Dorm Room Decor

The thought of a dorm room can evoke an idea of a dull room filled with books, in a big mess, and generally somewhere you just want to crash and not spend any time there apart from sleeping. Another thought of a dorm room can evoke a completely opposite idea, of a personal space, decorated to suit your choice, books organized in the right manner, and lots of color and personal style reflecting from the furniture and decorations. If you are someone who had the second thought while thinking of a dorm room, take a look at how you can spice up your dorm room decor, from a dull space with bare walls, to one that screams of your personality through and through.

College Dorm Room Decor

The transition from high school to college is more than just educational. It also marks a big leap in your life, where you finally have to start living on your own, and taking independent decisions. All this leads to a big change in your overall personality. Time and again it has been mentioned, that the way a space is done up reflects a person's personality. That means you have to design and decorate your personal space only according to what you are comfortable with. If you like retro styles, go for it, if you like modern interior decoration and designing, choose that. The whole idea is comfort, and personal taste, rather than 'trends'. Keeping all this in mind, here are some ideas that you should keep in mind while decorating your personal space.

Before you apply any of these dorm decorating ideas, ensure you have the permission of your college to make changes and put up wall art. If you have a roommate, collaborate with him/her to come up with a decor style that suits both your tastes. Once you have confirmed these two, you are free to choose from the list of ideas mentioned here.

Bedding
The appropriate bedding is an obvious essential in a dorm room. In a dorm room, you are not likely to find or be able to fit a luxurious bed. A single bed, that is enough for you is perfect. What you can do to spice up your bedding is add in some throw pillows, with some beautiful covers in colors, patterns and fabrics of your choice, and have your bed double up as a seating area. This is possible if your bed is tucked in a corner against a wall. Add in a duvet to complement the colors in your dorm room. Ensure you have a bed with storage, something that is most essential when you are living in a small space.

Study Zone
Yes, college life is supposed to be all about fun, but the basic purpose of being there is to study. Whether you're a student of art or finance, you do need a small desk space for your laptop or desktop, along with some storage to keep all your study material. Again, if possible, get a corner desk as this takes up much less space and serves the purpose of your requirements. If you an ardent music fan, and have a lot of CDs, then ensure your desk comes with a CD rack to accommodate your collection. If you are a book lover, then make sure your desk fits this requirement. Else, you can fit a shelf or two above your desk to keep all your books and CDs.

Wall Decor
While deciding the wall decor, you can fan all your creativity while jazzing up your walls. If you're having trouble deciding what exactly to go with, choose from some of these options.

• If you are an art lover, put up your favorite artwork. It would definitely be cheaper if you created it yourself. Don't put up just one piece of artwork. Instead combine about 2, 3 or 4 similar pieces, and put it up in an interesting pattern on the wall. For instance, a zig-zag pattern, or a triangular pattern, or a slant of 2-4 small pieces of artwork will really redefine the decor of your dorm room.
• Mirrors are other dorm room essentials. However, you don't have to put up just a basic mirror. Instead, choose from a number of options that are now available. A Victorian style mirror picked up at a garage sale, or a funky mirror, can adorn your walls. A well-known fact is that mirrors also make a space look larger. If you feel the need, you can use mirrors wisely for this purpose.
• Posters are the most traditional dorm room decorations for walls. Music idols, actors, or just role models generally make it to the wall of fame in a dorm room. While these are perfect for dorm room wall decor, you don't have to just stick them up. Use some interesting colored tape to make a frame around the posters. Pin them up on a pin-up board, or adorn the bare space around the posters with other knick-knacks.
• Another traditional wall decor idea is photographs. Nothing is more lasting and unique, than special moments captured for life. Now we all know how we can make a collage or just put up individual picture frames to make a collage of pictures. A unique way of putting them up, is to have a clothes-line, generally used for hanging clothes, running across a wall to clip up your favorite photographs. It adds color, it is new, and it serves the purpose of wall decor.

While you may choose to put up just anything you think suits your walls, keep in mind your overall color scheme, your room size, and don't clutter up your walls too much. A dorm room is anyway never too large, and cluttering up the walls will make it look smaller.

Other Essentials
There are several other accessories that can further enhance the visual appeal of your personal space.

• Lamps should never be overlooked in your dorm room. It is one of the essentials if you have to study until the wee hours of the morning. Pick a lamp that suits your style, with a funky and colorful lamp shade. Opt for a floor-mounted lamp if possible. It's throw of light will be larger, and it will accessorize your room beautifully.
• Every dorm room should have seating apart from the bed, and the chair for the study. Get either a bean bag, or a single, beautifully designed chair where you can sit and read, enjoy your music, or simply daydream.
• Rugs are perfect to add the much-needed color in a bland space. Place a rug against the base of your bed, and throw some cushions on it to double up as a seating space.
• A great way of jazzing up your dorm room decor is also by choosing the right curtains or blinds to adorn your window(s). Free-flowing sheer curtains, or blinds, if you prefer them over curtains, can breathe a whole new life into your dorm room.

You don't have to do everything mentioned here, nor do you have to do it all at once. You can do it over time, and slowly transform a drab space into a creatively decorated space. Unleash your creativity, and use these ideas to aid you in deciding what suits your personality and choice the best. After all, this is the best time to experiment and discover your own taste. Good luck!