10 Ideas to Decorate Your Room for Students

Emerson College Student Residences by Elkus Manfredi Architects
Emerson College Student Residences by Elkus Manfredi Architects

Whether you would like to go for a man cave style or dreamy feminine dorm, decorating a room can be quite costly. With all the expenses students have, decorating your room might take some planning, discipline, and out-of-the-box thinking.

There are some DIY projects that you can undertake and more affordable online stores that might sell items you’ll need for the project. This all seems complicated and time-consuming. How can this be done easily and conveniently? Here are ten ideas to decorate a college or university dorm for students.

1. Recycle scrap items
Scrap materials can go a long way when decorating a college room. Some students have scored the lottery in dumpsters and landfills by finding items such as neon lights and signs they can use. Alternatively, there are other decorative elements that students can find and recycle either at landfills or directly from people disposing of their old things away.

2. Go green
Going green by having a lot of plants in your college room can make the room seem more beautiful and decorated. At the same time, the space will feel much cleaner and botanical if that is the look you are going for. You can buy or even make your own pot plants at a very affordable price.

3. Start a simple DIY project
Instead of buying everything you need at college with indoor interior design elements, consider having small DIY projects to save some money for more important things. As a student, you might need an essay writing service. You can easily find help by using a professional personal statement writer service and, in this regard, Ca. EduBirdie ranks as one of the best in that field. The best part is that this statement writer service is not very costly so you can share costs between decorating your room and boosting your academic performance. This personal statement writer service personalizes the work it does for you to suit your preference and vision of that assignment they are handling.

4. Print photos for your wall
Empty walls can make a room feel like it is no man’s land. One of the best ways to decorate a room with a small budget is by printing photos, framing them, and hanging the frames on the wall. Alternatively, you can even use canvas print photos if you’ve got a little more money to spend.

Micro Living Unit, London / Ab Rogers Design
Micro Living Unit, London / Ab Rogers Design

5. Get area rugs
Depending on the style of your room and the taste you are going for, getting area rugs can make a major difference in decorating a dorm. There are different designs and patterns to choose from, including fluffy, Arabic, and even custom-designed rugs hand-crafted for you.

6. Better lighting
Natural light from the sun is theoretically the best light you can find for studying and reading. That’s because the colors and color temperatures comprising natural light are bright enough for focus but not so bright you’ll get a headache. Of course, you probably study indoors or at night more often than outdoors and in the sun. In that case, you’ll need artificial lighting for studying. The best light for studying during those late nights or cold winter months is an artificial light that won’t make you feel groggy.

Some student accommodation (especially if it’s provided by your university) will include bedside lights, but most won’t. And no room looks cosy under the glare of a 40-watt overhead bulb, which might have a plastic lampshade if you’re lucky, or might just be bare. If you invest in nothing else, buy yourself some better lighting for your student room.

7. Improve the smell
Student accommodation doesn’t always smell that nice, whether that’s because your flatmates keep setting the toaster on fire or because you live down the hall from someone who has never been known to clean their room. But even if your accommodation is relatively fragrant, there’s something about making somewhere smell nice that makes it feel more like home.

You can keep a small fan going or if you think it needs it- a de-humidifier. If there are already bad odors, try to find them & if possible remove them. Or if they are items that belong to others, try to make suggestions like offering to do laundry. If you have a microwave, maybe make something that smells good whenever you’ll be in for a period of time.

How do I make my dorm room smell nice?

  • Clean bedding.
  • Don’t allow laundry to pile up.
  • Change soles in winter boots often.
  • Open the window at night.
  • Don’t eat in your room or leave food in there.

8. Get Creative With Your Bed. Invest in nice bedding and towels
Investing in quality bedding sets is an investment in your overall well-being. A comfortable, restful night’s sleep can improve your mood, boost your productivity, and help you lead a more balanced, healthy life.

Low-quality bedding can harbor dust mites, allergens, and other irritants that can trigger allergies and breathing problems. By choosing bedding sets made from hypoallergenic materials, you can create a cleaner, healthier sleeping environment that promotes better breathing and overall health.

Good towels can make a small student room feel like a fancy hotel. Given it’s normal in student accommodation for most of your room to be taken up by your bed, then cheerful and attractive duvet covers that don’t clash with your curtains can make a big difference to how cosy and pleasant your room feels overall.

9. Cute & Functional Storage Spaces
You might have noticed that your student room may not have the shelves/drawers you would have liked. Check for unused spaces like above doorframes, or corners. Make one right beside your bed to save on a bedside table taking up that floor real-estate.
Overdoor storage is a great way to save space. Try to find storage boxes that fold and are easy to transport to make your time at university easier.

Bringing built-in storage to a room in your home can transform the area by adding personality, style and, of course, the coveted extra space we all want and need. Whether you’re looking for closed storage solutions to keep items out of sight, a way to accent decor or a collection or a way to highlight an interesting feature in your room, carefully crafted built-ins are the perfect solution.

10. DIY Chalkboard Student Wall
Chalkboards not only can be used in classrooms but used to decorate the rooms as well. They can make your room look different and give an updated feel. The best thing about chalk paint is that you don’t need to do much prepping, because chalk paint will stick to most surfaces.

The Student Hotel in Barcelona
The Student Hotel in Barcelona by Masquespacio
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