Decorate your dorm with style

For many college-bound students, starting life on a far-away campus is a big
adjustment. You’re away from familiar surroundings, away from parents and
siblings, and about to face new adventures. All of this can be exciting but also
a bit intimidating. It’s nice to have a personal space that feels a bit like
home. Decorating your dorm room to reflect your personality and style can go a
long way toward making your college experience a happy one. Here are some
suggestions for doing just that.
Spruce up with paint. Paint is a quick and
easy way to make even older dorm rooms feel clean, fresh and new. Since dorm
rooms are typically pretty small, stick with lighter colors that make the space
look larger instead of darker colors that make the walls feel like they are
closing in. Check with your school to see if painting is allowed. However, Johnston Paint &
Decorating, a store in Columbia, Mo., supplies the University of Missouri
with paint, which can be used by students who want to give their room a
makeover. A variety of pastel colors is offered for free to those who want to
paint their dorm rooms—all the student has to do is supply the
labor.
Personalize with wall décor. Sure, you can decorate your room with
posters of your favorite movies, bands or sport teams, but consider the use of
peel-and-stick wallpaper or wall art to give your room an infusion of design and
color. For example, Brewster Home Fashions offers WallPops, a line of
peel-and-stick wall art offered in designs ranging from flowers to zoo animals
to fun geometric shapes. Especially suitable for dorm life are new Dry Erase
designs that feature such trendy patterns as an intricate paisley design, funky
flowers and artistically shaped loops. These repositionable and removable pieces
are very affordable. The 13-by-18-inch Dry-Erase sheets are about $12, and each
comes with a WallPops Dry-Erase Marker. WallPops are available in many home
improvement stores, wallpaper stores and even in stores on college
campuses. Check the WallPops dealer listing page for specifics.
Add splashes of
color. Bring in colorful pillows, comforters and throws. Consider purchasing
accessories—lamps, trashcans, picture frames, alarm clocks, etc.—in bold colors.
Make sure your bolder color splashes support an overall color theme that ties
your room together. Multiple uses of one specific color or color family are
better than a mish-mash of unrelated colors.
Cozy up the floor. Consider
purchasing an area rug to support your color theme. Johnston Paint reports that
college students come in and purchase carpet remnants, which can be a nice and
affordable way to add warmth to the floor.
Finally, remember that as dorm
resident, you most likely will have a roommate. Keep in mind your roommate’s
preferences as you seek to personalize the space. The best situation is if the
two of you can work together to make the room something you both will enjoy.

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