This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Fairfield chapter.
Confined within the white walls of a dorm room, it’s easy to feel less than inspired by the dim, lackluster environment. Here are a few easy, inexpensive and super effective ways to escape the lull of being in an uninspiringly dark room.
- Decorate with light colors Although it may sound like a no brainer, one of the simplest ways to make your space feel brighter and bigger is to avoid plastering your walls with dark hue. Instead of a heavy tapestry or wall of dark photos, choose something light and airy to open up your side of the space.
- Accent lighting While our rooms come equipped with overhead lighting and a couple of wall mirrors with lights, desk spaces and bedside tables beg for extra light sources. Consider investing in a couple of chic lamps to add both light and style to your dorm.
- De-clutter Excess things hanging around on your desk or dresser can cause your room to look and feel even smaller and darker. By keeping surfaces tidy, your room will certainly feel more open and airy.
- String lights In addition to lamps, adding string lights along the perimeter of your room draws the eye upward and outward, instantly opening up the room. My roommate and I hung lights in a zig zag across our ceiling for Christmas and loved how they added the perfect soft light so much that we still have them up!
- Take advantage of natural light For exactly $0 and little to no effort, you can instantly brighten up your room simply by taking advantage of a sunny day. Although it’s tempting to keep your shades closed all day, I’d totally recommend keeping them open during the day for instant brightness that will heighten your mood, too. Plus, natural light is the best selfie lighting!