If you’re anything like me, your room in college is something of an all purpose space—somewhere to sleep, do homework, hang out with friends, and relax after a long day of school. So, I’ve always made it a priority to make my space very personal to me and add my own touches to make it as “home-y” as possible. From freshman year living in Monroe, to sophomore year living in Irby, to now, junior year living in a house off-campus, I’ve learned a lot along the way about working with less-than-beautiful spaces to turn them into somewhere that feels cozy, aesthetically pleasing, and most importantly, all yours!! Here are some of my ideas for easily transforming your room into a space that you love.
1. Acrylic Vases + Fake Plants
Flowers and plants are the perfect way to add some life/nature into your room, but most college students don’t have the time to maintain and replenish fresh flowers all the time. (If you do, more power to you!!) An easy fix is to buy some pretty fake flowers or plants, which you can find at Target or just about any home improvement store, or, my favorite place to order things, Amazon. I love fake tulips. I am obsessed with these brightly-colored acrylic flower vases in abstract/swirl shapes that are perfect to stick some fake flowers in and just adds a super cool element of design to your room. I also LOVE these clear acrylic vases that actually look like flowers—how cool and unique!! They come in a ton of different colors and combinations to choose from. A classic potted plant is also a super easy way to decorate and cover any eyesores in your room.
Source: Leti Home Decor, Florescence Store, Tumblr, Pigment
Shop here: Fake Tulips // Swirl Shape Vase // Acrylic Flower Vase // Potted ZZ Plant
2. Pretty Candles
Source: Not on the High Street, Love + Grey
These candles have completely taken over my Pinterest feed—and it makes sense. Not only are they adorable and make a great accessory to any room, but they double as great aromatherapy! You can find these bubble ones just about anywhere, but I linked a few cost-effective favorites. I also love the details on these shell candles—they add so much to a space. They come in a ton of colors and two different sizes!
Shop here: Bubble Candle // Shell Candle
3. Accent Throw Pillows
Source: Pinterest, Ellure, Alicia Tenise
Again, shells are so trendy right now, and how cute are these shell pillows!? I love their unique shape and how they break up a set of traditional pillows. You can shop them on Amazon in many different colors for only $10! I also love this knot pillow for its different shape and cozy feel, as well as its ability to go with any color scheme or vibe. Of course, I love a traditional throw pillow—these watercolor-style pillows are classy and adorable. I found similar ones on Society6 which, by the way, is a goldmine for any and all styles of accent pillows and room decor in general.
Shop here: Shell Pillows // Knot Pillow // Watercolor-Inspired Throw Pillows
4. Neon Signs
Source: Amazon
How fun are these colorful neon signs?! Perfect for a college dorm room or even a common area, these not only provide a little extra light at night but can also bring sometimes much-needed pops of color into your space. These playful signs are super inexpensive on Amazon Prime and make the perfect solution to filling empty walls.
Shop here: Cherry Neon Sign // Cocktail Glass Neon Sign
5. Art Prints/Gallery Wall
Making a gallery wall with art prints is one of my favorite ways to decorate a room. You can handpick each design to something personal to you—a color scheme you love, including emblems of the city you grew up in, or a town you visited, images of the beach, etc. My favorite place to look for art prints is Pinterest—mainly because you can find designs for free, and print them with your own printer. (Buy cardstock and load it into your printer for the best quality!) My favorite places to buy art prints include Etsy, Society 6, RedBubble, Postery, Fy!, and Cabin Journal. If you want to elevate your gallery wall even more, you can order a pack of frames to hang your prints in for a more polished look. I did this in my room with this pack of white frames from Amazon and I love the way it tied the whole thing together!
Source: Posterity, Redbubble, Society 6, Cabin Journal
Shop here: Matisse Art Print // Cancun Art Print // Groovy Art Print // Crayola Art Print (now sold out but this website has other great options)
Cover Graphic by Izzy Kallen
About Izzy Kallen
Izzy is a junior at Tulane majoring in English and Design, originally from Washington, DC! In addition to writing for the Crescent, she loves graphic design, baking, painting, and most of all, shopping (especially for a good sale!)
Izzy is a junior at Tulane majoring in English and Design, originally from Washington, DC! In addition to writing for the Crescent, she loves graphic design, baking, painting, and most of all, shopping (especially for a good sale!)
