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The transition from home life to college life is much easier when you have a cozy dorm room. In this post, we will teach you how to create your dream dorm room in a few steps and on a budget. Your dream dorm room awaits.
How To Make A Dorm Room Cozy/How To Make A Dorm Room Look Nice
How To Hang Curtains In A Dorm Room
How To Make A Dorm Room Cozy/How To Make A Dorm Room Look Nice
Curtains, a headboard, comfortable bedding, and a rug are a few of the key components that will transform your dorm room. See the next section where we break this down in further detail!
8 Cozy Dorm Room Ideas
1. Headboard
A headboard will completely elevate your dorm and make it feel cozy. You can either make a D-I-Y headboard or buy one. We have included our favorite dorm room headboards to shop below. The first headboard that we have selected was actually designed for college students specifically! There is no assembly required (no screws or hammers involved!!) and you can easily personalize it with cute details. The second headboard features a quilted design. It does require some assembly, but it should be pretty simple to figure out. If you would like to make your own D-I-Y version, check out this guide.
2. Cozy Bed/ Bedding
Having a bed that is as comfortable as your bed at home is a must. The mattress that your school provides may not be the best, so you should definetly bring a mattress topper. Shop mattress toppers for twin xl beds below. We also included our favorite sheets, comforter, throw, and pillows for dorms.
Shop Best Budget Mattress Topper – $29.99 on Amazon
Shop Tempur-Pedic Mattress Topper
Shop 100% Organic Casper Sleep Sheet Set
Shop Organic Lightweight Throw – $33.99 on Amazon
Shop Casper Sleep Pillow – $36 on Amazon
3. Curtains, Curtains, Curtains!
An elegant curtain will completely elevate your room.
How To Hang Curtains In A Dorm Room
Most universities do not allow any drilling in the dorms, so you will need to use temporary hooks and a rod to hold the curtains up over your windows. Here are a few easy instructions to follow to get the elegant look.
What You’ll Need:
- Pencil
- Tape measure or ruler
- Adhesive stripes
- Large hooks
- Lightweight curtains
- Long, thin rod
- Optional: Paintbrush + paint that is a close color match to your dorm’s walls
Step 1- Use a pencil to draw a faint line about 2 inches outside and 2-3 inches above the corner of each window. In the next step, you will use this line as a guide when installing your hooks. If you would prefer not to draw a line on your dorm’s wall, have a friend use their finger to draw an imaginary one.
Step 2- Place a temporary adhesive on each hook. Next, stick one large hook on each of the lines that you drew in the previous step. Be sure to press the hooks into the wall for at least 30 seconds each. You may need to place an additional hook in the middle of the two main hooks to support the rod. Optional: If you would like the hooks to blend in with the wall, you can paint them a similar color to your dorm’s walls beforehand.
Step 3- Put the curtains on a thin rod. Do so by threading the rod through the holes on the curtain.
Shop Elegant Sheer Curtain – $22.99 on Amazon
Shop Curtain Rod on Amazon – $12.99
Step 4– Place the rod horizontally over the two hooks.
Step 5– Enjoy your beautiful curtains!
4. Carpet Tiles + Rug
Many dorms have cold, glossy floors. Carpet tiles are a great solution in this case as they are easy to use and add a personalized and comfy touch to your dorm. They are also simple to install – just put them together like a puzzle on your dorm’s floor. We have included a great carpet tile that you can buy right from Amazon below. This specific tile comes in a carton of enough tile to cover a 96 sq ft space. For reference, the average dorm is around 228 sq ft. This means that you would need to buy 3 cartons if you are looking to cover the entirety of your dorm room in carpet tile (you may want to check the exact square footage of your dorm and discuss this with your roomie beforehand). A cute rug is also a great solution to cold, boring floors. We have included our favorites below.
This faux rug doubles as a desk seat cover! Shop here.
5. Elevated Desk Chair
Most colleges provide a desk and chair. Adding a cushion to your desk chair will make it comfy and cute!
6. Tea/ Coffee Station
A tea or coffee station is a nice addition to any dorm room. Just imagine waking up every morning to a warm drink from a perfectly organized tea station…#selfcareclub. All you need to set it up is a shelved cart, electric tea kettle or coffee maker, cute mugs, and any condiments that you enjoy. You may even have room on the bottom shelves for snack or utensil storage.
Recreate This Look:
Shop Tea Bag/ Condiments Organizer
Shop “Whatever, I’m Still Fabulous” Mug
7. Lighting + Lamps
Warm lighting will contribute to the coziness of your dorm room. The lamp that we have selected comes with a bulb and is a great basic to have on your desk or bedside table.
Shop Dimmable Lamp – $29.99 on Amazon
8. Faux Plants or Flowers
Our last tip is to add faux plants or flowers to your room. You could add a “potted” draping plant to your desk or a flower vase to your bedside table. We recommend that you choose one aesthetic (greenery or flowers) and stick with it.
Shop Cute Pot For Plants (3-Pack)
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