Prepare yourself for a decorating challenge. On first glance, your dorm will look nothing like the glammed-up, “home away from home” photographs that you’ve likely seen in the magazines. In fact, it will more closely resemble a white box with a few generic sticks of furniture inside. But, instead of being repelled by its lack of esthetic appeal, think of it as a blank canvas–an empty space just waiting to be transformed by your own personal sense of style.
“I’m blank. Transform me.”
Just in case you are not sure where to begin, here are a few tips for turning your bland boudoir into a heavenly haven.
Make Decorating Snug with a Rug
Not only is that bare floor hideous, but it also provides your poor feet with a horribly icy shock every morning. Treat your tender tootsies and your keenly developed decorating fashion sense to a splash of color with an attractive area rug.
Magical Thinking’s Chloe Diamond Kilim Rug or this Safavieh Porcello Fiori Polypropylene Area Rug are great examples of products that will brighten up your dorm.
Beat the Blankness with Blankets
Your choice of comforter or duvet cover will make a huge difference to the overall look of your room. A layered look will not only allow you to have fun mixing and matching, but it will also enable you to better cope with a wide range of temperatures.
If you love color, you may want to check out Anthropologie’s Tahla Quilt collection or this Lisa Argyropoulos for DENY Inspire Oceana Duvet Cover.
Throw Some Pillows of Fun
Throw pillows are the perfect way to add a puffy dash of color and fun to your dorm’s decor. Available in a myriad of shapes, sizes, hues, and textures, nothing shows off your personality better than an eclectic collection of cushions.
If you are missing your family pet, you will love Pottery Barn’s Personalized Dog Pillow Covers. Some other pretty options include IKEA’s Gulort and JC Penney’s Chelsea Paisley Decorative Pillow Collection.
Offer an Ode to the Organizer
Milk crates and banker’s boxes are so last century. Instead, opt for some boldly hued storage bins and a funky cube ottoman. Not only will these oh-so pretty organizers hide some hideous odds and sods and bric-a-brac, but they will look “amazeballs” in the process.
Support your favorite sports team with one of these My Owners’ Fabric Drawers, celebrate the Big Apple with this Curver Deco StockholmLine New York City Storage Box, or opt for this Bon Ton Simplify Single Folding Ottoman in violet, black, or brown.
Look! Laundry can be Lovely
While you’re busy socializing and, of course, studying, your laundry is likely piling up. Thankfully, your heap of dirty dungarees don’t have to look dreadful. Decorating with a stylish laundry bag or handsome hamper, this harbinger of soiled and smelly socks can actually add a splash of prettiness to your dorm.
Some of the lovelier varieties include this MacBeth Collection Printed Laundry Bag, The Land of Nod’s Reed Between the Hamper, and the Chooty & Co Carnival Gumdrop Round Laundry Bag.
Yes, with a little ingenuity you can transform that colorless cranny into your very own stylish sanctuary. And your room will be the envy of the dormitory.
How did your decorating transform your dorm into a heavenly home away from home?