Looking for the best ways to upgrade your college dorm? Here are 25 genius dorm room ideas that will make your room feel like home!
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When you’re getting ready for dorm living, it can feel super overwhelming trying to keep figure everything out.
You need to figure out storage solutions, coordinate with your roommate, and decorate your walls and other spaces.
If you’re feeling stuck on what to do with your dorm room, we have you covered!
We’ve put together 25 genius ideas to transform a small dorm room into your personal haven – including trendy decor ideas, clever organization hacks, and creative layout ideas.
The Best Dorm Room Decor Ideas
1. Stick To a Color Scheme
If you want your dorm room to look cohesive, make sure you stick to a color scheme.
If you’re not sure where to start, we recommend picking a neutral base color and then one or two accent colors. For example, white with blue and peach accents.
This will save you time and money when dorm shopping because you’ll be less likely to pick out random items that don’t fit in with your decor.
Want to know which dorm color schemes are on-trend right now? We have a full post about the trendiest dorm room color schemes.
2. Coordinate With Your Roommate
One super helpful dorm decor tip is to coordinate your decor with your roommate. A well-coordinated room will look so much more cohesive and expensive.
Work with your roommate to see if there’s a common color, pattern, or decor style that you guys can decorate your dorm with.
Obviously this only works out if you guys have similar decor styles. If not, don’t try to force it. You don’t want to start off on the wrong foot with the person you’ll be living with all year.
[RELATED: 19 Dorm Items To Share With Your Roommate in College]
3. Add Your Own Lighting
Most dorm rooms only come with harsh overhead lighting. Bringing some of your own lighting can seriously transform your room.
String lights are a super affordable way to add some ambiance to your college dorm.
You can hang them on your walls, above your bed, around your windows, etc. And they can easily be hung with command hooks to avoid damaging your walls.
4. Install A Headboard
If you really want to elevate your dorm room decor, I highly recommend getting a headboard that’s specifically made for dorm rooms.
This comfy headboard was designed for college dorms. It attaches to your wall with command hooks so installation is super easy.
Plus it’s cushioned so it’s super comfy to sit up against while you’re watching TV or studying.
5. Decorate With Plants
Plants are seriously the best decor items. They help purify the air, make your dorm feel brighter, and have even been proven to be a mood-booster.
If you don’t have a natural green thumb, there are still plenty of low-maintenance plants out there that you can grow in your dorm.
We actually have a full post about the best plants for dorm rooms.
If you’re really doubting your gardening abilities, feel free to just add some fake plants. They still add a pop of color to your dorm room and don’t require any maintenance.
6. Hang Curtains
One easy way to make your dorm room feel more cozy is to hang some curtains.
A lot of people think it’s impossible to hang curtains without causing damage to your dorm walls, but there are actually a few genius methods for hanging curtains in a dorm room.
One of the easiest ways is to use these adhesive curtain rod hooks from the Command brand.
Add a skinny curtain rod and you’re good to go! This method is totally damage-free and dorm-friendly.
7. Create A Wall Collage
If you have a lot of wall space to decorate, you should definitely consider doing some kind of wall collage.
It’s a super cheap way to cover a lot of empty space at once. You could either print out your own sentimental pictures or buy a pre-made collage kit from Amazon.
Stick the individual pictures to your wall with double sided tape or removable poster putty. Such a cute and affordable dorm room idea!
8. Get a Long Bed Skirt
If you’re planning on using the space under your bed for storage, you may want to cover everything up with an extra long bed skirt.
Ruffled Microfiber Dorm Bed Skirt
$34.99
02/19/2024 01:17 pm GMT
These bed skirts are specifically made for raised dorm beds and they are perfect for keeping your storage items hidden.
Definitely one of the most underrated college dorm room ideas!
9. Add a Cute Area Rug
Nothing transforms a dorm room like a cute area rug. Plus, you never know what’s been on the carpets that come with dorm rooms.
I always like to cover up the gross dorm carpeting with a fluffy area rug. Just make sure you know the measurements of your dorm room so that you get the right size rug.
10. Hang Removable Wallpaper
Removable wallpaper is an amazing way to make your dorm room look totally unique. It’s one of our favorite cute dorm room ideas.
You can cover up those plain dorm walls and make your college dorm look way more expensive and custom.
Peel and stick wallpaper comes in so many different patterns and colors so you’ll definitely be able to find one that fits your decor style.
Genius Dorm Room Organization Ideas
11. Take Advantage Of Vertical Space
Maximizing vertical space can be the key to having enough storage space in your dorm room.
One genius way to do this is to add storage shelves above your dorm desk. You can buy hutches specifically made for dorm rooms on Amazon, and trust me, they’re well worth the investment.
Use this extra storage space for miscellaneous items like snacks, makeup, school supplies, tech stuff, etc.
12. Maximize Your Closet Space
Dorm room closets usually aren’t the biggest, so it’s important that you maximize the small space that you have to store your clothes.
Here are some of our top dorm room closet organization tips:
- Get some hanging shoe storage so that you don’t have to keep your shoes in a pile at the bottom of your closet.
