Walk into a typical dorm room on the first day of school, and there's not much to see. There's four walls, a floor with tile or some less-than-fabulous carpet, and a few pieces of institutional furniture. While this may seem a little dismal, think of it as a clean slate just waiting for a creative college student to do some decorating magic.
Ready to get started? Here's a handy beginner's guide to decorating a college dorm room.
Choosing a Dorm Room Decorating Color
One of the first conversations future roommates might have about dorm room decorating is about color. A well-chosen color scheme can transform a drab, institutional space into a comfortable place to crash after a hard day of exams. Color is one of the easiest ways to invoke mood or sense of personal style. Read more about choosing a color for dorm room decorating.
No, college students don't have the freedom to paint their dorm rooms. However, there are plenty of ways to interject a color scheme into a dorm room. One of the easiest ways is by purchasing dorm room bedding ensembles, which are frequently inexpensive and often come in vibrant, cheerful colors that are easy to coordinate. For students who are stuck with those cold tile floors, another easy and functional way to bring color to a dorm room is by purchasing a colorful dorm room area rug. Another quick and inexpensive way to make any room more colorful is by adding a few throw pillows.
Choosing Dorm Room Furniture
Most dorm rooms have limited room, so adding lots of furniture is not realistic. However, one or two unique and colorful pieces of furniture can make a dorm room look a whole lot less institutional and a whole lot more stylish.
One of the most functional pieces of furniture to add to a dorm room is a comfortable chair. Beanbag chairs, sleep chairs, and papsans are some of the most popular choices, but any old comfortable chair will add a nice touch. Here's more information about what to look for in a dorm room chair.
Some students decide to opt out of the traditional dorm room bed and replace it with a more comfortable college futon or dorm room loft bed. Both of these options add character to a room, while saving space and offering more options for dorm room storage. Another useful piece of furniture is a dorm room divider, which can help students carve out more space creatively.
Need more ideas that don't cost of fortune? Here are more cheap dorm room furniture ideas.
Cheap and Creative Dorm Room Decorating Ideas
Decorating doesn't need to cost lots of money, and with a little creativity, students can find ways to transform basic rooms into eclectic little homes. One simple idea is to skip college student wall posters, which can be expensive and a little bit cliche, and decorate the wall with more unique objects. For example, try decorating the walls with a colorful postcard collection, or with sports memorabilia.
Another way to decorate a dorm room cheaply and creatively is to remove some of the institutional dorm room features and replace them (temporarily) with handmade or inexpensive replacements. Since typical dorm curtains scream 1976, try replacing them with inexpensive curtains from home. Or make some inexpensive knob covers to add color to the dresser. Here are some more cheap college dorm room decorating ideas, and some ideas for putting together a cheap college dorm room makeover.
A dorm room may not be a long term residence, but it may as well be a cozy and attractive one. Life as a college student is stressful, so spending a little time to decorate a dorm room can be well worth it. Take them time to choose the right dorm room colors and furniture, and find creative and inexpensive ways to decorate the walls and the rest of the room. The results may not look like a magazine, but they won't look like an institutional dorm room either.
Naomi Rockler-Gladen - Instructional designer and freelance writer, Naomi Rockler-Gladen writes some of Suite101's most read work.
