You bought a hamper, a shower caddy, a mini fridge, and all the other essentials you’ll need for a year in a dorm. But that cinderblock-walled, prison cell-size room needs a little more than just a pretty bedspread to make it the envy of the entire dorm. It’s time to get decorating! Here’s HC’s list of the 50 cutest items to spruce up your dorm room this fall…you know, just to get you started.
Posters
Without them, your walls are just bare, sad cinderblock. Your walls need to be prettified, and HC is happy to report that these posters are a lot cheaper and easier to apply (and a lot more allowed by your housing department) than hiring a professional muralist.
Our Picks: Feather F Print, Dormify $24.99; Lisa Weedn Love Being Exactly Who You Are Wall Art, Bed Bath & Beyond, $24.99; Lot 26 All You Need Canvas Wall Art, Target, $19.99; Keep Calm and Buy Shoes Poster, OCM $5.95; Graphic Salon Floral Canvas Wall Art, Bed Bath & Beyond, $19.99; Have Fun, Stay Young Poster, Her Campus Shop, $10; I Heart You Print, Dormify, $24.99; Make a Wish Print, Dormify, $29.99
Lighting
Fluorescent ceiling lights: they are not flattering. Get something a little less harsh and a little cuter to light up your room like nobody else (did you just get One Direction stuck in your head? Me too). How about a string of cocktails or a giant ice cream cone? Now I’m hungry—dining hall run, anyone?
Our Picks: Room Essentials Stick Lamp – Damask, Target, $19.99; Stick Lamp w/ Cassette Tape Patterned Shade, Target, $14; String Light – Pierced Paper, Target, $14.99; 10 Light String Lights – Cocktail Glasses, Target, $14.39; Walking Man Lamp, Target, $15.99; Ice Cream Lamp, Fred Flare, $40
[pagebreak]
Wall Decals
Stickers were the bomb back in elementary school, but your parents probably wouldn’t have been too pleased if you used them to decorate your walls. Guess what? Now stickers (or, as we grown-ups call them, wall decals) are a totally acceptable, cute, and easy way to spruce up a dull dorm room. Some even function as chalkboards or dry-erase boards so you can leave your roomie notes or draw pictures when you’re procrastinating on your lit paper (but really, you should probably just get that over with).
Clockwise from top left: Des Fleurs Wall Decal, OCM $32.95; Give a Hoot Owl Decal, Dormify, $19.99; Dry Erase Message Board Wall Decal, OCM, $19.95; Angelfish Decal, Dormify, $40; Victorian Chalkboard Wall Sticker, Dormify, $12
Furniture
Linoleum floors and carpets with mysterious stains are just as sad as cinderblock walls… and you probably don’t want to be sitting on them too often. Make your Thursday Vampire Diaries-watching roomie dates a little more comfortable with some HC-approved dorm furniture, and add a funky side table to put your popcorn on.
Top row, from left: Furlicious Hang-A-Round Chair, PBteen, $149; Dotted Plush Saucer Chair, Bed Bath & Beyond, $34.99
Bottom row, from left: Trellis Gray Leanback Lounger, PBteen, $169 ($179 with monogram or name added); Round Side Table with Bottom Storage Shelf, Bed Bath & Beyond, $19.99; Dormify Poufs, Dormify, $155
[pagebreak]
Other Wall Décor
Posters aren’t cutting it for dressing up your dorm walls? We have plenty of other options! A dry erase board and bulletin board are essential for any collegiette who wants to display important reminders and let her hallmates (particularly that hot soccer player in room 204) leave her messages on her door. And as for the other items, well, sometimes 3D décor is just a lot cooler than a 2D poster.
Clockwise, from top left: Pixical Wall Décor, Dormify, $20; Ribbon Board, Vera Bradley, $38.25; Tweet Wall Décor Set, Dormify, $20; Glowing Moon Clock, Fred Flare, $36; Wire Wall Letters, PBteen, $15.50; Fabulous London Wall Art, Bed Bath and Beyond, $14.99; Magnetic White Board Talk Bubble, OCM, $29.95
Picture Frames
There are a few people you’re going to miss from college that you may want a reminder of in your room: your parents, your sister, your brother, your dog, your best friend, your five other best friends, your cat, your cross country teammates, your friends from French club, your prom dates from the past two years… okay, maybe that’s more than just a few. Don’t leave anyone out; just buy a ton of picture frames instead. Problem solved!
Top row, from left: Glam Stickr Frame, Dormify, $24.95; Laurel Desk Frame, Dormify, $15; London Underground Photo Frame, Target, $9.99
Bottom row, from left: Linear Wood 10-pc. Frame Set, Target, $20.99; Resin Baroque Frame – Turquoise, Target, $12.99; Tangle Photo Frame, OCM, $29.95
[pagebreak]
Bookends
An unfortunate reality of college: Your professors are going to make you spend insane amounts of money on an insane amount of textbooks. An unfortunate reality of textbooks: They fall over easily when they’re upright on your shelves. So why not buy some bookends to keep your Chem 101 tomes nice and organized? And before you dismiss this idea as unimportant for your dorm room décor success, have you ever seen bookends that high five each other? What about ones that look like balloon animals? So. Cute.
Top row (from left): Peace Bookends, PBteen, $29; Balloon Animal Bookend, Fred Flare, $44
Bottom row (from left): Lookend Bookends, Dormify, $35; Bookend High 5; Dormify, $33
Storage
You’re going to need storage for all the stuff you’re going to bring to college. And by all the stuff you’re going to bring to college, I mean all the jewelry you’re going to bring to college. Take our suggestions and stock up on jewelry holders that are perhaps as cute as your jewelry itself. If your parents raise their eyebrows at the necessity of these definitely necessary jewelry holders, remind them that the adorable starfish hooks from PBteen could also double as towel holders. See? Totally useful.
Top row, from left: Twigsy Jewelry Holder, Dormify, $15; Wire Starfish Hook, PBteen, $15
Bottom row, from left: Birdseye 10 Hook, Dormify, $25; Kalyana Jewelry Holder, Fred Flare, $64; Little Black Dress Hanging Jewelry Organizer, OCM, $19.99
Window Curtains
Disney princess fantasies about waking up to the sunrise as birds chirp outside your window don’t seem quite as enjoyable when you were up till 3 a.m. studying or dancing your butt off at that crazy frat party the night before. Save yourself from unwanted early wakeups via the enormously bright sun by buying some window curtains. Plus, they’re pretty!
From left: Boho Boutique Mosaic Brocade Window Panel, Target, $24.99; Mudhut Medallion Window Panel, Target, $23.99; Boho Boutique Mosaic Fleur Window Panel, Target, $24.99; Xhilaration Chandelier Window Panel, Target, $17.99 – $19.99
Graphics by Allison Hojsak