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I'm going to be a freshman in college next year. I plan on having a single dorm room. It basically consists of a twin bed (that i could raise if i wanted to), and on the opposite wall a desk, mirror and sink, and all the rest of the wall is closet space. It looked really boring when it didnt have anything in it and i want some suggestions on what i can do with it to make it prettier. Oh and im a girl
I am an Interior Designer so this right up my alley :) A dorm is quite like an apartment. You can't paint or do anything drastic. But that does not mean you can make your dorm room very stylish. For the walls you can add color that is easily removable with wall decals and peel and stick wallpaper. This option is great because the wallpaper literally peels right off and leaves no residue behind. It is also fairly inexpensive. You can find these options online. The wall decals are another cute option to add some personality. You can get designs, quotes, etc. and some websites you can design them yourself with any color and size you want! Some fairly inexpensive items you can buy to help liven up your boring dorm could be small 6x8 area rugs and cool funky accessories like mirrors, your favorite picture frames arranged in a neat pattern along the wall, unique lighting and lamps, bedding and pillows, and never forget your windows! Some long curtains with tie backs paired with sheers is a great way to dress up your windows. The sheers allow you to have some natural light because most dorms only have on dim light source on the ceiling, but the long curtains also add flexibility to close off the light for privacy. So the possibilities are endless. I am not sure what your style is but here are some links to some ideas for modern/contemporary meets retro. Hope you like them! Best of luck and happy designing :)
-Bedding:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Microfiber-Bed-in-a-Bag-Zebra-Print/10087575
-Pillows:
http://www.bedroomfurniture.com/asp/superbrowse.asp?clid=1227&caid=&sku=JJD1262&refid=FR6-JJD1262
http://www.pillowdecor.com/Caravan-Cotton-Pink-16x16-Throw-Pillow-p/se1-0001-07-16.htm
http://www.pillowdecor.com/Caravan-Cotton-Black-9x18-Throw-Pillow-p/se1-0001-11-79.htm
-Retro Lamps:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Kenroy-Home-Baubles-Table-Lamp-in-Brushed-Steel-Set-of-Two/12350371
-Hanging Lights (Easy to hang and remove and great on either side of the bed for more lighting. Because they are paper they are battery operated or have a plug for the wall and you can get very creative will all the different designs they have! Plus it is VERY inexpensive!!):
-http://www.paperlanternstore.com/
-Funky Shag Rug:
http://www.justshagrugs.com/The-Rug-Market-02204-TU1189.html
-Mirrors:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Better-Homes-and-Gardens-Metal-Mirror/13273442
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Ashton-Sutton-Grape-Shaped-Wall-Mirror/12318980
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Ashton-Sutton-Grape-Shaped-Wall-Mirror/12318980
-Picture arrangement ideas:
http://interiordec.about.com/cs/arrangingartwork/l/aaarttipsa.htm
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Composition-Wall-D-eacute-cor-Set-of-2/8591441
-Cubes (Great way to store accessories, candles, small pictures, etc on the wall since you do not have much room for storage. They hang right on the wall. Plus alternating the shapes, sizes, and colors adds depth and interest!):
http://www.walmart.com/ip/3-Piece-Wall-Cube-Shelves-Black/10404235
http://www.walmart.com/ip/White-Wall-Cubes-Set-of-3/10975507
-Cool Accessories (Adding fake plants or different colorful ceramic or plastic vases on different sizes is a quick and easy way to dress up and accessorize your room. The vases look great sitting on the cubes too! The examples are have are just to show you ideas. These ones are VERY expensive lol)
http://www.horchow.com/store/catalog/prod.jhtml?itemId=cprod60190057&parentId=cat1410743&masterId=cat000101&index=11&cmCat=cat000000cat000089cat000101cat1410743
http://www.horchow.com/store/catalog/prod.jhtml?itemId=cprod61350012&parentId=cat1410743&masterId=cat000101&index=4&cmCat=cat000000cat000089cat000101cat1410743
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Kentia-Palm-In-Planter/11034742
-Curtains:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Canopy-Faux-Silk-Lined-Energy-Efficient-Curtain-Panel-Rich-Black/10326395
-Removable wallpaper/decals:
http://dalidecals.com/
** And remember: You can find cool, retro accessories like these at garage sales, auctions, and on ebay/craiglist for cheap! So have fun!
(Rating: 5) That was incredibly helpful! Thank you so much! I wasn't expecting any good answers to this question but now... i'm like super excited to go out and buy stuff for my dorm. Thank you thank you thank you!