How to Decorate your Dorm Room

Make your dorm room a decorative place to study and live.

Whether your dorm room is your own or it is shared with roommates, it is your place on campus to study, sleep, eat and relax. Make your dorm room a comfortable haven to enjoy hanging out in by decorating it inexpensively, but with taste. Not only will you enjoy coming to your room for a much needed break of the collegiate life, but friends will be envious of your sense of style. Give your dorm room a face lift this semester for the perfect place to hang out. Does this Spark an idea?

Things You'll Need

• Pen
• Notepad
• Desk
• Chair
• Lamps
• Curtains or fabric
• Bedding
• Clear, plastic storage containers
• Framed artwork
• Mirrors
• Dry erase or bulletin board
• Plant or fishbowl
• Stick-on hooks

Instructions

1. Plan your design. Collaborate with your roommate, using a notepad and pen to sketch out where each piece of furniture should go. Dorm rooms typically are tight on space, so spend some time figuring out where each piece should fit. Ideally there should be room for each person's bed, an area for storage, closet space and room for a desk.

2. Choose a color scheme. Because of cramped quarters, limit your color scheme to three hues. Avoid excessive use of patterns as this can make your room feel chaotic.

3. Find inexpensive furniture. Some dorms offer just a bed, leaving you to find the rest on your own. Rummage through garage sales, thrift shops and look through the classifieds to find pieces you need. Used desks, chairs, lamps and other items can be found for a fraction of the price of new ones, leaving you more money for textbooks.

4. Give yourself some privacy. Discounted curtains or a few yards of clearance rack fabric can help you secure the privacy you need from the outside world and possibly from your roommate. Longer curtains will make a room feel bigger.

5. Bring in some light. Ace those tests by giving yourself enough light to read by. Instead of using the garish fluorescent lights offered by many schools, set up some inexpensive lamps next to your bed, on your desk and around the common living area to give your room a comfortable feel.

6. Choose your bedding. Find a set that matches your mood and personality. Go for colored or patterned comforters or blankets that don't show dirt easily. Avoid using white.

7. Invest in storage containers. Keep your space neat and tidy by using clear, plastic storage containers to store food, books and other odds and ends. Label each container to make clean-up easy. Get a closet organizer to help you maximize the most out of a tiny space.

8. Add embellishments. Decorate the walls with framed posters and decorative mirrors. Keep track of your schedule with a dry erase or bulletin board. Splurge on a couple of shade-loving plants or glass bowl with a gold fish. Throw pillows and blankets can also add flair while contributing to comfort.

Tips & Warnings

• Check out your bed size before you purchase sheets as many schools have extra long beds. Get stick-on hooks to attach to your walls to hang everything from towels to purses and jackets.

• Make suggestions but be willing to compromise on decoration ideas with your roommate to avoid creating tension.

References

• Apartment Therapy: 50 Cheap Ways to Decorate a Dorm Room
• Rental Decorating Digest; Cheap Dorm Room Decorating Ideas and Tips; Susan Johnston
• College Fashion; Dorm Room Decorating Inspired By Blair Waldorf; Calli Cabrini Dugas
• College Fashion; Dorm Room Decorating 101: Making Your Room as Stylish as Your Wardrobe; Ashley

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish