Dorm Room Accessories

Who says your dorm room can’t feel like home…or even better? Even if you are initially repulsed by stark white walls, ugly floors and outdated furniture, the right dorm room accessories can make your space fun and comfortable.  Here are a few dorm room accessories you won’t want to leave home without!

A Cork Board. A cork board (or bulletin board) is a great place to hang you class schedule, memos, pictures and calendar.  The great thing about cork boards is that they can add tons of decor and personal style to your room.  You can cover the board with a funky material from a fabric shop or by “recycling” an old t-shirt or sheet with a pattern you love.  Cork boards can also be painted, decorated with ribbons or colored paper.  All you need is a staple gun and some glue. Painting the frame of the cork board (or adding one if it doesn’t come with) is another awesome dorm room decorating idea.

Bed Pockets. Everyone knows that in a dorm room space is sacred, so make sure to utilize all the extra space you can! One way to do this is with bed pockets.  Bed pockets are pieces of fabric that attach to your bed and are great for holding odds and ends like books, hair accessories and other small items you may want at bedside.  They are fantastic if you don’t have a nightstand, and if you do, they will help ensure that it doesn’t get too cluttered.

An Awesome Rug. Most dorm rooms don’t exactly come equip with beautiful wall to wall carpeting or hardwood floors.  There is no better way to make your room stylish and homey than with an awesome rug! This is an essential dorm room accessory.  Since area rugs come in all different colors, styles and textures, finding one that is exactly your style shouldn’t be too difficult.

Wall Art. Fabric wall hangings, wall decals and posters are all great room decorating ideas for your dorm.  Search through fabric stores or second hand shops for interesting, attractive fabrics for your wall.  Fabric hanging can be large enough to cover an entire wall, which can be handy because most dorms don’t allow painting.  Wall decals are great for your dorm room because they add a lot of color and style to your walls while peeling off easily without removing paint. Framed poster art is another stylish, affordable option.

Full Length Mirror. A full length mirror is important for the obvious reason that you want to look great.  Also, a lot of dorms come with mirrors that are too small and/or only in the bathroom.  Even if your dorm room already comes with a mirror, there is not reason not to have two! Mirrors give small rooms the illusion of space and allow more light to shine through.  They are an easy way to add depth to a small dorm room.

Try these stylish dorm room accessories and feel comfortable and chic in your home away from home.  For more dorm room decorating ideas, click here.

Dorm Room Decorating Ideas

At first glance, your dorm room might seem like a drag. With standard furniture, awful lighting and almost no closet space, your dorm room is a decor nightmare. But there are acutally many creative dorm room decorating ideas out there. With the right accessories and simple furniture you can transform your dorm room from a lame to awesome.

Your first task is to do your research. Different dorms have different rules. Check out if your dormitory allows you to paint the walls, hang thing up with nails and change the furniture. Then you’ll know what you have to work with.

Next it’s time to arrange your space. A dorm room is your home away from home so make it comfortable and welcoming to guests. Arranging your room like a living room is great if you want to have people hanging out there a lot. You can put the furniture around the room with open space in the middle. Placing an area rug on the floor with a bunch of cushions or large floor pillows transforms your floor into chilling space.

Another important element to keep in mind when decorating your dorm room is lighting. The bright florescent lights that dorms often come equipt are good for one thing only and that’s studying. To create a nice ambiance in your dorm room, buy a few inexpensive lamps or candles. You can try having one big and noticable lamps (you can find some great ones at thrift shops) and a few small ones. Putting a lamp on the floor behind a piece of furniture is a great ambiance creating trick.

Storage is always an issue in dorm rooms so if you are allowed to bring your own furniture make sure it has a lot of extra storage space. If not, a few key items to purchase are hanging storage (like one to put your shoes in that fits in the closet), a high shelf or closet (because floor space is limited) and under the bed storage. If you have a bed with storage space, then great but if not make sure that your bed is elevated from the ground so you can fit storage containers underneath. Wall shelves are good too if you are allowed to put them up. To hide messy storage space, try putting a funky room divider in front of it. They come in all different colors and designs.

Last but not least, make sure to have great music, lots of snacks and other fun things that will make your room the place everyone wants to be!

Stay tuned for more dorm room decorating ideas,coming soon!