Decorating your university accommodation
Off to university in September? Congratulations! This is such an exciting time! However, it is totally normal to feel slightly daunted, especially if this is your first time not living at home. To combat these feelings of homesickness, it is really important to make sure your room feels homely and comforting.
When you first step into your uni room, it is likely to look pretty bleak and empty, with strict rules on what you can and can’t do to it. However, don’t be disheartened by this, it’s your chance to get creative and we have collated some ideas to help get you started! (Heads up, Command hooks are going to be your best friend)
1- Covering that ugly coloured wall
It is not uncommon for university accommodation to have one obnoxiously brightly coloured wall, or maybe just one large plain wall that you don’t know what to do with. Students’ go-to solutions tend to be large tapestries, fairy light curtains, and faux ivy garlands… which all look cute, but why not stand out with a flower wall! You can either attach your faux flower stems directly to the wall with Command strips, or use Command hooks attached to the ceiling with your stems tied intermittently along lengths of fishing wire. Tie these garlands to the hooks, and you have yourself a flower wall!
2- Hanging your own curtains
If your room has ugly blinds you want to cover up, then we have found a clever TikTok-hack to help! Source two Command Broom Grippers and apply these to the wall either side of the top of your window. Make sure you leave enough time for the adhesive to stick, and then you can pop a lightweight curtain pole into these broom holders. We would recommend using a lightweight curtain material (e.g. voiles) as these broom holders are unlikely to stay up under the weight of heavier curtains. This hack avoids having to drill any holes in the walls… which would definitely result in you losing your deposit!
3- Your bed
Your bed is probably going to be the main feature of your room, so it is important not to neglect this area. We’d recommend treating yourself to some cute bedding (ideally two sets, so you can always have one set on your bed, while the other is in the wash!) and some decorative cushions and/or a throw. On a practical note, investing in a mattress topper and some proper feather pillows, will guarantee a golden nights’ sleep ready to ace those exams… or nurse a hungover head.
A DIY bed canopy could also add a cosy elegant touch to your bed space. This site shows you a clever step-by-step tutorial on creating a no-drill bed canopy using Command Hooks attached to the ceiling, lightweight curtain poles, and light sheer curtains.
4- Your desk
You will most likely end up spending a lot of time working at your desk while at university so, make this a little less painful with a cute desk set-up. A good desk lamp is essential to prevent from straining your eyes during those late-night cramming sessions. Creating the right working ambience, is more than just great lighting… things have got to smell good too. Unfortunately, your accommodation probably won’t allow you to have candles, but you can easily swap these out for reed diffusers – a multi-scent pack is definitely the way to go, to keep things fresh by switching them up. Make sure your desk has ample desktop storage for all that new stationery, and grab yourself some faux plants or cacti to decorate. Your room might come with a pin board but if it doesn’t, we’d recommend getting one and plastering it with aesthetic images, photos, important work reminders, to-do lists, inspirational quotes, fresher's fliers etc. to keep you motivated and to prevent you from staring at a blank wall for hours on end…
5- Rugs
Unless your accommodation is brand new, your carpet might not be in the best condition… or, it might just not be to your liking. Covering it with a rug is a simple solution which also adds an extra layer of comfort. Make sure it still has it’s fire-retardant tag attached in-case your ‘fire warden’ comes knocking...
6- Lighting
Lastly, let’s talk about lighting. You may well just be supplied with one dull main light, hanging ominously from the centre of your room… not very conducive to creating a relaxing atmosphere. We’ve already mentioned how important it is to have a good desk light. It is also a good idea to bring one or two table lamps (perhaps most importantly, one for your bedside table) to use in the evenings to create a comforting glow. Avoid, avoid, avoid those fluorescent white LED bulbs… look for something with a warm glow, so things really feel warm and cosy on (especially on the long winter nights!). Other lighting options include fairy lights, galaxy projectors, and sunset projector lamps.
We hope you have found some inspiration in this post and we wish you the best of luck at University. If you do try any of these ideas, please tag us in your photos, we would love to see your creations!
Lanny x
FLOELLA Interiors
Instagram @floellainteriors