A lot of people ask me about how I decorate my dorm room. Since coming to Boston University, I have lived in six different rooms and decorated each one a little differently.
Granted that I've lived in the same home and had the same room my whole life back in Boise, coming to college was so exciting, because I got to go all out decorating my first dorm room. I am a big believer in your space reflecting your mindset. Surrounding yourself with things you love will ultimately reflect well on how you feel! I know that it might seem like I spend a lot of money on decorations, but the truth is that I actually recycle a lot of the same things from year to year. Additionally, I shop around for the best deals on decor! Stay tuned until (or skip to) the end for five tips on how you can get your dream look without breaking the bank!
First, let me walk you through all the places I've lived in at BU.
freshman year
My roommate freshman year was in a special program that required her to live in a specific building behind the business school. These particular dorm rooms had lofted beds, which I was a little discouraged about because that wasn't how I expected my freshman dorm to loo. However, I ultimately worked my way around it and still made my room look the way I wanted it to! I was actually really happy that I had a lofted bed this first year, because it really trained me to not do my homework in my bed and really kept it as a relaxing area just for sleep and rest.
One of my favorite pieces from this room are the globe string lights. I used them every single day and my roommate and I never actually used the overhead light because we didn't like the glow it gave off. These string lights lasted me the entire year with only a few bulbs burning out. I loved that they were much more classy and chic than the standard white Christmas lights everyone puts up. You can find them on Amazon here.
I was inspired by my friend from home who attended Baylor and what she did with her desktop by covering it with marble contact paper, so I did the same. This was the pre-Amazon days so I actually brought a roll (which I purchased at Lowe's back home) over with me in my suitcase! A lot of my decor pieces are from Marshalls, such as the bedding. During move-in weekend, we attempted to rent a car to go to stores and pick up my dorm necessities but quickly realized what a nightmare parking in Boston was. I actually had to run into Marshalls on my own quickly to pick up most things. I had always loved the Kate Spade brand so was so happy to find the blue patterned comforter! I jazzed up my desk chair with a faux fur rug from Five Below (no longer available, otherwise I would link) and a pillow.
freshman year summer
I spent my first college summer in Boston because I was hired as an orientation leader! I was ecstatic because I got to live in my first apartment. While I was excited to finally be able to cook, I was even more excited to decorate. My living arrangements that summer were tossed around a little bit, so I didn't get to fully decorate the living room to my liking, but I did enjoy getting to start fresh with a different bedroom and layout.
The way that my bed was set in this apartment didn't really give me an adequate surface to put my phone on to charge at night, so the utility cart I had previously used as a coffee cart really helped here as a nightstand of sorts. I jazzed it up by covering the shelves with leftover marble contact paper.
sophomore year
During my second year, I moved into a newly renovated building (and finally got AC, thank god) with suite-style rooms. I was still living in a double, but I was super excited to have my own bathroom! We shared a microfridge amongst the four of us, so there was a ton of space in my room. My roommate and I added a clothing rack! This room was really the start of me taking decorating pretty seriously. It was this room that ended up getting me featured on BU Today, my school's online news site. I was so embarrassed when people kept telling me that they recognized me because I don't like an overly excessive amount of attention.
I definitely planned out how I would decorate this space more before moving in and coordinated with my roommate. I actually inspired her and one of my other suitemates to also use marble contact paper–success! I took way more pictures in this space, so I have so much more to share!
One of the game changers was the brick wallpaper, it completely changed the way the room looked. Because my roommate wanted the side of our room with more wall space above the bed (I didn't mind at all, I wanted more window and I also loved the AC unit because it had a notch on the back that was perfect for hanging my pendant light), I couldn't do too much with the small bit of wall behind my bed.
There were a lot of small adjustments made throughout the school year, of course. Some of my favorite parts of this room were the big gray rug we had, which was great to sink our toes into when we jumped out of bed, and also helped separate the sleeping area from our desks. My mom was scared that the bed was too tall for me so she insisted that I get something to help me step up– I actually ended up loving the fuzzy white stool I chose. The marble comforter was a purchase from Primark over the summer, and the clothing rack ended up being more of a coat rack as the year progressed on. I loved the layout in this room because there was a little nook by the door perfectly sized for my closet, so it was out of sight and kept the room really open and spacious.
I also loved decorating for the holidays–I had my mom ship the red throw blanket from home and I had the pillow covers from the previous year. The tree was decor from my common room freshman year and added the perfect festive touch.
sophomore year summer
I was lucky enough to get to spend a second summer in Boston, this time working for the rental office, which leases properties to graduate students, faculty, and staff. I loved the previous building I lived in so much that I actually requested to live in the same building, and got placed in but on a higher floor. The apartment is technically a two bedroom but we converted the living room into a third bedroom. However, I didn't have a door and the living room was also a part of my bedroom. I didn't mind this much because I actually love to spend time on the couch, and I also had more room so I could add in a portable AC unit.
