After posting Small Spaces and the Luxury of Less, I received an email from Pam (a loyal reader) requesting decorating ideas for her daughter’s dorm room. Instantly, memories of living at Brumby Hall flooded my mind. I remember standing in my doom room with my Mother and Grandparents trying to figure out what to send back home with them! I clearly had way too much stuff. When my roommate arrived, a wave of claustrophobia hit. Two of us would be living in this shoebox. I desperately tried to find photos of our room, but had to resort to this sketch: 
We had loft beds built so we could make better use of the floor space. On this side of the room was my bed, desk, and a futon. On the opposite side was her bed, her desk, a makeshift pantry, mini refrigerator, and TV. After uploading my sketch I found this 3D rendering of our room on the UGA Housing website. I wish I had this prior to moving in!
A Couple of Quick Tips…
- Get the feel of wall-to-wall carpeting using a carpet remnant or room size rug.
- Install loft beds. You will doubled the room square footage when you raised the beds off the floor. When guests visit they can sit on the floor or a small sofa instead of on your bed.
- Go bold with color. Most dorms don’t allow you to paint the walls so seize the opportunity by using fabrics (bedding/furniture/pillows) to inject color.
- Organization is key. When the two of you are living in a mouse hole, neither of you can afford to be messy. EVERYTHING in your room needs to have an assigned place when not in use!!
While there are restrictions on what you can do to your space, these guy proved that one doesn’t have to be doomed to a semester of lackluster decor.
Other Advice:
Regarding Bedding…
You have no control over the quality of your mattress, but you do control what goes on top.
- Choose an egg crate mattress pad or a memory foam mattress topper for extra support and comfort. *Be sure to air them out for a couple of hours. They tend to smell like a Sharpie marker when fresh out the package*
- Buy high thread count sheets. Crawling into a soft linens after a long night of
partyingstudying helps you torecover from a wild nightrest well and feel refreshed the next day. - Choose bold colors/and or pattern for your comforter especially if you are not allowed to paint. This may be one of the only opportunities to inject personality into your space.
Regarding Furniture…
- If you don’t have to share a room, consider bringing in a bedside table from home or pick one up from a local thrift.
- Use slipcovers to hide an ugly desk chair or add a bright seat cushion for comfort as well as a pop of color.
Regarding Accessories/Wall Decor
- Add curtains. Be sure to use tension rods for inside mounting. You are not allowed to drill holes in the wall.
- Add a cute desk lamp.
- Use stylish desk accessories. Show that you have smarts and style to boot!
- Get creative with wall art. I got excited when I saw this post at Jenny’s about making Big Art from Small Items. Read all about it here and be inspired!
Do you recall your college dorm room? What additional advice would you give to someone sharing a small space?
July 29, 2010 at 12:25 pm
Over here at UC Santa Barbara back in the 80s we lofted our beds…even though they didn't come that way. We had a view of the dorms and our famed tar stained beaches. I PLASTED my closet with decor…since we couldn't paint the walls. I also hung up paintings I made myself since they were pretty cheap…any color or punch of color will do.
July 29, 2010 at 12:46 pm
I miss my old dorm room! Fun times!
July 29, 2010 at 12:49 pm
Oh to be going off to college in the fall…sigh.
July 29, 2010 at 12:55 pm
It's been a minute for me, but do dorm rooms really look like this?
July 29, 2010 at 1:04 pm
I traveled a long way from home to college, so brought very little with me and that was awhile ago. I can't believe how there is now an entire industry creating stuff to decorate dorm rooms, or so it seems! Luckily I have awhile before I have to think about this again, with my own kids…
July 29, 2010 at 1:14 pm
Even before I knew I wanted to be a designer I always spent a lot of time decorating my space – and my dorm room was decked out! haha
All of my friends would come to my room to hang out because it actually looked like a room, and not a box.
Man, I miss those days!
July 29, 2010 at 2:11 pm
color coordinate…but DONT match. It will give your room so much more personality. My dorm room rocked!
July 29, 2010 at 2:37 pm
wish i read this blog when I went away.
July 29, 2010 at 3:07 pm
How fun! I love the oversized cards, such as easy and affordable idea! We lofted our beds to gain more floor space. This gave us enough room for a futon sofa and a pappison (sp?) chair. We loved hanging out in our room. Lisa
July 29, 2010 at 6:30 pm
This is pretty cool stuff Erika!! I think all Freshmen should read this – wish I had this info donkey years ago!!
XOXO
Kiki
July 29, 2010 at 6:45 pm
So many great suggestion, love the art ideas
July 30, 2010 at 1:02 am
If my dorm room looked anything like that green one I would have been so so happy!
August 2, 2010 at 1:25 am
Erika, I lived in Reed Hall back in the 80s. Our rooms were bigger than the Brumby rooms but no A/C before the remodel. They let us paint though and even gave us the paint. Colors were horrible! I remember trying to make yellow and pink work together. The bunk beds we had wouldn't come apart (old metal ones), so if you wanted a loft you had to build it. Needless to say, mostly boys had those.
PS: Love the college student that can afford Tangeray! That room is sweet.
August 2, 2010 at 1:40 am
@Debbie, Reed Hall didn't get AC until they renovated in 1998! Can you believe that! Everyone was scrambling to get their name in the hat!
February 15, 2011 at 8:56 am
mini donuts and root dorm bedding .
beer barrels, followed by the corkscrew, followed by vomiting in a trash can.