Virginia Beach Students Build Cardboard Living Room Set
Local middle schoolers are mastering spatial design by constructing a detailed model living room for their latest project.
Updated on Oct. 15, 2026 in Interior Decorating
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Students at Old Donation School in Virginia Beach have built a complete, scale-model living room set entirely from cardboard. The project, which includes a fireplace, couch, and pet, was developed by students in grades 6-8 to practice structural design and spatial reasoning.
Why it matters
This hands-on initiative teaches middle-schoolers critical household skills like proportion, creative problem-solving, and the realities of material costs. By applying these concepts to interior design, students gain a functional understanding of how spaces are planned and constructed.
The student-led project involved researchers in grades 6-8 building a cardboard living room display at Old Donation School. The effort was supported by grant money from the Virginia Beach Education Foundation, funded specifically by the PACE Collaborative.
The players
Old Donation School
A Virginia Beach public school that provides specialized instruction for students in grades 6-8.
Virginia Beach Education Foundation
An organization that supports local classroom initiatives through grant funding.
PACE Collaborative
A regional entity that donated funds for educational projects including this student art installation.
The details
Students spent several weeks researching interior design elements and the associated costs of materials before beginning the 3D construction process. The project required them to calculate scale and proportion to ensure their cardboard furniture models remained structurally sound. By focusing on 3D construction, the students learned how to translate flat materials into functional household features.
Timeline
October 2026: The cardboard furniture project is currently on display at Old Donation School.
The Home Front
This project aligns with the STEAM-based learning curriculum in Virginia Beach City Public Schools, which prioritizes real-world application of design principles. It highlights a growing local trend of using miniature construction to teach foundational spatial and budgetary logic.
If you are planning your own home renovation, take a cue from these students by drafting a scale model to test your layout before purchasing materials. Measuring your floor space and creating a mockup can help you visualize proportion and avoid costly design errors.
The takeaway
Using cardboard to mock up furniture sizes is a practical way for any homeowner to visualize a layout change without moving heavy pieces. Keep a roll of painter's tape on hand to mark out footprints on your floor, which is a simple, low-risk way to verify spatial clearance in your rooms.
Further reading
Discover how creative classroom projects are influencing local design trends in Virginia Beach Interior Decorating.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WAVY-TV 10 Hampton Roads.
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