How To Plan Your Dream Dorm Room/Apartment

It’s August so you know what that means… it’s crunch time! Move-In day is less than a week away and with that has come all kinds of last-minute prep. I’ve been buying new pieces left and right and have gathered quite the collection of stuff for my new place.

If you need a little refresher/ I’m a Fashion Merchandising student at Kent State University. Freshman year I lived in Centennial A in the cutest dorm you ever did see. Sophomore year I moved into my sorority house with two new roommates. The Alpha Phi house is apartment-style so I had a bit more to decorate but I was still living with 30 other sisters.

I’m gearing up for one last year in Kent. I will be living with my two freshman year suitemates Olivia and Lauren and one of my other good friends Krista in a four-bedroom, four-bathroom apartment. I’m so excited to be transitioning from twin to full bed and to have a corner all to myself! I am graduating a semester early and will spend next fall studying abroad in Italy.

I’ll have moving vlogs and tours coming your way very soon but in the meantime, I wanted to share a sneak peek into my new space! I’ve designed some pretty cute living areas over the years if I do say so myself and have gotten tons of questions from my college followers asking for tips and tricks on designing their dream dorm/apartment.

I’m here today to share my best advice. I’m certainly no professional but I hope you enjoy!

Step One: find some inspo photos

Getting ready to design your dream room? Start off by gathering a few inspo photos. My go-to for this is Pinterest. This year I knew I wanted to switch things up, going for something a little more bohemian with an ivory, warm color palette rather than my usual gray and light pink! 

I typed these keywords into the search bar and Pinterest generated dozens of photos that matched the aesthetic I was going for. I screenshotted all of these to refer back to as I shopped! Here’s a look at the photos I gathered.

Step Two: pick a color palette 

From here you can decide on a color palette. Picking a scheme will help keep the room cohesive and make shopping much easier! 

It’s important to choose one basic (white, ivory, or black). This year I chose ivory. Then, you can pick a neutral (gray, beige, tan, etc). This is a color that may have different variations and although is a color, is super versatile. This year I chose a straw/wicker. I thought this would help add some texture. Then you will pick a pop of color. This can be whatever hue you desire but is a piece that can be used across decor, throw pillows, and wall prints. In the past, I’ve always stuck with blush but this year I’m switching it up and going for burnt, rustic orange. 

This year I went for an ivory duvet, and am using the pop of color across my sheets and pillows!

Step Three: assess what comes with the room 

Next up, assess what comes with the room. Some dorms have closets while others have wardrobes. Some give you night stands others do not. Knowing what furniture will be given to you, if any, will help you better prepare/plan your space. 

This year my apartment has dark chocolate brown wood with a full bed, desk, nightstand, dresser, and closet. Because of the brown, I chose a warmer color palette rather than going for blacks and greys!

It also means I’ve been planning out my closet space. I grabbed stackable under-the-bed storage containers for extra clothing space and a hanging shoe rack for my closet door! Things like these are key to grab before move-in day since they sell out quickly at local stores. 

Step Four: choose your wall decor 

Next up, choose your wall decor! While most college kids like to go for an array of hometown momentous, photos of friends and family, and sorority-painted canvases, I prefer something a bit more sophisticated and cohesive. 

For the last three years, I have created gallery walls with Desenio prints. This Scandinavian wall decor company offers high-quality prints for an affordable price. While they do offer frames on their website, I always get mine from IKEA for a fraction of the cost. In previous years I’ve gone for a black and white chic fashionista feel, but this year I decided to switch things up.

I actually went ahead and looked at their premade gallery walls and fell in love with the one pictured above. The mix of orange hues and bohemian vibes were just what I was going for. I grabbed them all and a few prints for my bathroom too!

They have the best stuff. I have their prints hanging in my room at home too!

A look at previous gallery walls I’ve created through them!  

A few other key things that can help transform your room:

Never underestimate the power of curtains. They transform a room almost instantly making it feel so much homier and help bring in the natural light. 

If your room has ugly blinds or tacky shades, purchase two large command hooks and stick these to the wall. These are strong enough to hold a cheap tension rod and your newest pair of curtains. I always grab mine from TJ Maxx or HomeGoods!

Headboards also elevate your space instantly. I’ve had one every year of college and it’s always the piece that sets my room apart from others. I’ve gotten them from Dormify and DormCo in the past but this year I went to Bed Bath and Beyond. You can also find these for super cheap on the Facebook Marketplace. 

Bed skirts also make a world of a difference. Especially if you’re raising your bed to maximize storage underneath. Plus, they make the room look far more sophisticated. 

My last piece that many people overlook but truly makes your room feel and look like a million bucks is a large full-length mirror to lean against the wall. These will run you at least $50 a pop (for a good one!) but they help open the space up and make for a killer photo op. I have a few and my favorite one is this gold one from Walmart. I will definitely be using it again this year. 

I share a sneak peek of all my room decor and prints for my junior year bedroom in this video! Feel free to give it a watch to get the scoop. 

Well, folks, that’s a wrap for the decor tips. I hope you found this helpful and that it gives you a little inspo on transforming your next space into something fabulous. Stay tuned on Insta for more sneak peeks of my space coming later this week!

With love, McKenz

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