image used as white space
MSUcares header Link to home page
Logos of MSU, Extension Service, and MAFES Links to home page of website.

4-H Interior Design Contest Guidelines

Design Board

Design Board - is a tool to display the color scheme and furniture arrangement. Cut two boards out of illustration board or poster board, one white 11 x 18 inches and one black 13 x 20 inches. Glue the white board on top of the black board creating a black border as shown below. Mount samples on board securely.

poster board

  • Examples of completed design board for a bedroom and a great roomColor Scheme - Choose a color scheme for your room. This color scheme should be reflected in the samples that you use on your board.
  • Flooring, wall treatments, and ceilings - Use swatches of carpet, flooring samples, paint samples, or sample wall treatments (free at most building supply stores). Mount these to board to show what type floor and wall treatments you will use. YOU MUST HAVE 1 EXAMPLE OF EACH: FLOOR AND WALLS. You may have more. (Ex. ceilings or two different wall treatments in one room.)
  • Stripes - Any stripes on wallpaper or fabric should be mounted on board vertically.
  • Fabrics - Include two swatches of fabric that will be used in the room.(Example: pillows, comforter, chairs, etc.) Fabric should be pinked or wrapped. To wrap fabric, cut a square from posterboard or cardboard. Wrap fabric around this square securing raw edges to the back of the square.
  • Back of Board - List your name, county, and level on the back of the board.
  • Labels - Label board (example: Bedroom) and any swatches of fabric, paint or floor samples for their use. Example: Pillows, curtains, comforter, dust ruffle, etc.)
  • Furniture Arrangement - Use the room template and furniture template (drawn to scale) to organize the room layout. The furniture layout will be judged on creativity, proper use of space and lighting, neatness, and accuracy of the scaled drawing.

Design Board Presentation

  • Tell who you designed the room for: child, adult, or teen.
  • Tell what type of color scheme you are using in the room.
  • Tell about the furniture arrangement and about the traffic patterns of the room. Also tell how you applied the principles of design to your plan.
  • Tell what type of floor and wall treatments will be used. (Carpet, tile, wallpaper or paint)
  • Tell how the fabrics you chose will be used in the room.
  • Tell what you like most about the room.
  • Neatness of the board will be judged.
  • Presentation skills will be judged.