When you start living in a dorm room, you may feel uncomfortable due to various factors, including a scarce interior design and sharing space with roommates as you pursue your college degree. While a few things can’t easily be changed, the decor of your room can be transformed according to your personal tastes with these cozy dorm room ideas.
How to Make a Dorm Room Cozy
Most college dormitories won’t let you make major changes to the room layout, wall color, or provided furniture. However, you do have the chance to add personal touches with the help of decorations like lights, photo frames, wall decor, and accents. Read on for cozy dorm ideas to help you turn even the dullest room into a beautiful, homey place.
Dorm Wall Decor
The first thing you see when you move into your dorm room are bare walls. Of course, you’ll want to adorn them with items that will make the room more vivid and interesting. The proper dorm wall decor will not only help you cover up bare walls but will also help create a cozy and homey atmosphere.
1. Posters & Frames
There are hundreds of interesting ways to adorn the walls of your college dorm room. For many years, posters have been one of the most popular choices for dormitory decor. You can display one large print or several smaller ones. From abstract art prints to fashion-inspired images, you can feature practically anything you want on a poster. Or, you may want to order a custom print, like a poster-sized photo of your family or pet, monogram art, or a print of a design that you’ve created yourself.
Custom frames displayed on desks, shelves, or tables can also be a way to add personal touches. Autograph frames capture a photo and special messages from sorority sisters, soccer teammates, or special campus events. Or a photo frame can display favorite memories with your best friends or family.
2. Wall Decals & Tape
Another popular way to decorate bare walls with almost no effort is with wall stickers, which are removable and reusable. You can find a wide range of decal themes, designs, colors, and sizes. Patterned or vibrantly hued washi tape is a great way to transform drab dorm walls without causing damage. You can use tape to create visually captivating patterns, spell out a favorite quote, or “frame” posters on your wall.
3. Removable Wallpaper
For a quick and easy way to completely transform your dorm room, use peel-and-stick wallpaper that can easily be removed at the end of the school year. Vibrant and whimsical patterns or neutral, modern tones will give your dorm an instant makeover. Whether covering a single wall or the entire room, a bold wallpaper will infuse joy and fun in your living space.
4. String Lights
Instantly create a relaxing and dreamy mood in your dorm room with the simple addition of string lights. Design a glowing wall collage by clipping favorite photos and postcards between the lights or wind a long strand of artificial ivy or floral garland around the lights for a lush garden look. If plain white fairy lights sound too boring, opt for thematic shapes like stars, cacti, flamingoes, palm trees, or paper lanterns.
College Bedding Tips
Everyone wants to sleep in a cozy and comfortable bed each night. However, the twin xl beds and bunk bed frames in dormitories don’t always meet that comfort quotient. To get the best rest while away at college, you need to start with the right single sleeper mattress. Soft and comfortable twin xl mattresses are key to getting a good night’s sleep. Moreover, a good mattress will contribute to your back health.
5. Select Natural Fibers
Down bedding is another important element for a good night’s sleep because it’s breathable. Down and feathers are natural fibers, which provide comfortable sleeping in any season. They will keep you warm in winter and will wick the moisture away in summer. It’s recommended that your twin bed sheets and full-sized bedspreads also be made of natural fibers, like cotton, as they allow air to circulate properly through the bed.
6. Know the Bed Size
When choosing the bedding, it’s important to know all the dimensions of the dorm bed. The most popular mattress size for dormitory beds have the 39″ width of a twin size mattress but the 80″ length of a queen-size bed/full sized bed in order to accommodate taller students. In those cases, it’s better to opt for twin XL mattress sizes for sheets, since they’re several inches longer.
As a general rule, white bedding isn’t the best choice for a dorm. It will get dirty pretty fast. It’s better to opt for darker colors. Moreover, consider buying full size mattress bedding with cute prints. They will definitely add a personal touch and coziness to your living space.
7. Add Cozy Accents
Another important consideration is a bedspread. You may choose whatever material, style, and color you want, but keep in mind that light-colored bed covers get dirty easily. There are many alternatives when it comes to covers, such as cotton comforters, knitted quilts, and faux fur blankets. If you plan to store things under your bed, consider buying a bed skirt for hidden storage. For cozy and colorful accents on top of your bed, use a mix of decorative throw pillows. Consider taking favorite pillows from your own bedroom to feel the comforts of home while living miles away from your loved ones.
Smart Storage Solutions
When you need to have many things stored in a single room, you need to think about storage systems down to the smallest details. For instance, you’ll want to find cool organizers that can store a variety of different things. These dorm room decor ideas for storage are especially convenient for small pieces that can easily get lost.
8. Clever Shelving
While you probably can’t install anything on your dormitory wall, you can use freestanding wall shelves that aren’t too bulky or awkward. They don’t occupy much space and can store a large number of things, from books and educational materials to collectibles and art. Shelves can be either open or closed and are available in various designs. Consider repurposing some unique thrift shop items into creative shelving options.
9. Decorative Boxes
When it comes to ideas to decorate your dorm room, another way to store items is in boxes. They’re suitable for holding various dorm essentials, from clothing to stationery. Boxes are ideal if you want to store items you don’t need that often go under the bed. Plastic storage boxes are good solutions since they’re durable, fairly inexpensive, and can have interesting colors and designs.
Dorm Room Decorations
10. Shadow Boxes
You’re likely collecting college memorabilia like photos, tickets, pins, lanyards, and notes. A custom shadow box is a great way to feature treasured memories with friends and relatives. They also add a unique and personal touch to make a dorm room feel like it’s truly yours. Showcase a shadow box on your desk, on a mini fridge, or on a bedside table.
11. Mirrors
Mirrors are a great example of functional decor. Besides serving its primary purpose, a mirror can make a small space feel bigger and make a room brighter if it captures natural light. The best options for college dormitories are over-the-door rectangular mirrors or standing ladder-style mirrors to provide a full-length view of your outfit.
12. Plants
Plants fit into any type of dwelling. By placing a plant or two in your dorm room, you’re not only adding a vibrant accent to your room but also a supplier of fresh air. If you’re afraid it’ll be hard to care for, opt for a spider plant, bromeliad, or peace lily, which requires little upkeep. Succulents and aloe vera are other plant options that don’t require too much sun or attention.
13. Cute Rug
Undoubtedly, a cute rug can add comfort to any room. Rugs can keep your toes warm from the chilly dorm floor and create an overall softer atmosphere. It’s not necessary to buy an expensive rug, you can find affordable rugs for sale with beautiful designs.
14. Additional Lighting
Additional lighting can also make your dorm room feel cozier. It can be in the form of a desk lamp, floor lamp, or adjustable lamp that can be clamped to your bedpost or dresser. By adding some additional light sources, you’ll also be able to use them instead of the overhead light. These help if you’re up late studying or watching movies on your laptop and don’t want to disturb your roommate.
All in all, it’s not so hard to add some cute accents to your dorm room decor to make it a more comfortable space for you. And, it’s not necessary to make all these changes immediately. Start with a few things and continue decorating and changing your living space throughout the academic year, and soon you’ll have a comfortable and cozy dorm room that feels just like home.
