If you’ve ever set foot in my dorm room, you may have been hit with the blunt reality that my roommate and I are very different individuals. On the left, you have my cacophony of 11+ posters spanning decades of pop culture and music—as well as my Oregon flag (Portland pride!)—and on your right, you have my roommate’s mellow display of orange and pink posters and pillows, all rooted in the warm aesthetic of sunny California. It’s simplistic and it’s nice. Mine is loud, harsh, scrambled, and collage-like. She has a white bedspread; mine is black. She has an organized shelving rack underneath her bed; I have two plastic bins.
I had to laugh when my friend came in for the first time and told me, “You could take a photo and put a sepia filter over your half of the room—people would think it was a ‘then-and-now’ picture comparison.” Sepia takes it a little too far back but hey, you get the point.
Now what this says to me, personally, is that I have too much time on my hands and that I spend it all in my room, hoarding old junk and slapping it onto the walls instead of organizing my life neatly and accordingly. But what I like about my side of the room is that it’s unique, it’s “cool,” it reflects my love for all things old and new-wave and funky and colorful and graphic; it shows the world what I love and what makes me comfortable. I would rather that than anything else. But how is it that I feel more comfortable in the style and culture of past decades than that of today? And more importantly, what do these room aesthetics say about us as individuals?
Firstly, I’d like to split the aesthetics up into sections and look at the broader picture of what we tend to see on the outside… and what that may say about the inside.
MOTHER NATURE
If you counted over three or four plants in your dorm room, this could be an indication as to who you are as a person. Really, just the plants? Botanical collections, including plants, posters, art, and tchotchkes, show a deep connection to the outside world, and are a reflection of your love for fresh air, ripe colors, and the beauty of nature. You may also just love the color green! You tend to be patient and kind, and have a very keen fashion sense that includes long skirts, corduroy jackets, big knit sweaters, cute tanks, big boots, piercings, and rows of jewelry. You could also be a lover of the spiritual side of nature. This could be crystals or tarot cards, or a love for astrology and astronomy (not in a “trendy” spirituality way or those ripped from other cultures).
VINTAGE AESTHETICS
For room decor, this usually entails the decades spanning the 60s-80s, and includes vintage posters, albums, rugs, lamps, bean bag chairs, vintage bedding, and colors that match your specific decade (for instance, warm colors like orange and brown for the 70s and bright colors such as hot pink, blue, and purple for the 80s). These aesthetics are somewhat rare, since a person has to be committed to their preferred decade, or at least committed to older things in general (could be a generational mix). Like me, you love and live in everything old, and build your life around the appreciation for older styles. You tend to be both outgoing and introverted, as you like to express yourself yet find comfort and solace in your alone time, which you like to spend in your room. You most likely own a record player, and find that the “oldies” are your favorite, even with headphones on. You’re not trying to be cool listening to it, you just like it. I think that along with the room, it’s a given that you also wear vintage clothing, and find more comfort in them than anything else. You’re a pretty stand-up person who loves humor and small groups with deep connections.
SOFT/PRETTY
This aesthetic carries a pretty hard split between two different factions—2000s/modern and more girly/bohemian. Both tend to revolve around the colors pink, gold, and occasionally purple. With 2000s/modern, we are dealing with someone who loves the stylish Paris Hilton era or the more modern twist that involves LED light stips, light-up makeup mirrors, vanities, poofy bedding, soft and fuzzy carpets, and everything you might find on the cool side of Tik Tok. With those who tend to be 2000s obsessed, you are very fashion-conscious and like to scout for those special thrift finds. Your world revolves around Bratz, Clueless, and Cruel Intentions, and you never leave the house without a cool pair of sunglasses or a swanky shoulder bag. Juicy Couture is also a big staple in your life, as are butterfly and flower motifs. Both people are very outgoing and fun, and tend to have a kick-ass sense of humor.
With the girly/bohemian, you are less worried about aesthetics and more about filling your life with the happiness around you, including photos of your friends and family and words of positivity on the items around your room (pillows, mugs, picture frames, etc.). You have amazing lighting in your room, which is usually very soft, warm, and inviting. You might have a tapestry or two and some hanging macrame plant holders. You also like the softer pastel colors. You aren’t afraid to be yourself, and are very outgoing around new people. You love making new friends and people around you instantly gravitate towards your positive energy.
THE MINIMALIST
I think that there are also two different forms of the minimalist aesthetic; there is 1) organized, aesthetically pleasing, and monochromatic, and 2) accidental minimalism, which results from your room just being used as a room and nothing else. The first is a purposeful lack of items, including posters, knickknacks, and other basic decorations that usually make the room a little more colorful and cluttered. Subtle colors such as gray, white, and light green/blue are used in the room instead, to make things look and feel clean and open. This aesthetic is an indication that you’re a person that enjoys the finer things; that enjoys simplicity and beauty, who may enjoy macha over straight coffee or strives to keep an organized schedule. In general, you are a very patient and kind person who appreciates spending time with other kind people. The second aesthetic is more or less accidental, and shows that you have too much time on your hands to worry about decorating. It also shows that you don’t spend much time in your room in general! You tend to be very carefree and are down for anything, and can vibe with anyone and everyone.
GRUNGE
I like to reserve this for the people who are somewhat all across the board. This is quite a spectrum and can range from softer grunge to gothic. The softer side also dips into the natural/botanical and soft/pretty aesthetics, where you can mix dark eyeliner and ripped fishnet stockings with flowers, string lights, fairy wings, prestigious yet niche literature and art, and designer sunglasses. The middle of the spectrum often revolves around 90s grunge (think Kat from 10 Things I Hate About You or Missy from Bring It On), where band posters, magazine collages, and flags aren’t uncommon on your four walls, and the far end is where the chunky boots, baggy pants, fishnets, loose black clothing, corsets, heavy eyeliner, and dyed wolf cuts and mullets come into play. These rooms are some of the most niche since there tends to be a mix of random art, posters, stickers, tchotchkes, lamps, and racks of clothing. On the outside, some of these things may seem “intimidating” but these people are honestly some of the most down-to-earth, and often very friendly and empathetic.
I think the big kicker here, though, is that you collect what you like to see and what you want to have, and as your collection grows, so does your aesthetic. In short, you are what you surround yourself with. As an introvert, I tend to reserve my energy for moments alone where I can truly be myself. Throughout high school, this was always the case. I’d run into my room after school and digress, but as a creative and expressive person, I had to decorate my comfort zone. For me, I’ve always loved everything vintage, including old movie posters and album covers, big bold graphics, and people and bands from the past. I channelled that love into the four walls around me.
It’s hard to truly define someone by their room, but everytime we walk into one, we instantly base the person’s character off of our own judgement. This judgement is also based on our lens of these aesthetics, which is actually rooted in our own. We may gravitate towards the people who share similarities—that’s basic psychology. So look around your room and think—what aesthetic am I giving off? Is it a mix of two? Three? Try walking around your dorm floor and peeking into rooms—what do you see? Does it tell you a little bit about what kind of person might live there?
Of course there are more room decor aesthetics than I have listed. In fact, there could be infinite. Your dorm is really what you make it out to be—I think the biggest challenge isn’t figuring out what to put up around you but how to share it with another person!