Since this is the last week to get 20% off all dorm room orders, I thought I'd make a little list of what I think are the top 7 best tips for decorating a dorm room. (why 7-that's when Hogan woke up-ha!)
Since your dorm room is probably your first place away from home, you definitely want it to be fun and to reflect your own personal style...which leads me to...
1. Let the girls, not the mom, pick the style of the room!
Too many times, the mom tries to pick what she wants for the room, only to have the girl not like it once she moves in. Moms may go in there 10 times all year, so let the girls have fun and pick everything out! Moms, if it's ugly, you don't have to live with it!
2. Pick out a solid colored comforter.
The best way to start is to get a solid comforter that you can work around with fun, printed curtains, pillows, and bedskirts! It really helps to anchor the whole room, and you can usually get a pretty good deal! Good places to look are The Company Store, Target, Bed, Bath, and Beyond, & Linen Source. Save on the comforter so you can splurge on all of the fun stuff! I love these how these simple white coverlets let all the colors and fabrics stand out!
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| http://mississippi.myscoop.us/index.cfm?event=news.view&id=47DCF458-E102-ABDF-8F299455C580C898 |
3. Have at least one thing with your name on it.
Whether it's a painting or a monogrammed pillow, you gotta have something personalized in your room! (maybe it's just a southern thing, but I love it!) I have done a coordinating monogrammed throw for every dorm room I've done, and they really just make the room! Fabric letters are also a fun way to personalize your room--you can get just one for your first name, or a set of 3 for your whole monogram!
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| $20 for one letter, $50 for set of 3 |
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$35, $45 with ruffled edges
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4. Get a big bulletin board that coordinates with your room.
You gotta have somewhere to put all of your pics of you family and high school friends you left behind--within weeks you'll be switching out the pics for ones with all your new friends! I love to cover the corkboard in fabric with a solid frame, or leave the cork exposed and paint the frame to match your room! I have several that I'm working on that I can't wait to share pictures of! I love the way this one turned out...
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| $120 for 24"x36" (32"x44" with frame) |
5. Under the bed storage--your new best friend
It's amazing how much stuff you will take to college, and even more so how much you will accumulate over your 9-month stay there! Plastic shelving and drawers like these fit perfectly under the bed, and help contains things that won't fit in your closet. Hide all of the mess with the dorm bedskirts-at 35" long, they go from the boxsprings to the floor, and easily attach with velcro so you can easily open and close them to access everything underneath! Love them!
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$100 for set of 3 panels (one for foot of bed, 2 for long side--can order more if needed. does not include cost of fabric)
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6. Your other new best friend...a clip on fanI don't think I would have made it in college without my clip on fan--maybe it's just me, but in those hot, stuffy dorm rooms, there's nothing better than that oscillating breeze!
7. A Rug Pulls the Whole Room Together
Again, here, I like a solid. You can buy those pieces of carpet, but I like a coordinating solid rug to throw down in between the beds. Nothing expensive though, it's will be mutilated by the end of the year! Pottery Barn Kids & Teen is a great place to look for cheap, solid rugs, as well as Target.
That's all I have! There are so many more, but that's all I could put together for now! Make sure and get your orders in by Thursday! If you need any help with decisions, I can send you swatches and pictures until we figure it out!
