Turn a cookie-cutter dorm room into a stylish and functional spot to live and study.
Moving into your school’s dormitories is an exciting opportunity to let your personality shine.
But there are also some ground rules for dorm room ideas for decorating.
Credit: Kristin Leitten
Freling has firsthand experience brightening up student housing, includingher daughter’s cozy freshman dorm room.
She says the key to successful dorm room decor is planning ahead.
Mounta few hooksto hang a jacket or backpack on your way in the door.
Credit: Adam Albright
Choose one item to inspire the room.
Opt for a low-pile carpet that camouflages dirt and wear and iseasy to spot clean.
Bedding should also be low maintenance.
Credit: Kristin Leitten
Plan ahead: Furniture and floor dimensions will help you determine what size rug to purchase.
Focus on the bed.
Between doing homework, hanging out, and sleeping, students spend a lot of time in bed.
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Freling used zip ties to attach a headboard to her daughter’s metal dorm bed frame.
Students need good sleep, soquality beddingis also a must.
“A good night’s sleep makes for a happy student!”
Credit: Kristin Leitten
Plan ahead: Most, but not all, residence hall mattresses are twin XL.
While a regular twin comforter from home might work, new sheets will be needed.
Sneak in additional storage.
Thisadds storagewithout sacrificing the comfort of a near-ground-level bed.
Some bed risers even have additional perks, like supplying plug-ins to the center of the room.
A clever dorm room idea is to usestorage pieceslikesmall ottomansthat double as seating for guests.
Bonus points if they tuck under a raised bed when not in use.
Add fun (and functional) lighting.
Most dorms only have a single bleak ceiling light.
Then,incorporate task lightingto accommodate activities like studying late while your roommate sleeps.
Look for clamp-on lights for beds or a desk lamp with a USB charger in the base.
Plan ahead: Check for restrictions on halogen bulbs or string lights.
Buy theappropriate bulbsbefore move-in, especially for specialty bulbs that are hard to find near campus.
Play with furniture arrangements.
Get creative with your dorm room ideas.
Whether a bed can be lofted is also a big consideration.
A lofted bed opens space in the floor plan for an additional seating area.
Plan ahead: Find out if beds can be lofted beforehand.
One study even found that a houseplant can help you stress less.
Try an easy-to-care-for variety, like alow-light houseplant.Succulentsandbamboocan also add a low-maintenance, natural look and texture.
Plan ahead: Check the height and width of the closet to secure supplies with the correct lengths.
Wood furnitureis a staple of many residence halls and can look pretty worn.
Freling recommends using easy-to-remove self-adhesive strips for hanging.
Dorm Room Storage Solutions
The biggest challenge for nearly every dorm dweller is storage.
Take advantage of every square inch possible to maximize storage in a small, shared space.
