Guest Blogger: How to Personalize your Boring Dorm Room

Guest Blog #136, Entry #605, August 1, 2011

Happy first day of August! Depending on when school starts in your part of the world, August usually means back to school time for kids and college students. If you or your kids are headed to college for the first time, or you’re a returning student, you will want to make sure your dorm room looks great, right?

Enliven your boring dorm room

My Guest Blogger today shows you how to take a boring dorm room and add personality with color and charm to your space. After all, your dorm room will be your new home for an entire school year, you better make it great! Get your dorm room ideas here!

From Dorm Drab to College Fab

Making a dorm room look fantastic can be quite the challenge. Students are confronted by cold tile floors and dingy white or light grey walls, none of which is terribly exciting when it comes to design. Given the expense of school, having any money left over for decorating may seem impossible, but fear not. Being innovative – and knowing where to find online deals – will help pump some personality into a small living space. Here are some tips and tricks for making a plain space more palatable.

Add color to your sterile dorm room

A hint of color

When it comes to restyling a small space, working with an expanse of white can make the room appear larger. Start with a piece of white furniture – for instance, a small bedside table. You can often find an affordable piece like this at a thrift store. If you find one in a different color, simply paint it white. Add in other white elements where possible – a few throw pillows covered in eyelet fabric, white desk accessories, or a white comforter with a light spray of flowers. By sticking to a monochromatic color scheme, the eye will stop only at points of contrast – that is, pops of color instilled around the room. Consider pairing that minimally-decorated duvet with pillows in a bright and complementary color. On the bedside table, try a small bowl with a wild design that picks up on another color in the room.

Transform your dorm room

The power of reflection

Mirrors can also create depth in a room. If space allows, buy a large mirror (these also can usually be found at a thrift store) that calls upon the aforementioned colorful accents. A wall mirror with a white frame can blend against a white wall and be enhanced with a variety of photographs tucked in the frame. Save the room that thick photo albums would take up and enjoy a daily reminder of past good times.

Control the clutter

Every fall, stores seemingly explode with a wealth of decorations specific to dorm rooms. Keep purchases in line, however — clutter will make a room feel smaller. What starts out as a few innocent items can spiral out of control. Stick to small but decorative items that won’t overwhelm a space, like wall decals and a throw rug. Though it may be tempting, it is not necessary to buy everything in a design collection.

A budget doesn’t mean boring

Keeping these tips in mind, designing a small space on a budget is extremely possible. A pop of color, a little illusion, and a few well-chosen accessories will liven up a formerly-dull living space – keep an eye out for good deals and get busy decorating!

For more back to school ideas on Stagetecture, click here.