Joshua's Top Picks for Dorm

Are you entering college this fall, or have children entering university or college, then first of all, congratulations! It is an exciting time to start planning a new life away from home.  That also means trying to make a home out of a utilitarian and typically drab dorm room.

Looking back to my college days, there were some things that I wish that I have considered before I moved into my dorm and lived with a roommate. My top recommendation, which I mentioned in other blogs, is to make design decisions and purchases that can transition with you during your life and can be reused.  This can ultimately save you money as you go from dorm to an apartment or home. I didn't do that myself in my college days and it could have saved me money. Let's avoid that mistake I made and let me help you to get your money's worth for the rest of your college years and possibly beyond.
 

Scandinavian style college dorm. Image created using AI via Imagine.

I created three style boards with clickable shopping lists of three top styles popular with young adults: Bohemian, Industrial Chic, and Modern Eclectic. Fortunately, these styles can also be budget-friendly. All of the designs include three different functional aspects of a dorm room such as a small living area, a bed, and a desk.

Before you or your children start to shop or decorate - please check with your particular college for dorm policies to find out what is allowed or not and make sure there is space for some of these pieces.

In general, most dorm beds are a bit bigger than standard twin size and called Twin XL so please double check the size before you go out and buy and bed sets. I personally have seen parents become upset when they showed up in the room to learn they purchased the wrong size bedding for their kid. That is something we don't want to deal with.

Bohemian

Bohemian style dorm mood board created by virtual designer, Joshua Jones

Bohemian(known as Boho) is known for being earthy, high spirit, calm, fun, and colorful. It lends itself to create a comfortable and relaxing environment; a great place for having friends over and a meditative space for studying. If your school allows, you could add plants to your dorm to improve the quality of life and indoor environment. I selected a fun color accent chair to add a personal touch to your dorm and then mixed with different colors, materials, and textures shown on the style board above. If you're not a fan of the pink- no worries, there are different color options from the vendor. This dorm should have fun bold or lighter colors wall arts to balance the dorm look but also get you inspired. This participlar style is known as being very affordable and something we can enjoy it for years. 

Shopping List

Industrial Chic

Industrial style dorm mood board created by virtual designer, Joshua Jones

Industrial Chic is perfect for anyone that doesn't want a lot of color and appreciates a more masculine tone. Industrial doesn't mean that everything must be either rustic or a metallic look. It can be cozy and homey too. I created this design to be simple but functional for your needs. I mixed the materials to work with this style but still create a comfortable environment just for you. It would be ok to add a couple more colors or plants to the design to match your personality since the current design palette is neutral and would work well with  most colors. An art gallery style wall would also look nice in this kind of space.

Shopping List

Modern Eclectic

Modern eclectic style dorm mood board created by virtual designer Joshua Jones

This particular style, modern eclectic is ideal for anyone that loves pieces from various different styles while still being cohesive. For instance, I love this emerald green chair so much, so you could have that chair and mix it with different patterns, materials, and colors to make it a unique space just for you. Life is short, let's make the dorm fun and stylish! That's why I selected that chair with the wall art set of Lunar prints plus faux cowhide rug to make a stylish statement for your dorm design. 

Shopping List

I hope you find these different dorm designs inspiring and get you excited about decorating your own dorm to make it a home just for you. I wish you the best of luck in your college career and future aspirations. 

Disclosure: Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links and by clicking on them incur no additional cost to you.  JJones Design Co. will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking on the link. Please understand that JJones Design Co. has experience with all of these vendors, and recommends them because they provide excellent customer service and quality products.  We do not base our designs off of vendors that provide affiliate link commissions.  Do not feel obligated to spend any money on these products unless you feel you need them or that they will help you achieve your goals for your design.