Dorm Decorating -- Part Two© Wendy Waid
Jun 17, 2001
Nothing can make you feel more at home on campus than a few decorating tricks and you don’t even have to spend a lot of money.
Be prepared
If you haven’t moved in to your dorm yet, then start preparing. Find out what the rules for decorating are, including hanging curtains or shades, painting walls or hanging posters, appliances, etc. Most dorms come unfurnished and are plain white with plain white shades. Some might have refrigerators, microwaves, and beds but you need to provide the rest. A few schools have apartment-style dorms which provide more rules but more options. Have a basic idea of what you need and what you want before and during your move in. If you are sharing a dorm, be sure to get agreement with your roommate before decorating. Themes and Schemes:
A good place to start is to have a basic theme or color scheme. What colors do you prefer? Do you want to have a specific theme, such as floral or retro? A lot of students just buy what they need and forgo choosing colors or patterns. The only problem comes later when you realize that your collection of items are completely mismatched and look so “poor-freshman”. Cover the Walls:
Most dorm rules strictly prohibit repainting those dull (often white) walls. Instead, invest in some tacks or sticky wall putty and hang up some pictures or posters. Or, for the more fashionable, hang up large colorful sheets with tacks then hang up pictures or other items on top of that sheet. If you are aiming for a sea-style theme, hang up some fishing nets and attach shells and anchors to them. You can also try different types of fabrics and styles. If allowed, hang up some curtains. Cheap curtains are easy to make since all you need is some fabric and a rod. (Check out some links on window treatments: http://www.suite101.com/linkcategory.cfm... ) Little Touches:
It’s the little things that get noticed, such as a small collection of dark blue jars in the bathroom or a bowl full of marbles and fake flowers in the dining room. Perhaps you collect matchbooks, which you could display in an unusual vase. Or perhaps you have some seashells from your last venture to the beach that would look great on a shelf somewhere. Candles and candleholders are pretty popular accent pieces. Stuffed animals would look great hung in a corner or sitting on a bookshelf.
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