Tired of your mismatched dorm room? Do you feel like its too drab and needs a shot of color? Sometimes a makeover is just what you need to recharge. But how can you give your dorm the attention it needs on a college student's budget? Don't lose hope, because with these tips you can use your own creativity and create a stylish space that's your very own. First off I would recommend picking a theme and a color scheme. That way whenever you see something you like you will not be tempted to buy it and end up with a hodge podge bundle of stuff. If you are having trouble coming up with ideas try searching online for a major item you are going to redo such as a bed set or desk set. When you find something you like you can create your theme and colors around that. In my case I chose a bed set. I found a pink chevron comforter at Bed Bath and Beyond that I really liked. Then I came up with my idea for a neon beachy theme.
So you've found your theme and color scheme and you are ready to get started on your room.
First I decided to focus on the walls since mine were mostly bare before.
Idea #1 DIY Quote posters
Remember how you loved that cool quote painting in Icing but freaked when you found out it was $20? I decided to make my own instead. First you'll need an 8x10 size canvas and some acrylic paint in your theme colors and an accent color. Next you'll need to find a quote that you like. I like fashion so I decided to look there for inspiration. I found a quote in Dior's Little Dictionary of Fashion that I really liked. If you are having trouble finding a quote you could also do your name or the name of a town or city that you want to/have visited.
Next sketch out the letters with a pencil on the canvas. It helps to use a ruler so that all your letters stay in a straight line.
Then pick a light background color to paint the canvas. You can also choose to do a pattern for the background such as stripes. Make sure your background pattern is not too distracting and that you can still see the letters when you're painting.
Then you can take a dark color such as black, brown or navy blue and paint the letters.
Finally you can add embellishments such as borders, ribbon, or glitter using your accent color.
Idea #2 Modern art
If you still need ideas for your walls you can also give a nod to modern art. Don't worry this does not require you to be a master painter. All you need is 3 or 4 complementing colors and to know how to draw shapes. You should use a slightly bigger canvas for this painting so it wont blend in with your quotes. I picked circles. I drew overlapping circles on my canvas and then painted them in using my complementing colors.
I also knew I needed a message board for my walls to help myself stay organized.
Idea #3 Chalkboard
I found a cheap chalkboard at Target with a simple black wooden frame. You can also frame a chalkboard yourself if you want to. Then I painted the frame with one of my accent colors and let the wood show through to keep with my beachy theme. I added a bow to the top for extra decoration.
There is always a use for empty space in a dorm
Idea #4 Use your wall space for storing accessories or other items.
I still had some extra space on my walls and thought of making more art when I realized I had no extra room in my closet. Being a college student I can't stand to see wasted space, so I decided to hang my purses on my walls. I used thumbtacks and placed my purses throughout the remaining blank spots on my walls.
Doesn't it seem like you could always use a few extra shelves?
Idea #5 Corner wall shelves made from cardboard magazine boxes.
I have just a few small items that need their own shelf. Magazine boxes, decorated with scrapbook paper, make the perfect corner shelf. They are easily installed with three thumbtacks and can actually hold quite a few things. These hand made shelves are a great alternative to having yet another piece of furniture to move in and out of your dorm.
Next I moved on to my desk. My boring desk didn't have any room for decorations because it was filled with papers.
Idea #6 Make your own magazine holder and paper tray
I looked at different options for paper storage but they were all really expensive. Then I found some cardboard magazine boxes in Target on sale. I went to Michael's and found some scrapbook paper that matched my colors and decided to decorate my own. I also bought a simple white paper tray and decorated it with a chevron pattern with a 50 cent roll of pink tape.
Once I had room on my desk again I decided to get some more decorations.
Idea #7 Flower vase
Since I can't keep a pet rock alive I decided to use artificial flowers to decorate with. I used an old vase I had and tied an accent ribbon around it to make it fit into my room. Then I found some fake flowers at Michael's. I think this really brightened up my desk and added a chic element to my room.
Item #8 Reversible comforter
Make sure your comforter matches with your color scheme. It's great if you have a reversible one so that one side might work well if the other doesn't. Also you can flip it seasonally to change your look from winter to spring. I mentioned I found a great deal on a reversible comforter that actually came with a matching pillow sham and throw pillow. But you can keep your eye out for that certain pillow that will fit in with your scheme.
Item #9 Tie it all together with a super soft, cozy rug. It really makes it feel homey and adds more color
