Dorm Essentials: Decking Out the Dorm

Here are a few of our favourite picks to spruce up your college or university dorm.

If you’re one of the many students who attend a post-secondary school far away from your hometown, a college dorm is likely the only thing you’ll have to call home for the next while. Although traditional cement-clad, minimalist style dorms may seem cold and sterile, all it takes is a few comfortable essentials and a touch of decor to make your ‘home away from home’ feel liveable and cozy.

Add a touch of colour to enliven your dorm space and to foster creativity. Don’t forget to include a variety of textures which can be enjoyed  by both the sense of touch and sight. Soft edges and textured materials add a homey feel and look. Finish up with a few handy gadgets for drinks and snacks, and you’ve got yourself a dorm worth living in!

Here are a few of our favourite picks to spruce up your college or university dorm. 

1) The Versatile Futon

Not only can it go from sofa to mattress in a split second, a futon can add pattern, colour, and texture with the many choices available for futon covers. Lending to their appeal, futons come in many different sizes and frame options and are usually relatively easy to move around. Ikea may have the market cornered on dorm-friendly furniture, but many other retailers also cater to student needs.

2) The Bean Bag Chair

Everyone has their favourite chair. When space is tight, a bean bag chair can be as comfortable as a sofa. It also adds an informal touch that will keep your space feeling casual and young, the perfect antidote to a hard day in class!

3) The Area Rug

A great way to add a splash of colour and to bring a room together, an area rug can perform both aesthetically and functionally by creating a soft surface for sprawling out and cramming either your mind or stomach! A soft shag rug might be just the thing to bring a touch of retro to your dorm!

4) Coffee Culture

Whether you love coffee, lattes, or straight up espresso, splurge on a machine that can bring the comforts of home to your dorm. Add to this your favourite mug that reminds you of back home and voila, you’re there!

5) Light the Lamps

Nothing creates ambience like the right lighting. Home is as much about the atmosphere we create as it is about physical location. With soft lamplight to give a warm glow or bright and cheerful studio lighting, a dorm can be transformed into a space you’ll feel comfortable in. String lighting, disco balls, paper globes and lava lamps are guaranteed to spice up your dorm! And don’t forget a clip lamp for those late-night studying marathons.

6) Popcorn Party

Party or no party, popcorn makes a great snack, and a hot air popper allows you to use plain old popping corn and then add your own seasonings. It’s an economical treat that gives you a lot of bang for your buck.

The notion of home usually conjures up feelings of security and relaxation. It’s also a way to show off our unique personality through individual design preferences. You don’t have to leave all this behind when you go away to school. Even if you’re sharing a room, collaborate to make your dorm the next best thing to home by fixing it up to be cozy and liveable and to reflect who you really are.

Speaking of you, what are your favourite picks for dorm essentials? Share them with us and your fellow students so that the college dorm can be almost as good as home sweet home!