Decorating Ideas for a Dorm Room

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Whether it’s your first year of college or you’re moving back to campus, it’s time to put on your decorator’s cap and get to work. Your dorm room is the perfect place to put your personality and interests on display. You will spend lots of time in your room so it should be a comfy and inviting space. Your space will be working overtime, serving as a study area, living space, kitchen and bedroom. That’s a lot of activity in such a small space. Most dorm rooms are small, plain and utilitarian. Here are some easy, budget friendly ways to add style to your space:

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--> Storage- So with any small space, storage is a must. Most Dorm rooms include bookcases and desks as well as a bed that is higher off the floor to allow for storage. You will have a lot of stuff and investing in some storage bins is a good idea to make all your odds and ends look good. For the desk, you can get small bins to keep all of your office supplies. Rubbermaid bins under the bed are a good choice for larger items or extra clothing. For the bookcases or shelves, I suggest storage bins. The good thing about these items is that they come in a variety of colors to help match your décor. You can even transform plain bins/ boxes with contact paper to create a look that blends with your style. In this picture, we can see larger bins mixed with smaller decorative boxes. The storage boxes are used as décor items and add pattern and visual interest, while providing a space for your items.
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Decorate your walls/ door- Unfortunately you won’t be able to paint your dorm room, so to add interest to your space you need to get creative. Create a photo collage with those hundreds of selfies you have stored on your phone. You can hang posters or several pictures to create a gallery wall. You can try washi tape (see photo on right) to make shapes or words and create a statement. If that’s not your thing, think about hanging up a large tapestry, to create a focal point for your space.

In the picture, you can see the graphic text created with turquoise washi tape to create a statement. It is on the outside of the dorm room and will surely make your guest feel welcome.

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Pillows- Pillows are a great opportunity to go crazy with color and pattern -- and the best part is that they are easy changed. I have couch pillows that I have purchased covers for to change up the look of my living area, the covers are easy to change out and clean. And remember that pillows are not only for your bed, invest in some larger ones for the floor to accommodate guests.

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Rug- So with a dorm room you are limited with your decorating but that doesn’t mean you have to be boring.  While most dorm rooms might already have carpet, adding an area rug can help define your space and add some color and pattern. It is probably better to go with a darker color with an abstract pattern that could help camouflage any spills or stains. But if you must absolutely have a lighter color rug, like the one pictured on the left, then investing in some scotch guard is a sure to help your purchase hold up better.

As always, Happy Decorating, everyone!