Scarlett Gardiner poses in her dorm Aug. 12, 2024. Gardiner said the seashell rug gave a brighter feel to the room which distracted from the dark rug underneath. Photo courtesy of Scarlett Gardiner
From headboards to stylish rugs, dorm decor plays a key role in personalizing the first-year Pepperdine residence halls.
However, decorating can quickly become expensive, so that’s why it’s important to enhance the dorms with budget-friendly items that balance style and affordability.
“We wanted to combine the beautiful beach vibe of Pepperdine with our own personal style,” sophomore Scarlett Gardiner said.
What You’re Given
Pepperdine first-year residence halls are outfitted with minimal, neutral-toned furniture, providing a blank canvas for students to express their personal style.
An empty Pepperdine room in Lovernich Apartments. Although this is not a first-year dorm, the furniture and layout is similar to the first-year dorms, according to Pepperdine Housing. Photo courtesy of Pepperdine Community
The suite-style dorms typically feature double-occupancy bedrooms furnished with extra-long twin beds, dressers or drawers, desks with chairs and small bookcases or hutches. Each suite also includes a shared bathroom, according to Pepperdine Housing.
The simple setup provides opportunities for customization to reflect individual style.
Where to Buy New Furniture
Online retailers offer dorm-friendly products that are both affordable and practical.
DormCo.com features everything from desk hutches to bed skirts. The website also offers bundles starting at $198.24, which include essentials such as towels, blankets, mattress toppers, tools, silverware, toiletries and pillows, according to their website.
There are an array of stores in the Calabasas and Thousand Oaks area that students said they often to go for furnishing their first-year resident halls.
“Most of the items in our room were a combination of West Elm, Home Goods, Roller Rabbit, Pottery Barn, IKEA, World Market and of course Amazon,” Gardiner said.
Target, located at the Shoppes in Westlake Village, is also a spot that students said they utilize for affordable decoration.
“I would put Target storage cubes and bins under my bed,” junior Ava Walters said.
A Dream Room
Gardiner’s first-year Residence hall in Connor House on Aug. 12, 2024. Gardiner said she went shopping with her mom multiple times to pick out the perfect decor. Photo courtesy of Scarlett Gardiner
With careful planning, a Pinterest board overflowing with design inspiration and the guidance of her interior designer mother, Gardiner said she transformed her first-year dorm into a vibrant, cohesive space.
“My mom really made [my] perfect dorm room come true,” Gardiner said.
Gardiner said some of her favorite dorm room decor consisted of seahorse rattan lamps, the rug adorned with seashells and fish she hung from her door.
Gardiner’s dorm even went viral on TikTok, racking over 466,000 views and 19,000 likes.
Junior Tate Lauby said he also fully embraced decorating his first-year dorm.
“My inspiration for my dorm, I used a lot of Moroccan style accents,” Lauby said. “I had a Moroccan rug and I had these woven hanging plants.”
Lauby said he also incorporated a circular table with a terrarium filled with rocks and greenery.
A More Personalized Option
For those looking for more personalized and vintage furniture, thrifting is a sustainable way to design a dorm room.
Ava Walters poses in her first-year dorm room on Aug. 10, 2023. She said she thrifted majority of her wall art. Photo courtesy of Ava Walters
Walters said she approached decorating her first-year dorm room with dedication, frequently visiting local thrift stores in search of affordable, distinctive pieces to enhance her living space.
“I liked to buy ceramic containers for my toothbrush or pencils,” Walters said. “I like repurposing cool looking containers, like ceramic mugs and China dishes that I put jewelry in.”
Both Walters and Lauby said they faced challenges transporting some of their favorite decor from home to Malibu, which led them to explore Facebook Marketplace and other local secondhand shops.
“Honestly, I think Facebook marketplace is a great option because everyone is super active on there, like wanting to sell stuff and unique pieces too,” Lauby said.
Tate Lauby’s first-year dorm in August 2023. Lauby said he adorned the ceiling of his dorm in red and white tapestries to further customize the space.
Walters said she even “DIY-ed” some of her furniture, including her wall art.
“I found some National Geographic magazines, and tore out the pages in them and put them in frames for art,” Walters said.
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Contact Alexa McGlathery via email: alexa.mcglathery@pepperdine.edu
