Cara Van Meter
Assistant Art Editor
Even on a campus with “dorms like palaces,” a dorm room can sometimes feel more like a jail cell than a home away from home. However, follow these five simple steps, and your cell-like room can become your very own “home, sweet home.” Or maybe I should say, “dorm, Sweet dorm!”
Step One: Think Outside the Box
The box to which I am referring in this instance is your dorm room. Find a way to turn this basic, boring box-shaped room into a nifty new space. View your dorm room from all angles. Scout out wasted space and brainstorm with your roomie a constructive way to use that space. Don’t be afraid to rearrange the furniture. Even if you don’t think it will fit the way you want it, try it. You may be pleasantly surprised. Or perhaps just seeing the furniture in a new place (even if it doesn’t fit) will provide you with inspiration for a better arrangement.
Step Two: Choose a color scheme
Whether or not you have any particular color preferences when it comes to décor, you should realize that a consistent color scheme will go a long way in organizing and extending your cramped space. Choose two or three main colors, and stick with only those for major items like
Even on a campus with “dorms like palaces,” a dorm room can sometimes feel more like a jail cell than a home away from home. However, follow these five simple steps, and your cell-like room can become your very own “home, sweet home.” Or maybe I should say, “dorm, Sweet dorm!”
The box to which I am referring in this instance is your dorm room. Find a way to turn this basic, boring box-shaped room into a nifty new space. View your dorm room from all angles. Scout out wasted space and brainstorm with your roomie a constructive way to use that space. Don’t be afraid to rearrange the furniture. Even if you don’t think it will fit the way you want it, try it. You may be pleasantly surprised. Or perhaps just seeing the furniture in a new place (even if it doesn’t fit) will provide you with inspiration for a better arrangement.
Whether or not you have any particular color preferences when it comes to décor, you should realize that a consistent color scheme will go a long way in organizing and extending your cramped space. Choose two or three main colors, and stick with only those for major items like comforters, curtains, chairs, rugs and lamps. Then add accents (like photo frames, throw pillows, etc.) in a variety of coordinating shades.
It’s fine to invest in some of the trendy dorm items offered in department stores and by collections like Todd Oldham’s Dorm Room, which has everything from lamp shades to bedspreads. However, don’t let these mass-produced items alone represent you. Supplement them with more unique pieces — like that funky clock you found at a garage sale a few years ago or a retro poster of your favorite band or celebrity. Don’t be afraid to mix and match patterns or styles. As long as they say something about you, they have at least one factor in common.
Include your own art. If you enjoy painting or drawing, frame a couple of your favorite works and display them in your own personal gallery (i.e. the wall above your bed or desk.
Although those dorm collections I mentioned in the previous step are very cute and lots of fun, they can also become rather pricey if you plan to buy everything in them. So, it is a good idea to shop around a little before finalizing all your purchases. Check out e-bay, Craig’s List, and other online classifieds to see what they have to offer.
Consider carefully which items are worth a splurge and which can be substituted by purchasing the plain, cheap version and a few craft supplies. For instance, you may decide that a particular polka-dotted desk organizer is just too perfect to pass up, but if you feel it is overpriced, try purchasing the inexpensive basic black desk organizer and using craft glue to cover it with polka-dotted fabric or scrapbook theme paper.
Put up pictures of your family and friends from home. It’s OK to display snapshots of your past. It does not mean that you are incapable of adjusting to a new setting. On the contrary, familiar photos and memorabilia will help ease the transition by extending your comfort zone into this new place.
Be sure to leave room on your cork board or wall for photos of the new friends you are making and the memories that you will collect as the year progresses, though.
The dorms at Pepperdine are comparatively larger than dorms at other schools, so there is plenty of room on the walls to display all the memories — new and old.
comforters, curtains, chairs, rugs and lamps. Then add accents (like photo frames, throw pillows, etc.) in a variety of coordinating shades.
Step Three Personalize your space
It’s fine to invest in some of the trendy dorm items offered in department stores and by collections like Todd Oldham’s Dorm Room, which has everything from lamp shades to bedspreads. However, don’t let these mass-produced items alone represent you. Supplement them with more unique pieces — like that funky clock you found at a garage sale a few years ago or a retro poster of your favorite band or celebrity. Don’t be afraid to mix and match patterns or styles. As long as they say something about you, they have at least one factor in common.
Include your own art. If you enjoy painting or drawing, frame a couple of your favorite works and display them in your own personal gallery (i.e. the wall above your bed or desk.
Step Four: Look for Bargains
Although those dorm collections I mentioned in the previous step are very cute and lots of fun, they can also become rather pricey if you plan to buy everything in them. So, it is a good idea to shop around a little before finalizing all your purchases. Check out e-bay, Craig’s List, and other online classifieds to see what they have to offer.
Consider carefully which items are worth a splurge and which can be substituted by purchasing the plain, cheap version and a few craft supplies. For instance, you may decide that a particular polka-dotted desk organizer is just too perfect to pass up, but if you feel it is overpriced, try purchasing the inexpensive basic black desk organizer and using craft glue to cover it with polka-dotted fabric or scrapbook theme paper.
Step Five: Tell a Story
Put up pictures of your family and friends from home. It’s OK to display snapshots of your past. It does not mean that you are incapable of adjusting to a new setting. On the contrary, familiar photos and memorabilia will help ease the transition by extending your comfort zone into this new place.
Be sure to leave room on your cork board or wall for photos of the new friends you are making and the memories that you will collect as the year progresses, though.
The dorms at Pepperdine are comparatively larger than dorms at other schools, so there is plenty of room on the walls to display all the memories — new and old.
09-07-2006
