It’s been a month since everyone has been back on the Heights, yet some of you may not have fully found the time or inspo to decorate your dorm. Here are a few simple tips that will help you make your dorm feel more homey and cozy.

My first piece of advice would be to create a Pinterest board with the vibe you want for your dorm and identify re-occurring elements. You don’t need to buy thousands of different pieces of furniture – a few statement pieces will be enough! This will allow you to spend way less money and make moving out so much easier.

Here is the board I made for my dorm — we were looking for something unique yet chill and easy to recreate. My key elements here were an animal print rug, black-and-white posters, disco balls, and pops of color. Feel free to use it as inspo for yours ;)

The second piece of advice I would give to anyone trying to elevate their dorm is to invest in some frames for your posters. This can really make-or-break the aesthetic of your room. Frames will make your decor look so much cleaner and classier. Coming off of this, please put posters up on your walls! No one wants to see those bare, dirty walls BC Housing has blessed us with — try your best to cover most of them!  

Another important point I would love to emphasize is the lighting inside your room. Yes, LED lights aren’t everyone’s vibe, but you should definitely try to make lighting in your dorm more interesting. You could also use these items as an opportunity to add a pop of color to your decor. A sunset lamp for your room or living room is a great way to add color to your walls and fun lighting to the room. You could also get a cute desk/bedside table lamp that elevates your whole dorm’s vibe. LEDs can be cute, too, but try to place them so you can’t see them too much in the daylight. Another route you could take is a neon sign. These are great because not only do they provide great lighting, but they also make your walls more interesting. 

Lastly, don’t be scared to have fun with it. Get a fun rug, colorful pillows, magnets for your fridge, put up pictures, and get small fun accessories. It’s a dorm, not Restoration Hardware! Buy some fun board games to put on your coffee table, personalized mugs, cute glasses…Try to let your personality shine through, not just make it identical to your inspo board!