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Think of Your Dorm as a Room in Your Home

Posted on April 1, 2012
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When you first visit the dorm room where you’re going to be spending your first year away from home, there are a lot of different emotions. There’s definitely an overpowering sense of freedom, but there’s also the sense that you’re living in someone else’s space. And, in essence, you are.

But that shouldn’t stop you from making yourself feel at home. There will be some rules you’ll have to follow (for example, most students aren’t allowed to paint the walls), but you shouldn’t let that bring you down. Think about how you would want to design your first apartment. Seriously, give it some thought. You definitely won’t be able to bring all of those elements into a tiny living space, but it’ll give you an idea of where you’re headed. Don’t just add things willy-nilly and tack up posters and images on the wall as if you’re in prison. Come on, people. This is going to be your home for the next year (off and on, but more on than off), so make it a nice, comfy place to be.

One of the first things you should decide on is the bedding. Most dorms have extra-long twin beds, so you’ll probably have to go out (or get mom to go out) and buy all new bedding. Think of it as a good thing. You can start from scratch and create a bed that looks like it came straight off the pages of an interior design catalog. Oh, and if you don’t feel confident doing this yourself, you can either enlist the help of a more design-savvy friend or relative, or you can buy a bedding ensemble that is pre-designed. I’m not talking about those cheesy sets that you’d get in a bag at Walmart. You want it to look like your room was designed by someone with taste, right? Take a look at the preassembled collections put out by Dormify: not too matchy; seems just right. So, as you’re sitting there studying and learning how to become a fashion designer, at least your room will look like it has a little style.

 

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How to Shop for Dorm Décor

Posted on February 19, 2012
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Retailers have happily jumped on the decorating-the-dorm bandwagon, pushing whole lines of coordinated products that they advertise as essential to life in a college dorm. Lost in the retailing blitz is the real decorating goal for a dorm room: It should make a student feel at home, but not have too many things. You never want “stuff” to take over your room. As you’re sitting there studying infinitely interesting topics, like the history of forensic science, your mind and space should be clutter-free and comfortable. When you surround yourself with things that make you feel comfortable, you’re more likely to enjoy dorm life.

Banish Clutter: When it comes to dorm rooms, the first thing to consider is storage. When you have a place for everything, it’s easier to keep everything in its place. Easy access to storage is important too. Clutter is likely to accumulate if you have to stoop, drag out boxes from under the bed and open containers every time you want to put something away. Shelving and modular units are a better option.

Basket Cases: If you don’t organize the stuff you do have, you might become a basket case yourself. Instead, use baskets to hold laundry, small appliances and kitchen utensils. You’ll want to keep practical items handy, and baskets store them in style.

Quality Bedding: Dorm beds are notoriously hard. A quality mattress pad is worth the investment. Purchasing two sets of extra-large twin sheets takes the pressure off on laundry day. As the bed will likely be the largest surface in the room, it’s important to choose a comforter that you absolutely love, but try to get one that you can toss into the washing machine, too.

Let There Be Light: Windows are natural focal points, making them the perfect place to make design statements. Sheer curtains flanked by textured, patterned or colorful panels give a small dorm room grand style. Coordinate the window treatment with the bedding to give the room a pulled-together look.

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Got a Small Space? Cozy Up the Place

Posted on January 15, 2012
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Dorm rooms vary throughout the country, but one thing remains the same: they’re small. Well, for the most part. Some students are lucky and have small bedrooms that open up to a common area shared between them and about three other rooms. This can really give you the feeling of sharing an apartment instead of being at summer camp. But, either way, you’re left to decorate your own room. There are definitely some tips and tricks you can employ to make your room seem larger than it really is (for example, decorate with bright colors, allow some natural light to shine through and keep your wall décor to a minimum). But since this is a room you’re going to be spending a lot of time in, you want to give it a cozy feel. Some people find this a little challenging to do without breaking the rules of designing for a small space (they think of rich colors and dark shades as being cozy).

So, here are a few tips for cozying up the place (without making it seem small):

  1. Use an opaque window treatment to soften up the room. It’ll still give you plenty of natural light and it’ll add a bit of a feminine, homey touch to the room.
  2. Consider bedding in plaid or paisley, but get one that uses bright or pastel colors. Plaid and paisley are typically used in cozy cottages, so they can help bring that vibe to your room. The bright or pastel color might be somewhat unexpected, but it’ll help keep your room from becoming too dark.
  3. Get a plush area rug to cover much of the floor. Just be sure to get a light color. Regardless of whether you have a rug in the room or not, adding on that is plush and light in color will definitely soften up the room and make it more cozy.

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Bedding Makes a Big Difference in a Small Room

Posted on December 18, 2011
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When you’re decorating a small room, like a dorm, the bedding you choose will make a huge difference – so choose wisely. In larger rooms, you can invest in a statement piece that will draw attention and pull the room together, but in a dorm, you don’t necessarily have that luxury. In a dorm room, the bed is often the only statement piece you can have, and that’s ok, as long as you recognize that fact and work with it.

Colors – Choose a color that you won’t mind looking at everyday for four years. If possible, choose a soothing color, like pale blue or lavender. A nice yellow can really brighten up the room, too. When decorating a small room, I tend to avoid patters that are too busy, but I also avoid solid colors. Patterns that are too busy can be overwhelming in a small space and solid colors can be boring. Try something in-between.

Sheets – This may seem obvious, but it’s often overlooked. Use sheets that coordinate with your comforter. Anything that clashes creates a visual disconnect in your environment which can have somewhat of a chaotic effect on your emotional state. Opt for solid colored or striped sheets, if your comforter has a pattern, or patterned sheets, if your comforter is solid.

Pillows – Your pillowcases will likely match your sheets; that’s fine. But, since the bed is the focal point of the room, you may want to consider getting some throw pillows to coordinate with the rest of your bedding. Using throw pillows can make the room seem more cozy and stylish at the same time. Experiment with a few different shapes and sizes of throw pillows for a fun look.

Since there aren’t too many things you can change in small room, you should really focus most of your design time on figuring out the bedding. If you’re the kind of person who really likes a change of scenery from time to time, consider getting a reversible comforter or a duvet (so you can change the color frequently). It is especially important to design a small space, so you don’t end up feeling like you’re in prison. Even if you’re learning how to become a parole officer, that’s not a good feeling. Spice up your life with a little design.

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