19 Tips to Help Style Your Teen’s Dorm Room

It’s almost that time: College drop-off! We know your teens can’t wait to get to school and make their dorm rooms their own.

Liz Toombs, a certified interior decorator with PDR Interiors has worked on more than 100 sorority house interior projects across 25 states. Here, she shares her expert tips on the “must haves” for your child’s new home away from home.

Furniture and Storage

1. Every dorm room needs comfortable bedding, functional storage, and a few items that make it feel like home to you!

2. Use storage benches for seating and storage.

3. Get anything that can to go under the bed, such as plastic totes. Sometimes you can raise the bed up, and there are bed skirts that are made for beds on risers.

4. Any time you can have layers and stacks organized, do it.

5. Consider a stand-up desk topper to save space.

6. Think outside of the box with the furniture that’s provided by the university. For example, the hutch that often sits on top of built-in furniture can be used as an in-room vanity by adding a makeup mirror and storing makeup in drawers.

7. Make a small coffee station if there isn’t a kitchenette. Get a Keurig, use a tree for holding mugs, and store supplies in drawers. Or, create a coffee area by using a small console table (look for one at HomeGoods).

8. C tables are great for suite-style living. They are portable and allow people to sit in an upholstered chair to do work.

Bedding

9. The more pillows the better! They are an inexpensive way to dress up a room and show trendy colors or patterns like sequins, feathers, etc.

10. Quilts, coverlets and duvet covers are much easier to wash than a bulky comforter.

Rugs

11. I always recommend putting a rug down to style the space and make it feel like home. Nylon or wool rugs repel stains. Rugs made with outdoor performance fabrics work well in high-trafficked areas. Polypropylene is a solid and inexpensive option. If you have nice rugs, Scotchgard them.

Bathrooms

12. In small bathrooms shared between suites, consider bringing in inexpensive shelving units to hold towels, toilet paper, etc. They are easy to pop together. Get things off the floor is always a great way to keep them organized. In bigger bathrooms we like to use shelves, not cubbies.

Closets

13. Consider adding inexpensive shelving units or containers with fabric “drawers” or bins, or without the bins for shoe storage.

14. If the lighting isn’t effective, consider putting in LED motion-activated tape lights. They are easy to install and cost-effective.

Try on Some Trends

15. Put stuff on the walls. 3M brand adhesives or Velcro work well.

16. Artwork or personal pictures can be hung in a gallery; you can also hang wall-hanging tapestries and macrame.

17. Faux succulents don’t need any maintenance.

18. Metallics are great for accents or lamp finishes.

19. String lights or LED lights add a nice touch.

Liz Toombs is a certified interior decorator with the firm PDR Interiors. Liz’s niche is in the décor of sorority interiors as she has completed more than 100 projects across 25 states. She has also advised both individuals and university officials on dorm room setup and décor.  

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