Even though it’s been about 12 years since I first entered college, I can still remember the excitement of shopping for my dorm room and of course moving in. College marks one of the first times someone experiences independence. With independence comes the first time that your decorating style emerges. Dorm room decor, or the lack of, can completely change your college experience. If you take the time to really discover your decor style, you can turn the four walls from cold and uninviting into your own oasis (albeit a small one you most likely share with a stranger). Continue reading to find out how to make your dorm feel like home.
The Basics of Dorm Room Decor
Almost every store right now will have a list of things that people need for their dorm room. Things that most parents/guardians will have covered: new bedding, trash Can or two, a printer, desk lamp, pillow and maybe a rug. While some of those will add elements of comfort and coziness to your new home, there is more that can be done.
Your dorm room will often times be the first introduction to you as a person when you’re meeting the new people on campus. The number one thing to show off your style is by hanging up art. Art hanging on the walls is an instant conversation starter. Having your favorite TV show, movie, or humorous poster will allow for new people to find commonalities to engage a new friendship.
Less is More
If you spend any time on the internet, you’ve probably heard about how extravagant the dorm rooms get at southern colleges. However, this blog is not here to tell you how to turn your dorm into a spread in Southern Living Magazine. We’re here to show you how to take the average dorm room at an average college and turn it into somewhere to escape to when you’re feeling a little home sick.
I went to The University of Dayton (Go Flyers!) and was lucky enough to be assigned the smallest dorm on campus. The desks and bunk beds took up most of the space and despite the rug, the bedding and the curtains, it still screamed cinderblock room.
When you are moving into your new home and are deciding on decor to put on the walls, remember anything you bring in, you’ll also have to move out so less is more. Choose a few statement pieces to hang on the wall and instead of just using command strips to hang the bare poster on the wall: FRAME THEM.
Why Frames for College Dorms?
Seeing as how our sister company, Art & Canvas, specializes in posters and art i will be the first thing to tell you that tape or wall putty and paper are not best friends. When you hang up the art on the wall you will most likely rip it while you are taking it down. Continually purchasing the same poster or art piece every year is a waste of money. You could save that money for “refreshments” or MORE ART, simply by putting it in a frame.
The Frame also serves as an additional style element for the room.
Dorm Room Decor: Frame Options
As a framing company we have a large selection of frame types. But what is the best for Dorm Room (or apartment living)? With anything that requires a damage free option the number one thing to look for is weight. You’ll be using command strips to hang up your frame. You don’t want to risk it being too heavy and falling when its knocked as you’re stumbling into bed at 4 am from a night spent…. studying.
The good new is that we have poster frame options specifically designed to be light weight and in standard poster sizes.
Our best selling poster frame for young adults in college is our corrugated poster frames. Comprised of 4 mylar sides, a corrugated cardboard backing with hanging hardware, and styrene glazing with protective coating applied during shipment. They’re lightweight, inexpensive and available in 6 colors.
If you’re wanting a frame that you could use when you move out of campus housing into your first adult apartment, look no further than Simply Poly. The flat matte profile of the Black and White colors disguise this poly frame into looking like a wood composite. Choose the silver if you’re wanting a fancy looking sterling frame for a price the average Jane can afford!
If you’re wanting to find the perfect art piece to match the vision you have of yourself and your dorm, browse hundreds of art prints and posters at artandcanvas.com
Dorm Room Decor: Frame Options
If art isn’t your thing, skip it all together and use frame shells and create a statement piece on the wall! Frame Shells are inexpensive and light weight as they ship with only the frame no backing or glazing. Our wood and metal frames are available in shells. Create a whole gallery wall of shells and swap out photos every week to remember the weekends! We hope you enjoyed these dorm decor ideas!
