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5 Dorm Room Themes to Spice up Your Space

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at FSU chapter.

Whether you’re an incoming freshman or a current university student, decorating a dorm room or an apartment room can be a bit of a task! There are so many different options to choose from, and how will you know if it’ll all end up cohesive in the end?

In my time as a university student, I’ve come to realize that starting with one specific room theme saves me so much time and stress since I can narrow things down into what I truly like and want to buy. Here, I’ve compiled a list of some room themes you can start shopping for before the next school year!

Alternative

Get a little punky with an alternative room theme! Like the retro theme mentioned later, posters of music artists and vinyl records would work well with this aesthetic. However, I would go for more modern styles. Filling up your walls with decorations helps encapsulate this theme, and I would recommend even doing a wall collage.

Another unique decoration I’ve seen done is old license plates or street signs hung up on the walls. You can find these at local thrift stores, and they usually have a wide variety! Most colors work well with this theme, but I find that blacks and reds are usually a go-to.

Coquette

For the girly girls, this theme is for you. Recently, the coquette aesthetic has become very popular in fashion, but a lot of the trends can translate well to room décor. Stock up on pink posters, fairy lights, and ribbon, of course!

A floral comforter and matching sheets would be a nice touch, along with lace curtains for your window. Another cute decoration I’ve added to my space is a vase with plastic flowers since they’ll never dry out or make a mess. To create this, you can find a vintage vase from a thrift store and buy some pink plastic flowers or roses!

Granola

Transform your space into an enchanted garden with this granola theme! My vision for this theme includes plastic vines or leaves of course, but also maybe some fake plants (you could even get some real ones if you have a green thumb!).

If you’re looking to create a more bohemian vibe, consider adding a tapestry and some posters featuring astrology or plants. Soft fairy lights could also be a nice touch as well, especially if you loop them around the plastic vines. Anything green is perfect for this theme, but I would recommend a darker, more neutral shade so that everything balances out.

Retro

Time travel back to the ’70s or ’80s with a retro theme! This is the theme I’ve taken the most inspiration from for my space since the warm, bright retro colors are super comforting.

For this theme, I recommend investing in some posters of your favorite band, music artist, or movie. Bonus points if you can find one with vintage flair in its design. One big disco ball or mini disco ball is also a must, especially if you have some LED lights they can reflect from.

Old vinyl records on the walls are also a nice touch, especially if you want to paint and personalize them. Overall, search for cool and warm tones such as oranges and yellows mixed with blues and purples. They makes this theme pop!

Minimalistic

Sometimes less is more with this minimalistic theme! To create this, I would recommend finding a few posters that are cohesive that you can organize on your walls, along with some small succulent plants. A floor-length mirror would be a good touch since it’ll open your space a bit. Desk organizers and shelves would also be helpful because you’ll be able to store more of your stuff, so they won’t be as out in the open.

Cream colors and whites would be a good place to start with this theme since they’ll most likely match the walls of your space. In all, this theme is probably the most flexible out of all of them in its design since the color and layout are up to you in how much you want to buy!

Whether you want a soft coquette room or a punky alternative room, there’s a theme and aesthetic for everyone. You deserve to feel comfortable in your own space and express yourself however you choose. Coming back to a room you enjoy being in is super important at any point in your life, but especially in college!

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Holly is currently a Media/Communication Studies major at Florida State University, planning to minor in English. She enjoys making Spotify playlists, hanging out with friends, and writing!