Makeovers by Student Housing and Dining Services call for new carpeting, new furniture and updated fire alarms in NIU residence halls this fall.

One of the planned renovations is to finish carpeting all hallways on resident floors. Currently, all have carpet except for six floors in Douglas Hall: D2, D4, D5, A2, A4 and A5.

“Students have informed us that carpeting reduces noise and provides a more home-atmosphere rather than tiles,” said Jeff Daurer, assistant director for facilities for Housing and Dining. “Students like it, and we like to take care of students.”

Residents on the carpetless floors are split as to whether it’s a good idea to carpet.

“It really doesn’t matter to me,” said Sheena Johnson, a freshman physical therapy major who lives on Douglas A4. “I like the way my floor is, and with carpet, people might drop things on it. Tiles stay cleaner than carpet.”

Freshman Wayne Hsueh thinks differently.

“I think I’ll like it more,” said Hsueh, a computer science major who lives on Douglas D2. “It’ll look better and feel better.”

Among Housing and Dining’s other annual plans are renovating the lobbies at Lincoln and Douglas halls, along with replacing furniture.

“I think the lobby can be more stylish, more color,” Johnson said of Douglas Hall. “It is just plain right now.”

Workers also will replace Douglas Hall bathroom and shower partitions, repair the tunnel between Neptune Hall North and Neptune Central, install power-assisted doors for people with disabilities in Douglas and redo the insides of Grant Towers elevators.

The projects are funded through room-and-board fees.

“Everything we do to improved facilities we do with the students’ best interests in mind,” Daurer said. “We want this to be a place where students can call home.”