Moving into your dorm room is one of the most nerve wracking and exciting times of your life! So why not make your place cozy and aesthetic with our dorm room decor ideas that will ease your nerves. From dorm room decor for boys to dorm room decor for girls, we have different color schemes and decoration ideas that will give you so much inspo. Whether you are a freshman or this is your senior year, we will show you how to transform your dorm room or college apartment to your liking.
As someone who frequently visited their friends dorms during our college years, I was always so excited to see how everyone decorated their space and to see what everyone’s dorms looked like. It was always amazing to see how the dorms would start off the same on move in day and how big of a transformation they would go through. When we were in college, there wasn’t Pinterest boards for dorm rooms and it would have been amazing to have inspiration on how to decorate the dorms! So now I have searched Pinterest high and low for the best dorm room decor ideas so that you don’t have to search for them and you can have a cool looking dorm on a budget.
In this blog post, we will show you everything you need to know about dorm room decor. Whether you are looking for dorm room decor essentials or pink dorm room decor ideas, we have got your back with the best decorating tips, advice, and budget friendly looks. This blog post will help you decorate your dorm like a pro and really wow your friends.
This blog post is all about dorm room decor.
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What do you need for a dorm room?
If it’s your first time dorming or you just want to make sure you don’t forget anything this year, here is a list of what you will need for your dorm room:
- Bedding: twin XL bedding, mattress topper or pad, pillows (sleeping + decorative), throw blanket
- Cleaning supplies: small vacuum, small trash can, swiffer
- Laundry: laundry hamper, detergent
- Bathroom: shower caddy, shower shoes, toiletries, towels, robe
- Supplies: chargers, extension cords, notepads, sticky notes, pens, desk lamp, headphones
- Kitchen: tumbler, mugs, plates, bowls, utensils, dish soap, sponge, snacks
- Storage: under bed bins, hanging closet organizer, command hooks, over the door racks
- Decor: wall art, rug, mirror, plants, string lights
- Misc: fan, first aid kit, umbrella, reusable bags
Best Dorm Room Essential From Amazon
Best Dorm Room Decor Ideas
Now, let’s explore the best dorm room decor ideas that we have found on Pinterest!
1. Blue and White Dorm Room Decor
If you are looking for an aesthetically pleasing and trending dorm room decor idea, the blue and white aesthetic may be just what you have been looking for. To recreate this dorm room look, start by layering your bed with some ruffle white sheets and incorporate pops of blue with pillow covers and blankets. Complete the look by hanging up blue and white wall art and subtle blue touches throughout your room.
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TIP: Twin XL is the bedding size for most dorm room beds, we suggest buying two sets of bedding for the days you don’t feel like washing it.
2. Dorm Room Decor Aesthetic
In a world full of neutrals, don’t be afraid to have alittle fun with some color in your dorm room. By keeping your core dorm room pieces white or a neutral color, you can add in some fun pop of colors to brighten your room and give it some personality. You can easily do this with bright throw pillow, blankets, and wall decor.
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TIP: Use tiny command hooks of velcro to hang your wall art without having to damage the walls.
3. Dorm Room Decor Essentials
When it comes to dorm room decor, there are just some essentials that you can not live without. Here are the decor items that we highly suggest you have on your dorm shopping list:
- Bedding: bed skirt, twin XL set, extra pillows and blankets
- Lighting: Dorm lighting can be alittle harsh so make sure you bring some lighting for getting ready or setting the vibe in your dorm like string lights.
- Mirrors: A full length mirror is a must in your dorm so you can check your outfits before you go.
- Wall decor: Posters, pictures, cork boards
- Window coverings/ curtains: make sure that you have privacy
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4. Dorm Room Decor For Boys
Just because you are a boy doesn’t mean that you can’t have a stylish and aesthetically pleasing dorm room. It is important to make the space practical but still to your liking by hanging your favorite teams flags, jerseys or wall art that goes with your rooms colors and vibe.
5. Dorm Room Decor For Girls
The possibilities are endless when it comes to dorm room decor ideas for girls. You can choose a color you like, a theme, or a color palette to make your dorm room feel uniquely yours. Most shared dorms tend to to have matching bedding, wall art or just similar decor to make the room feel more cohesive.
