Recently across YouTube, room makeover videos have been going viral and are completely taking over my recommended section. If you’re like me, having a cute and aesthetic place to spend most of your time during the pandemic is really important for your state of mind, so here I’m going to give you some basic tips to follow to make your room just as poppin’ as the lifestyle vloggers’.
- Pick a color scheme and stick to it
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For me, the most important thing when designing a room is having a cohesive color scheme. While many of us probably have rooms that are decorated with a random assortment of keepsakes that we have collected throughout our childhoods, if you want to up your game to having a more aesthetic bedroom, having a clear color scheme can really help. Personally for my dorm room, I have chosen a peach and light green color scheme, so everything I purchase essentially has to fit in with that. Of course not everyone has the feasibility to do this, but if you are in the circumstance of buying a lot of new items this isn’t as intimidating of a task as it may sound -just make sure not to pick overly obscure colors.
- Buy a New Comforter
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I’m sure many of us have had the same comforter since we were in middle school, but if you have the means, buying a new, more mature comforter that fits in with your color scheme can really refresh your surroundings and completely change up the look of your room, as the bed is typically the focal point. Since I recommend picking a comforter within your specific color story, it is probably best to use websites like Redbubble.com or Society6.com which give you a plethora of designs done by independent artists that allow for much more variety and specificity than any department store. Don’t worry; both of these websites have Twin XL sizing available for your dorm room.
- Photos, photos, and more photos!
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Physical photos are a bit of an antiquity nowadays, but personally I think they carry a lot more sentimentality to them than digital ones. I’m sure you have collected plenty of gorgeous photos of your friends and you throughout the years, and hanging them up on the wall is so much more fun than scrolling through your photos app. I know it’s really trendy now to have a Polaroid wall filled with fun memories, but let’s be real Polaroids are ridiculously expensive and our phones do the trick just as well. Using websites like Shutterfly.com allow you to upload your pictures from your phone and get them sent to your doorstep in physical form. A simple 4×6 printout costs 15 cents – so much better than Polaroids! I recommend hanging these on a bulletin board or on the wall with washi tape. It’s a great way to make your room personal to you during a time when everyone’s room are honestly all starting to look the same.
- Lighting is everything!
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Recently fairy lights have come under the spotlight for being one of the best ways to decorate your room and while I sigh at how common it has become, I have to admit that changing up the lighting can truly alter the vibe of a room. It’s very popular to have colored LED strip lights like these line the corners of your room, but personally I like to spice it up by using seasonal lights. I was able to find some fun pumpkin lights at my local grocery store for only a dollar, making me feel much less guilty about only using them for one month. I love the way the bulbs exude a dark orangey glow throughout my room and it’s a great way to enjoy the spooky season.
- Suspend Decor from the Ceiling
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Thankfully, I don’t think this trend has caught on too far yet, so I still feel original in including it in this article, but suspending objects from the ceiling is a lovely way to make your space look and feel more ethereal and beautiful. Personally, in my room I cut out stars using leftover cardstock paper from a school project, found some random string lying around the house and taped the stars on and then taped the strings to my ceiling. Fortunately the ceiling in my room is low enough for my 5-foot tall person to reach, making this project easily manageable. Of course, if stars aren’t your fancy any shape will do. If you’re feeling particularly artsy you can even suspend some origami, although I admit I am not skilled enough to take that on. Other possibilities could include dried flowers (I’d recommend trimming the stems), small photos, or pom-poms!
If you’ve been in the mood to re-do your room, hopefully this gave you some solid ideas on how to do a proper re-vamping. I tried to make most of these suggestions affordable for a student budget and I implore you to remember to check out thrift stores when searching for new décor – especially if you’re going for a vintage aesthetic. I have personally followed all five of these suggestions and I truly love the way my room looks now. Having everything be coordinated within a certain color story helps me feel organized and balanced. It’s insane how much our environment influences our state of mind, so if you’ve been finding yourself uninspired by your surroundings, hopefully these ideas can help you out at least a little bit.