In this apartment, I experimented with a different pattern of contact paper and began investing in coffee table books. I absolutely loved this apartment despite not having my own bedroom door.
junior year first semester
I was ecstatic to decorate my junior year apartment because I had gotten a spot in one of the most coveted buildings on campus, Student Village 1 (Stuvi1), a high-rise off the MassPike with panoramic views of the Charles River and the city of Boston. My apartment was in the east tower, facing the city, and on the eleventh floor, not too high where the elevator ride was annoying, but high enough to have a good view. We had a corner apartment too, which meant that we had more room than most people did. Two of my roommates had actually lived in this same apartment the year prior, so I got to take a look before I moved in. I optimized the layout of the living room and dining area by rearranging the furniture around.
I also got very lucky with my room, as it was the only one that had two windows–a big one that faced Comm Ave and a smaller square window with the city view. Although the room was tiny, I loved having my own little space and getting to see the sunrise every day. I recycled the brick wallpaper because I still had so much left from the previous year, and added some small Command floating shelves that was a classier way to display mementos.
I loved the living room in this apartment because it was the perfect combo of classy decor with the college twist–we had the bar cart, a fun peach pinata from a PR package I had gotten that summer, and our favorite decor item, the "Please Leave by 9" banner we ordered off of Amazon.
And of course, I didn't waste any time, and put up Christmas decorations as early as November 3rd (oops!) Because I was in a full apartment now, I propped my little 4ft tall tree up on one of the ottomans we had and used an old tulle skirt I had from a Halloween costume as a tree skirt. I'd say it was the perfect finishing touch!
This past spring semester, I was supposed to be studying abroad in Shanghai, China, but of course COVID-19 happened. I had to come back to Boston and start the spring semester two weeks late. I was luckily still placed into the building I was living in before, but in a different apartment. Although I ended up not being there for long, I still wanted to make the space feel home-y.
junior year second semester
Because I was moving into an apartment where people had already lived for a year, I didn't put many of my decorations into the living room.
I had gotten rid of a ton of stuff when I was storing my things for abroad, so I had to get a new duvet cover and ended up going with an all-grey satin one because I had an all-white satin at home. Definitely worth it, it makes going to bed feel so luxurious!
This was probably my favorite decor setup out of all of my rooms in college, because I really felt like I got to pull everything together in a way that I really loved. I had always wanted my room to be all neutral with pops of gold and color and I think this really did the trick. The map was so special because it was a souvenir from the Leventhal Map Center at the Boston Public Library, where my Boston Anthropology class took a field trip to this semester.
five tips for your next dorm/apartment/room
1. Know your floor plan and don't be afraid to rearrange furniture.
One of the biggest things I do before unpacking is think about optimizing space. I like to take a logical approach for example, with the dining area/living room. You want your dining table to be closest to the kitchen, because why would you want to walk across your entire living room to serve your food? Furniture can also be a great way to divide spaces up. In my junior year first semester living room, I turned the two armchairs to face away from the dining area so they served as a divider that separated the living room from the dining area, even though it was one big room. Another quick fix to make your space feel bigger too is to pull your furniture a few inches off the walls. You might think that you should push everything against the wall in small spaces to optimize space, but it will actually just make the room feel smaller. The happy spot is when it's just a few inches away from the wall giving the illusion that there is more space behind when there actually isn't!
2. Always go for plug-in lights, steer clear from battery-operated!
Since I love using alternative light sources to overhead lights, this is a huge tip from me. If you depend on battery operated lights, you'll be replacing the batteries non-stop, and the lights themselves will dim as the batteries die. Always go for plug-in lights, I cannot stress this enough!
3. Browse browse browse before you buy!
I have found some of the best deals on pieces just browsing online before going to a store. I know this is obvious but when I say browse I mean really browse. For example, my Hustle sign was pretty much meant to be. I had been wanting a neon sign and just browsed online, setting the results to price: low to high because I wasn't ready to spend $100 on a light for my dorm. I found my sign on Bed Bath and Beyond's website on sale for $24.99! Although it wasn't technically neon, rather LED tubes, it definitely still had the look I was going for. This piece has followed me for over a year now and is definitely something every person compliments when they see my room. FiveBelow has some great decor options that are super affordable, as well as Target's dollar section by the queue. Amazon has great deals with quick delivery, my hack is to always buy pillow covers and separate inserts to save money and so you can change our your covers often for seasons or holidays!
4. Get pieces similar to home to make your space feel like home.
The throw blanket from my freshman year bed was actually purchased because it looked so much like the throw blanket I have on my bed at home! If you have a few pieces you really love at home, buying similar pieces for your dorm can instantly make it feel more home-y even if you may be far from home.
5. Reuse pieces, but rearrange them!
After seeing all of my rooms, you can tell that I actually use a lot of the same things from year to year but move them around in completely different ways! That's one of the things I love so much about decorating–you can breathe new life into what you already have by just rearranging. When shopping for decor pieces, look for things that you really enjoy and could see yourself using for several years. Always opt for neutral colors, but a few pops of color here and there are fine, especially if it's your favorite color or matches some of the other things you already have.
Well that's it! Thanks so much for staying through to the end, I hope you learned at least one thing, even if it's small, from this. Have a great time decorating and please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions!