The Art of the Dorm Rooms

Are eyes really windows to the soul, or is room decora better way to get to know someone’s personality?

On move-in day, when you unlock your door and look into your room, it can be quite underwhelming to see only wooden structures and a bare mattress.

Yet, while you might feel disappointed by its blandness, how often do you get a whole room totally to yourself that you can mold to your individual interests?

Whatever your style is, here are three simple tips if you’re having some decorating troubles, from two residential Deerfield artists.

First, choose your favorite color or combination of colors and center your room around that color scheme.

After choosing a color scheme, you can contrast it with complementary colors for some splashes of variance: for example, pairing green and pink, bright colors, with white, grey, or black, more neutral colors.

Add a fun pillow or patterned blanket to your bed. Maybe some LED lights that change colors. Or, if your taste is more chaotic, throw any colors you want in there!

It’s easy to find colorful decorations to accessorize your room. A quick skim through amazon.com will result in a myriad of options. Try a quick DIY on a lazy Saturday to add a pop of homemade pizzaz!

Find ways to fill up all the white space. Some ideas include hanging up a flag of your home country or a banner of your favorite sports team. String lights work great, too!

Maybe it’s a collage with pictures of friends and family or one scenic landscape from your favorite place. Collect souvenirs to remind you of your favorite aspects of each year.

What do you want to be reminded of every time you roll out of bed or in the moments before you drift off to sleep?

But, if you actually enjoy all the white space because it rids you of any distractions while studying, that’s okay, too! Whatever it is, make use of those Command Strips and hang things up on your wall.

People often underestimate the power of rearranging your room. While you might have gotten the smallest room on the hall, it might just need some reorganization to trick the eye.

Try raising your bed to use the space below you or moving a desk to a different corner of the room. If you have an afternoon free with a couple of friends, try reorganizing! It is amazing how a few changes can completely change your perception of the space around you.

There are so many other small decisions involved in room decor. Do you want your walls filled up with polaroids of friends or paintings of natural landscapes? Do you want a whiteboard to stay organized or posters of your favorite bands? Do you want a couch? A stash of food? And finally, do you want to keep your belongings neatly tucked away or sprawled around your room?

At the end of the day, how you choose to decorate is completely up to you; there’s no wrong way to do it.

But, just as the eyes are the windows to the soul, your dorm rooms are an expression of your character, your style, and your outlook on everyday life at Deerfield.

Consider your room as a piece of art; choose wisely with what you decide to do with it!