As a newly minted sophomore, I am one of the lucky few who actually got their preferred housing assignment: an 8-man! And as the saying goes, “With great power comes great responsibility.” While I am thrilled to be living with my friends and to have a kitchenette and a common room, these come with some troubles. Namely, how do we decorate our common area? Luckily, I have some ideas to help you turn your common room from drab to fab.
Tapestries
These are great because they come in all sizes and patterns depending upon the amount of space you have. You can use a tapestry as a wall decoration to turn a blank white wall into a colorful photo backdrop or you can use it as a couch cover to spice up your seating area. You can even use it as a tablecloth or carpet if you’re really feeling decorative. Because there are so many patterns out there, you and your roommates can look around and find one(s) that you all like, and if necessary, take a vote like my roommates and I did. The great thing about tapestries too, is that you can find really inexpensive ones that are just as cute as the pricier options. Check out Amazon if you’re looking for a cheaper option or, if you want to support artists and are willing to shell out for a pricier tapestry, Society6 has some beautiful and unique ones.
Lights
I know I’m super thankful that BC has finally allowed us to have string lights up in the dorms this year because they improve the atmosphere of a room. My roommates and I recently bought some globe lights on Amazon that have eight different settings like alternating, flashing, and slow fade, which you can choose to fit your mood. Christmas lights, too, can add color to an otherwise drab room, especially if they’re rainbow lights. Another tip: try layering some of the lights over the tapestry for an artsy look.
TV Stand with Drawers
This is not something I would have thought to bring, but it is incredibly convenient for a living space with eight people. You can keep the remote(s) for the TV on top of the stand while putting snacks, books, games, cards, and other knick knacks in the drawers for a rainy day. It keeps everything nice and neat while also giving everyone more storage space.
Throw Pillows
Because the common rooms come with the same generic boring couches in every room, adding some decorative throw pillows can give your common area a distinctive look. Maybe you and your friends can even match it to your tapestry to tie everything in together. Besides the aesthetic aspect, you can use them for when you’re just lounging around on the couch. Resting your head on the armrest is not the most comfortable position for a lazy Sunday, so getting comfy pillows is a must.
Couch Covers
These are both cute and practical. As I previously mentioned, all common room couches are basically the same, so getting a couch cover allows you to determine the color you want the couch to be along with it looking nice. Not only that, but when (if) you decide to throw a party, the couch will inevitably be spilled and sweat on. If you have a couch cover, you can easily remove it the next day and throw it in the washing machine. See? Practical and cute.
No matter how you decide to decorate your common room, it’ll end up being a reflection of you and your roommates. Putting a little bit of each of you into the room will not only help solidify your rooming situation, but it’ll make everyone more comfortable and maybe even lead to some fantastic memories that you’ll never forget!
Sources:
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