Posted on: August 21, 2009
Dorm Design
The dorm room is a space for self-expression that requires some creative finagling to get everything working to its full potential - but shopping to get it there is the first step
By Morgan McMillan
CTW Features
Image courtesy The Container Store
Shopping for college can be so much more stressful than it was for high school. Beyond backpacks, notebooks and pencils are small appliances, bedding and storage options. If your college student is living in a dorm, designers suggest some back-to-school shopping secrets to lessen the avoidable stress.
1. Durable Design
You're going to need boxes and storage options, and durability here is key. Rebecca Hubler, ASID member and designer for Annandale, Va.-based Designed Interiors, Inc., says, "Simple is best. I would be looking for durable pieces that are not fragile." While storage options need to be sturdy, college shopping shouldn't require breaking the bank. Patrick Baglino, Jr., ASID designer and founder of Washington, D.C.-based Patrick J. Baglino, Jr. Interior Design, suggests shopping at retailers like Target, which is, "great for employing outside designers able to offer good-looking, quality things but at an affordable price," he says.
2. Removable, Reusable
"It's important to find furnishings that can do double-duty when you're limited on space," Baglino says. Hubler says to search for items that are "able to be restored to life - they can be used later on when you're done," she says. "You have to be flexible and keep your expectations moderate. Even trunks make great coffee tables, and shower curtains are great window treatments."
3. Storing your Storage
When you move in, there are suitcases and boxes galore. But, when the decoration is complete, hiding them and getting cumbersome items off the floor is truly key. "Evaluate surroundings and space available," says Baglino. Handy bins have snaps, wheels and come in all different shapes and sizes, and plenty of them will fit under a bed.
4. Colorfully Coordinated
Their rooms may have been their safe-havens of self-expression back home for many years, but college is a whole different arena. Most college students will want their new rooms to show who they are - put the things they like on display. This means bedding, area rugs, posters and anything else that's colorful or decorative.
"Whimsical details are a great idea in any dorm room," says Baglino. "When looking for decoration, look at personality." File their style desires, he says. "It's a good way to gain ideas of what their aesthetic sensibilities are. They can tap into their style, which is a very comfortable thing and creates a productive environment where they can socialize."