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6. Glam Dorm Room Decor
Often times dorm rooms tend to be the opposite of glam, but with the right decor and design choices, you can have some glamorous touches that will elevate the look of your room. In this dorm room decor idea, they hung gold framed pictures over the bed with a patterned blanket for a tasteful pop of color.
7. Pink and Green Dorm Room Decor
A pink and green color scheme in your dorm room adds earthy cheer to the space and a playful touch. Play with textures by finding pillows that are fun and different but within the same color scheme. Remember that you don’t have to have the same shade of green or pink for your side of the dorm to look good, you can simply do a mix of shades.
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8. Coastal Granddaughter Dorm Room Decor
The coastal grandmother trend has taken over Pinterest and the home decor world this year and we can totally understand why! For your dorm room we suggest adding alittle less grandmothery touches by incorporating some more modern touches making it more granddaughtery.
Start by finding a vintage grandmother like rug for inspo and then building your decor choices around the rugs design. Traditional lamps and bedding will give that grandma vibe while the bow wall art and monogrammed pillow will add those trendy, youthful touches.
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9. Shared Dorm Room Decor
Sharing a dorm room presents with many challenges but decor shouldn’t be one of them. Before move in day, coordinate with your roommate to see if they have a color scheme in mind or pieces they have already purchased so that your dorm room can look cohesive.
Shared dorm room decor ideas:
- Coordinate colors: Choose two colors you guys both like and decorate your side with those colors.
- Matching beds: Buy the same bedding in different colors or the same colors. Differentiate the beds with a monogrammed pillow
- Sharing: Try to share storage or lighting to help prevent your dorm room from looking and feeling smaller.
- Rug: Pick out a large area rug that will go in between both sides.
TIP: Make a shared Pinterest board to pin your favorite inspo pics.
10. Pink and Orange Dorm Room Decor
Pink and orange colors in the dorm can help make the room feel energized and fun! The warm tones in the shades of pink and orange go great with wooden tones that you often see in standard dorm beds. We suggest pairing the fun color combo with white to really makes the brightness pop.
TIP: Secure led strip lights around the border of your dorm room to bring the look together and add some moody lighting.
11. Dorm Room String Lights
String lights are an easy way to make your dorm room feel cozier and more homey. You can hang the string lights across the ceiling in a zig zag or just around your bed for a warm touch.
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12. Gallery Wall for Dorm Room
Give your dorm room some personality by hanging some wall art that speaks to your aesthetic. To recreate this dorm room gallery wall you want to use a variety of frames in different sizes and finishes to give your gallery wall an eclectic feel. We suggest checking out the local thrift store or painting some existing frames you may have with rub n buff.
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13. Sage Green Dorm Room Decor
Sage green is another popular room decor color choice if you want a pop of color that isn’t too bold and is more on the natural side. Sage green pairs well with whites, off whites, other greens, browns, beiges and greys. This is the perfect color scheme if you want to have a more earthy dorm room with small plants and succulents.
14. Dorm Room Photo Collage
Being far away from your friends and family is probably one of the hardest parts about going away for college which is why making a pin board can be a cute and thoughtful way to remind you of home. Add some of your favorite pictures, stickers or memorabilia to your bulletin board for a constant reminder of the ones you love.
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15. Blue and Pink Dorm Room Decor
For a super feminine and shabby chic look, decorate your dorm room white bedding and small hints of baby pink and blue. We suggest pairing these two colors with gold to add a trendy finish that will help pull the look together.
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16. Dorm Room Decor DIY
How fun and unique is the DIY dorm room decor idea! To recreate this crafty look, simply just buy a plain doormat, some paint of your choice, and some stencils. You can paint your dorm room’s numbers on the mat, a funny quote, or a welcome message to make your dorm’s entrance stand out from the rest.
17. Minimalist Dorm Room Idea
Sometimes less is more when it comes to decorating your dorm room. In tight dorms, too much decor may make the room feel smaller so instead you may want to just stick to some simple wall art and the basics to get your through the year.
This blog post was all about dorm room decor.
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