For some students, back to school means living away from home. Dorm rooms are spaces that are notoriously lacklustre when it comes to the décor. Students rarely have funds to update or enhance their space, so they are left living in a room that is less than homey. A boring, stark space can make it difficult for a student to concentrate or be inspired.
To thwart the student dorm blues and keep spirits up, one must make every effort to inject personality into your living space. Colour, pattern and style can all be had for less than you might expect. You just have to be clever with your decorating dollars and shop around for the best buys. Using your imagination is also a must, because it will allow you to create a space that is uniquely you.
Even a teenager living at home might want to update their personal space to begin the school year. Inexpensive updates can be made whether you’re a university student living off campus or a high school student living at home.
Where to begin
Start with making a list of what you have and what you absolutely need. If your dorm room comes complete with a bed, a small sofa and chair (even if they are unattractive), then you don’t need to replace these items. Dressing them up will fit the bill for this temporary living space. A fresh sofa cover, which can be as simple as a bed sheet, will help disguise ugly furniture so you can use your decorating dollars elsewhere.
You will need a desk to study at, a good reading lamp and bedding. These are must-haves that have got to be addressed in your budget. If you can finagle any of these items away from friends or family, then by all means do so. If not, then the items should be put at the top of your budget list. Then you can have fun with accessories, rugs, clocks and display units, which are not absolutely necessary but will help create a great space.
Many of the items in our feature photograph are available at Wal-Mart. The cube ottoman (under $30) makes a great storage unit for books and CDs as well as a foot rest and additional seating. Choosing items that do double or triple duty will definitely stretch your decorating dollar. The student desk and chair come at around $200, which is money well spent, as it will go with you when you leave. Other items like the colourful drapes (under $40), wire four-teir shelf ($50), decorative frames and mirrors ($20) and fun paper clip clock ($15) are affordable items that will help make your space unique. Affordable bedding is also available and can be used to bring in colour for your room. (All prices are approximate and are before taxes.)
No money? No worries
If your budget is blown with the purchase of necessary items, that doesn’t mean your room can’t be unique and fun. If you are allowed to paint your space, then paint is the way to go for a cheap update and injection of personality. Before you go ahead and buy paint, check with family and friends to see if they have any leftover interior paint from past projects. You might end up with a kaleidoscope of colours that can be used to paint walls, wooden furniture, picture frames and so on. If you can’t afford artwork, then use the various colours to paint a vibrant mural directly onto the wall. If you have to purchase paint, then head for the mis-tint area for deals.
If you don’t have enough funds to purchase window coverings, try using linens as window coverings. Colourful bed sheets, tablecloths, shawls, quilts, blankets and so on can be fashioned into fun window treatments. Be creative. Sometimes large fabric remnants can be found at thrift stores for a song. Wash them up and hang them as window coverings. A little hot glue can be used to adorn the window treatments with fun items like colourful buttons, beads, ribbon, fringe, braiding and so on.
Having photos of family and friends in view will help keep the homesick blues away. If you can’t afford to frame them, find inexpensive ways to make sure they are front and centre. For example, in our feature room you could place one photo in each arm of the paper-clip wall clock to create a photo fan display. Inexpensive cork sheeting or bulletin boards can be painted in a co-ordinating colour and used as a photo or memo board. Even a simple wire strung along the wall or hung from the curtain rod or ceiling can display photos. Simply hang the photos from the wire using colourful clothes pins. Plastic clothes pins are readily available at dollar stores, but wooden ones can also be painted to match the room. You’ll probably need clothes pins for laundry day anyway, so use them to your decorative advantage. The photo display can be easily updated and changed at will. If you’re super creative, you can use craft wire that holds its shape to create a large wall design, then hang the photos from your creation (rather than in just a straight line). You might shape the wire into, say, a guitar if that’s your passion, just as one example.
Budget-savers
There are many items that you might already have on hand that can be used to make fun accessories and artwork. Coloured paper clips can be glued to photo frames, mirror frames, strung together to make colourful chains that can be used in place of beaded curtains or used to hang photos as mentioned above. If you have to buy binders for school, then purchase a colour that will co-ordinate with your space so they will look great on display and will be easy to access as well. Most students have some sort of computer, so use it to print favourite photos in black and white or to create a collage. You have to eat, so display fresh fruit, colourful pasta, rice and dried beans in decorative containers in the open as accessories in your eating space.
Wallpaper might be the last thing you want to consider, but you can frame it and use it as artwork. Check out the clearance bins and see what you might be able to find.
Inspiration
Use inspiring words or quotes to decorate your walls, furniture or accessories. Yes, you are finally allowed to write on the walls! (Just be sure you have permission from your landlord before painting or writing on the wall.)
Temporary quarters and a small budget don’t have to equal a boring space. Use your imagination to create a room that will be homey and inspiring for the school year to come. Good luck in your studies.
Connieoliver@shaw.ca
