By Emma Weidmann | Arts and Life Editor
Living in a residence hall or apartment can make it hard to decorate. There’s minimal space, and you probably bought everything from Target — which makes it easy to coordinate colors but difficult to create a space that doesn’t look like “dorm central” threw up all over it.
Here are some of the best and worst design choices we make in college. If you find yourself guilty of some of these, it’s OK. We all make mistakes sometimes.
First, we have maybe the worst offender of all: navy blue sheets. Navy blue sheets aren’t so bad on their own, but it’s really the Megan Fox poster covering up the hole a gym bro punched in the wall that makes it a crime against interior design. Here’s an easy fix: Find a different color of sheets. Better yet, go ahead and buy a second set of sheets altogether. Navy blue and white stripes are a good middle ground — still simple, but just a step above.
Speaking of simple yet a step above, a nice area rug elevates your space faster than your grades dropped as a freshman. Make sure you choose the right size rug for your room so that it doesn’t disappear under the lofted bed you’ve fallen out of a few times, but also doesn’t take up the entire floor.
Next, we have two that go together like ramen and your $2 plastic bowl: LED strip lights and fake vines. If you have these, I want to quickly remind you to check your email to see if your SHEIN order has shipped yet. If not, that’s OK. It just gives you more time to film another thirst trap for your TikTok while you wait.
Chances are, if you have fake vines hanging behind your bed collecting dust and critters, you might have a tapestry on your wall as well. I’m not judging — I think tapestries make a great backdrop for reading your horoscope and going online shopping for another evil eye necklace. But here is what is written in the stars for you, Leo: It’s time for better wall art.
Not to worry. You can up your wall art game at very little cost. Start by framing the posters that are already on your wall to add a put-together touch to the room. Stock up on Command strips and make sure you secure those posters to the wall really well, unless you want to find yourself being smacked in the face by a flying picture of Harry Styles at 2 a.m.
At the end of the day, decorating your space is all about making your dorm room or apartment your home away from home. Buy what you want, hang what you want, but whatever you do, remember to sweep your floors every once in a while.
