DIY dorm room decor ideas are on the project list for the pretty on a penny back to campus crowd.
Back to campus condos, townhouses, apartments, and sorority house rooms and the furniture pieces that fill them need decor love too, and decor and DIY design class is in session.
Dorm decor is a study in ever evolving styles and tastes.
Gone are the dorm days of cinder block bookcases and anything will do furnishings.
Thank goodness the old school school of thought has taken a page from the book of back to campus DIY dorm room decor ideas.
A simple DIY dorm room decor ideas equation guaranteed to result in a positive result goes like this:
Updates + Embellishments = Wow Factor
Worlds Away William Desk, White
Paint covers a multitude of mistakes, yesteryear funk and gunk, and pure ugly.
I love the look of the desk in the image above, but the price may induce sticker shock. Same goes for nightstands and chests.
What is a pretty on a penny dorm room decorista to do?
Appliques and decorative hardware go a long way in the fight against bland, and a can of gold spray paint or brass caster cups will color your world and furniture legs.
What You’ll Need:
- screwdriver
- decorative hardware
- tape measure or ruler
- rosette appliques- see directions below.
- adhesive caulk
- gold spray paint
- brass caster cup
It is highly recommended that you paint/finish our appliques before you install them.
Once installed, you can apply any necessary touch‐up paint/finish.
Clean installation surface and back of appliques of all dirt and dust with a clean cloth or sponge.
Make sure that the surface and the back of the applique are completely dry before attempting installation.
Measure and mark the location where the applique is going to be installed.
Lay the applique face down on a soft surface that will not scratch/dent the applique detail.
Apply a 1/2″ bead of adhesive caulk all the way around the back edge of the applique. When pressing the applique up against the surface, some adhesive caulk will seep out.
Smooth excess caulk around the applique with a finger or the putty
knife and apply extra caulk that is needed to fill in any
gaps.
Wipe off any excess adhesive caulk with a sponge or damp rag.
Moppe Mini Storage Chest
I love when my inbox brings emails of DIY dorm room decor ideas to my attention.
Brittni Mehlhoff of the blog Paper & Stitch brilliantly shows us how she transformed a Moppe Mini Storage Chest from Ikea into a stylish sight to behold.
Click the link above to visit her post where she shows and tells us how to achieve the look.
A vintage office chair found at your favorite thrift shop, yard sale or curbside boutique is a prime DIY project piece ready to dazzle.
Chic up the style by adding a faux fur seat cushion.
For the DIY dorm room decorista, a DIY chair cushion made of faux fur fabric in choice of color is another way to go.
Purchase an inexpensive chair pad and get to covering!
What You’ll Need:
- chair cushion
- scissors
- faux fur fabric
- permanent fabric adhesive
Using a tape measure, measure the length of the chair pad from top to bottom from each bottom edge.
Add 2-4 additional inches to the measurements allowing for the fold.
Most of the faux fur fabrics available at Fabric.com run 54-58 inches wide. Cut fabric to size.
My upholstering formula is not rocket science.
Place the fabric fur side down on a flat surface. Place the chair cushion on fabric.
Working with one-side-at-a-time, apply a line of fabric glue along the edge.
Gently fold the fabric up over side of chair cushion to desired tightness.
Fold corner (like wrapping a present) and continue with the one-side-at-a-time glue and fold technique.
Trim excess fabric from sides and corners and voilà!
Take your desk chair transformation a DIY step further with a can of spray paint.
Decorative details take an inexpensive nightstand to luxe heights.
A marble contact paper DIY project turns a plain piece of inexpensive furniture into a too cool for school marble top beauty.
Factory primed and ready for paint or faux finish molding rosettes make super chic decorative drawer front accents.
Lining the drawers with fabric or wallpaper lends a designer look.
Replace standard issue hardware with designer knobs and pulls and all that’s left to do is marvel at your marble top masterpiece.
Unfinished forms and letters are primed and ready for embellishing.
Faux flowers, stencils, glitter, glitter paper, rhinestones, feathers, decorative paper- personalize it to reflect your taste.
Peel and stick vinyl gold foil dots mirror the designer dot craze currently trending.
Decorative print or glitter paper bring the dorm room decor chic.
No longer available from West Elm doesn’t deter the DIY dorm room decor ideas decorista.
A styrofoam wreath and a hot glue gun takes DIY wall decor as far and as fabulous as the inspired imagination goes.
Iridescent coque feathers in fashion colors pops the DIY wreath project.
Dorm room decorating days are here again.
Take a course in smart, savvy and stylish back to campus DIY.