Any returning SNHUdents who have been in the dining hall may have noticed a few changes to the decor. The once red and black wooden chairs and wooden tables have been replaced with more modern looking blue and white chairs and plastic, stark white tables.
These new pieces were installed around graduation time in May 2018, and one would have thought that perhaps the rest of the dining hall was also going to be getting a new look. Imagine the surprise, when upon arrival for the fall semester, students found that the rest of the dining hall had actually remained the same.
Personally, I would infer that the color choices of the new furniture pieces are supposed to promote more school pride and the modern decor is just another example of SNHU’s constant cycle of trying to improve. However, with the other outdated elements of the dining hall, the new furniture looks very out of place.
“[The tables] hurts my eyes,” said one student, who would prefer to remain anonymous. “It’s too white, especially when the sun hits it.”
Between the blue and grey carpeting and the neutral, tiled transition between the two main eating spaces, the original feel of the dining hall was very subdued and cozy. There were the little pops of color with the rust-orange and baby blue walls and the tables and chairs to accent it. Overall, it was a warm and inviting place to walk into and sit down to have a meal with friends.
Now when you walk in, you are greeted with a shock of white and dark blue that doesn’t belong with the other elements surrounding it.
Perhaps the interior designers of the dining hall were trying to give the students a taste of what’s to come. With all the other renovations happening on campus, it’s very possible that the dining hall is somewhere on that list. However, until that time comes, it would have been better to stick with the comfortable feel of the dining hall than this new vibe that makes people’s heads spin. It may have been outdated before, but at least it all went together and people didn’t get headaches from looking at it for too long.
