With the general housing lottery recently coming to a close, it’s likely gotten many of us daydreaming about decorating our next room, whether on or off campus, or even somewhere new. Summer is the ideal time for crafting DIY decor making a perfect collection of pieces, and this time around, I’ve made it my goal to be resourceful and create more myself. We’ve all seen the fabric pinboards, vintage tennis racquets, and felt pennants all over pinterest, and while I’ll always stay loyal to these foolproof items, I’ve compiled a few new ideas for easy and unique diy decor, using materials you likely already have at home.
Magazine collages
The first one I’ve been loving to see are magazine collages. Drawing a bit of inspiration from scrapbooking, any old magazines, newspapers or posters provide the perfect materials to cut, glue, and collage cool-girl prints for an empty wall. A cute gold frame is the cherry on top, and the collage in the video above is one I’ll definitely be taking inspiration from.
Painted or Decoupaged Wooden Letters
This ones a bit more of a classic, but I always love a painting project. The design opportunities are endless when it comes to painting your letter, with florals, polka dots, or stripes being my first thought. But if painting isn’t your thing, try decoupaging: find some printed tissue paper lying around, and use mod podge to glue it down to the letter, as seen in the tutorial linked above. Decoupaging is an easy process with an adorable result, and the perfect way to use up cute tissue paper from gifts over the years.
Hanging Shell & Driftwood Decor
For a more coastal vibe, driftwood and shells are ideal materials for some easy hanging decor. Use a hot glue gun or superglue to attach the shells and seaglass to thread, and follow by tying the shell strands up onto the driftwood, with an additional piece to hang it from. For another option involving driftwood, use pins nailed along the branch to create a simple necklace holder!
Shell Mosaic
If you have shells but no driftwood, another idea I’ve been loving is a sort of shell ‘mosaic’ on canvas–in this case, the easiest method is simply gluing your chosen shells or sea glass in a cute pattern onto the base canvas, as seen in the video above. Another option would be to use air dry clay as the base of your ‘mosaic,’ pushing the shells into the clay and creating a hole at the top to thread with string. Using the clay base is an equally cute method I saw on pinterest to fill up empty wall space that I’ll definitely be trying out this summer!
Paper or Fabric Garlands
This one’s an easy staple you’ve probably seen before: paper and fabric garlands. With scissors and string as well as cardstock or printer paper, you can easily craft an adorable garland as seen in the dorm above. These are a subtle detail in any corner of the room or across doorways for a warm welcome. Fabric garlands are another cute option, though they might require a bit more time to put together, either by stitching your string through each fabric shape, or following a more specific tutorial.
Beaded Embroidery
If you’re feeling extra committed, beaded embroidery is a super fun and unique way to bring shine and texture to your walls. If you have an old t-shirt lying around, cutting a small piece to bead and frame makes the cutest addition to any gallery wall, and designs can be as simple or intricate as you want.
Seeing so many projects on the horizon, I’m excited to get back in touch with my childhood this summer, with these easy ideas creating quite the throwback to preschool art & crafts. I never could have imagined that those moments and memories would eventually factor into my sophomore dorm room, but here we are!
If you want to explore dorm decor even further, make sure to take a look at upcycling everyday items, or take a moment to learn which plants are best suited for the dorm environment here.