Rogers visited Alexander’s class a few times to plan with students and listen to their design proposals prior to the movement or installation of any furniture, rugs or paintings. Rogers even mentioned she wants the house to represent the spirit of ECU, giving alumni and friends feelings of belonging and celebration. These class visits sparked detailed, productive discussions.

“They were engaged listeners and asked thoughtful questions about the types of guests who visit the Dail House regularly,” Rogers said. “That curiosity helped them design a space that feels intentional and welcoming.”

Initiative was required by students to successfully complete their roles.

“It’s a really cool experience to work on something so meaningful to ECU and to the community,” student Jleigh Cochrane said. “It’s a unique experience, moving forward, to get to share with people.”

Alexander said the experiential learning project made a lasting impact.

Students present about a design theme. (Contributed photo)

“Effective visual merchandising blends art, inspiration and science,” she said. “Each semester, students in the visual merchandising, planning and operations course partner with local retailers to design and set up store displays. Last semester was especially exciting. The experience allowed them to bridge the gap between theory and practice, and Dr. Rogers’ guidance made the project both enjoyable and meaningful.

“This project is one students will remember for years to come. When they return to ECU in the future, they will look back on this experience with pride and appreciation for having been part of something truly special.”

Interior design and merchandising advisory board members and community partners Britt Laughinghouse, Walter Perkins III and Miles Barefoot supported through furniture donations and offering industry feedback from Maelee Arnold.

Rogers invited the students to deliver their final presentations in the Dail House in December. They were grouped according to their focus area and they reflected on the process and final impressions from the room-by-room makeover.

Guests in attendance included staff, faculty members, College of Health and Human Performance dean Dr. Nicole Bromfield, Perkins III and Laughinghouse.

“I’m deeply grateful to the students and faculty for their time, talent and professionalism,” Rogers said. “They executed this project beautifully. The students should feel proud of what they created, inside and outside the Dail House. Future visitors are in for a treat. From the moment you step inside, you feel the energy of ECU, and when you leave, you will understand more about who ECU truly is.”

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