Client:
Vignette Home Decor, Inc.
Batavia, IL
Contact:
Vignette Home Decor, Inc.
630-482-3000
Responsibilities:
Conceptualization to Execution
Originally Published:
August 2014 - Kane County Magazine
NO MORE DORM ROOM DRAB!
So it's August now, and many families have kids headed off to college. And after years of having their own rooms, decked out with all they need and the many comforts of home, they now land in a cramped, shared space, without personality, and likely with a stranger.
Let's face it, most dorm rooms start off looking like a prison cell.
But you can change all that, and without spending as much as tuition.
Here are some great tips for helping your college kid turn a drab dorm into a cool place to chill:
• Add bright colors, lots of washable textiles, and supply multiple sets of sheets. Kids who are away from home for the first time may not do laundry as often as Mom would hope.
• Consider fabrics in bold, busy patterns. College kids eat and drink wherever they want, often on their dorm room beds. The patterns will help to hide the spilled dinners and sodas. Purchase indoor outdoor rugs for durable and colorful floor coverings that can be cleaned with a hose.
• For the bare, often concrete block walls, consider peg board and magnetic boards for displaying class schedules, photos, etc. They are functional and can fill the empty space. Some come with cool frames and attractive designs as well.- If your teen is looking for more, try painting old white and cream sheets with stencils, to make great wall coverings.
• Dorm beds are typically just a metal bed frame with a mattress. To make the small and cold dorm room feel more like home, build a temporary headboard out of plywood and cover with fabric or paint.
• Like plants? Small succulents add additional life to the dorm room, and are easy to care for.
• Battery-powered Christmas lights can be strewn across the walls for dual uses; first, for lighting, and second, for hanging pictures, like picture wire. More ambient light can be easily and inexpensively added by decoupaging the insides of mason jars and adding battery candles for colorful twinkling light.
• The artistic evolution of duct tape has great applications in the dorm room. Use it to dress up pieces of furniture and turn something clunky and out-of-style into a fun and useful piece in the dorm.
• Spray paint is great, too. you can spray a piece of pegboard funky colors and use it to hold keys or jewelry. a cheap utensil tray can be a perfect solution to sort pens, pencils, rubber bands, and pushpins
Going away to school should be a fun an exciting time for your college student, and for you as well. With these ideas, you can add a touch of personality, and a little bit of home, to a great new experience!