Allen Hall is the site of a new furniture test as 13 of its rooms have been outfitted with different kinds of residence hall furniture.

University Housing is offering the test to 13 furniture manufacturers. The manufacturer deemed the “winner” of the trial will be rewarded with a contract to

provide new furniture for University residence halls.

All of the 26 students chosen to participate in this trial volunteered before winter break and had to

remove all of their belongings from the room.

“It wasn’t a big deal,” said Michael Gomez, sophomore in engineering.

The new furniture was added during winter break and included new beds, desks, dressers, chairs, lamps, filing cabinets and multimedia centers.

Each room received a new bed, desk and dresser, while other variations also consisted of new chairs, lamps, filing cabinets and even multimedia centers, said Kim Kentfield, Allen Hall resident advisor and junior in LAS. Some rooms are outfitted with lofted beds paired with larger desks located underneath, while completely stackable units

furnish others.

“Some of the furniture is traditional, some is contemporary, and some is all metal. There’s lots of variation,” Kentfield said.

Some of manufacturers have innovative new designs, said Hassan Enayati, sophomore in LAS and another Allen Hall resident advisor. “Some of the furniture is a nice deep-colored wood with a sophisticated feel.”

Students were given a $100 gift certificate for volunteering and will be rewarded an additional $50 if they rearrange their rooms’ furniture.

“I don’t honestly have any complaints because the stuff we got is better than the old,” said Jacob Smallhorn, sophomore in LAS.

University Housing Interior Designer Melissa Marriott said that after students leave for summer, University Housing will gather feedback, meet with the manufacturers to narrow them down, compose a list of specifications, and send it out for bid.

“It’s a much more complicated process than just, ‘Hey, I like this one,'” Marriott said.

Kirsten Ruby, assistant director of housing for marketing, said the Allen Hall trial is just the first phase and that there is no set timeline for finishing the project.