- Hang an accessory organizer in your closet for small items like scrunchies, headbands, scarves, etc.
- Add in a few clear plastic storage drawers if your dorm doesn’t come with any kind of dresser unit.
- Use thin velvet hangers that take up less space than traditional hangers.
- Hanger expanders are a MUST for small college dorm room closets. They allow you to fit multiple clothing items on one hanger.
13. Utilize Space Under Your Bed
When you’re living in a tiny space like a dorm room, you need to maximize every single inch of it. The space under your bed is the perfect spot to add some storage shelves and bins.
Here are some storage solutions that would fit perfectly under a raised dorm bed:
Looking for more genius ways to utilize the space under your bed? We have a full post about the best under bed dorm storage solutions.
14. Get an Extra Tall Nightstand
If you’re going to be raising your dorm bed, you definitely need to get an extra tall nightstand.
Most regular nightstands are way too short for raised dorm beds but this one was made specifically for college dorms.
It also has built-in storage drawers so you have more places to stash your miscellaneous items!
15. Use a Bed Shelf
If you plan on lofting your bed all the way, even a tall nightstand probably won’t be enough.
For lofted beds, we always recommend these handy bedside shelves. You fasten them to the frame of your bed and you can use them to store your phone, water, glasses, etc. at night.
It’s one of the top dorm products that we recommend on this site!
16. Hang Dorm-Friendly Shelves
Did you notice that these hanging shelves are hung with command hooks? This is a totally genius way to hang shelves in your dorm room without causing any damage to the walls!
If you’re looking for another cute damage-free shelving solution, the Command brand also makes floating shelves that stick to your walls without causing any damage.
17. Get a Storage Ottoman
We LOVE multi-functional dorm room decor and the storage ottoman is one of our favorite products.
You can use the ottoman as a foot rest or as extra seating when friends come over. And the built-in storage space is perfect for extra blankets, shoes, school supplies, etc.
18. Organize Your Jewelry
Jewelry is one of the hardest things to find a place for in your dorm room. I highly recommend having a dedicated jewelry organizer so that you never lose anything.
I have this exact jewelry organizer and I absolutely love it! It has three levels for necklaces and bracelets and an attached tray for rings and earrings.
If you’re looking for a full length mirror with built in jewelry storage, this over-the-door jewelry cabinet is amazing. It’s one of our top recommended dorm room items.
19. Get This Genius Mini Fridge Caddy
Another favorite dorm room item is this mini fridge caddy.
It hangs over the top of your mini fridge and it has tons of pockets for storage. You can store your tableware, utensils, and snacks in the pockets.
We love that it has tons of storage but it takes up almost zero space in your dorm!
20. Use The Space Under Your Mini Fridge Too
While we’re on the topic of kitchen storage, this mini fridge cart is a seriously genius idea!
This organizer was made specifically for dorm mini fridges, so it’s the perfect place to store your kitchen items.
It adds a good amount of storage to your dorm room without taking up a ton of space. Plus the wheels make it easy to move your fridge around for cleaning!
College Dorm Layout Ideas
21. Push Your Desks Together
One of the best dorm layout ideas is to push your desks together against one wall. This will give you so much more space in the rest of your room.
You can also use the edges of your desk as shared storage space for things like decor or a printer.
Just make sure that both of you are comfortable sitting next to each other while you study. Some people definitely like their own space when they’re doing their homework!
22. Create a Kitchen Area
If you want your dorm room to feel organized and streamlined, it’s a good idea to make a dedicated kitchen area.
Set up your mini fridge, microwave, and storage items in one corner of your room so you can have everything in one place.
A tiered metal cart is the perfect storage solution for kitchen items in a dorm room. It gives you a ton of storage space without taking up too much room.
Also can we talk about how insanely cute this retro mini fridge is?? It comes in a bunch of different colors and would look so good with just about any decor style.
23. Create A Seating Area
This is definitely one of the most creative dorm room ideas.
The futon and coffee table create a makeshift living room area, which makes the dorm room feel so much bigger!
If you have enough space for it, you should definitely consider adding a seating area with a futon and a cute coffee table.
Your dorm room will be the go-to space for all of your friends to hang out in!
24. Put Your Desk at The End Of Your Bed
Another great dorm room layout is to put your desk at the end of your bed. It lets you keep your space separate from your roomie, and it helps hide the stuff under your bed.
It’s also the perfect place to put your TV if you want one by your bed.
25. Create A Hangout Space Under Your Bed
Lofting your bed is one of the best ways to create extra space in your dorm room.
I lofted my bed in my dorm room and I have zero regrets. I had enough room under there for my desk, a comfy chair, and some small storage shelves.
Get creative with your dorm room layout and make a little hangout area underneath your lofted bed.
There you have it – the absolute best dorm room ideas that you’ll want to copy. Hopefully this post gave you some good ideas for how to transform your college dorm.
Looking for more dorm inspiration?
- 23 Best Dorm Chairs for College Students
- 11 Cutest Dorm Room Wall Decor Ideas You’ll Want To Copy
