Last week, Housing and Residence Life revealed their room design contest, which will be running for the next few weeks. Students can email photos of their decorated room to housing@pepperdine.edu and if chosen as the winner of their categtory ( single rooms, doubles, and apartments) each resident will win a $50 gift certificate. Keep in mind though, the last day to submit a photo is Nov. 5 by 5 p.m. If you are planning to enter the contest, or want to decorate your room just for fun, know that there is no reason to spend $500 on a designer pillow set or $700 on a chic comforter set. These few tips will enable you to emulate HGTV designers without breaking the bank.
Tip # 1:
Never underestimate what can be done with what you already have:
Remember that awful sweater you got five years ago for Christmas from distant relatives you haven’t seen since, or that decade old boy band poster hiding in your garage. You can transform this seemingly useless material to make something extraordinary. Take that old sweater, cut up the fabric into the letters of your name or a welcome sign to hang above your door. Find that old boy band poster (which can be used as is, if you really wanted to) and make a collage over it to tape on your wall.
Tip #2:
When shopping, always bring a sensible buddy.
Even though you may want that $100 lampshade now, you might regret it later. This is why it’s important to bring a sensible friend who knows the style you are going for and knows your budget. While you are piling unnecessary and useless items into your shopping cart, your friend can be there to sift through what you really need and what you don’t.
Tip #3:
Get creative.
You don’t necessarily have to go to the obvious decor stores to get the look you want. Craft stores like Michaels will have an array of fabrics, paints and decorations that simply need a creative spin to transform into a fashionable picture frame or bed skirt. Thrift stores might also have a variety of tokens that could be useful when adding some flair to your room.
Tip #4:
Guys, you can get creative too.
While some might say interior design needs a feminine hand, guys can get just as intricate in their room designs. Don’t be afraid to set a color pattern throughout your room or put up some sort of decoration that represents you.
Tip #5:
Garage-sale hunt!
Yes, garage sales are goldmines for a variety of designing material. From antique mirrors to stylish frames and wall hangings, it is hard to walk away from a garage sale without something incredible. However, keep in mind that you should scope out locations ahead of time and understand that some days might be better than others.
There are so many other tips we could give you, but the biggest would be to have your room reflect who are you, even if that means using mismatching colors, putting corny posters on your wall or even making a collage of childhood memories. When it all comes down to it, you have to live there. If you come home every day and are unhappy to be in your room, there is a problem. So take a few minutes out of your day to spice up your living area.
And who knows? If you enter it into the HRL designing contest, you could win a $50 gift certificate. To learn more about HRL check out their Facebook page at facebook.com/pepperdinehrl.
