It’s that time of year when millions of kids across the globe prepare to leave home and begin their first experience of living away from their families. College. Not everyone goes, not everyone goes away for it, but if you do, you may be moving into a dormitory. This bizarre space where we charge young people lots of money to live with other young people in a place that is owned and operated by the school. Oftentimes there is a short window of time to move in, and at the end of the school year, you have an equally short period to move out. No storage, no carryover, 10 - 12 months of living space and then “So long, Charlie”.
What people do with this short-term living space varies greatly from person to person. In preparation for moving to school, I gathered up my mom (or was it the other way around!?) and hit the Laura Ashley store running! It was another space to decorate! I couldn’t be expected to live, study and thrive for a full year in an ugly room, could I?
The pillow shams match the wallpaper! Everything coordinates with the curtains! My clock radio and bunny ear TV add the perfect touches! (Trust me, my style has evolved.)
Other members of the CWI team handled it differently. “The more I bring, the more I need to move out at the end of the year.” says one of my non-designers. “I just needed my desktop computer, a set of XL twin bedding and my telephone,” says another, further highlighting the massive change in technology in the last few decades. Some people thrive in a clear, uncluttered workspace. Less is better for focus on the work, which is arguably the true goal of attending university.
We polled moms about setting up the dorms of their college-bound kids. These were some of their responses:
- I am inclined to go all in but he has zero interest.
- Thinking of a combo of utility and cuteness. Our mindset on decorating is simple but stylish and comfortable. We aren’t the type to go all out like some of these people do.
- I want it to look like something out of a magazine…has to be super comfortable and feel like home!
Setting our kids up with what they need is only half of the equation. The OTHER half is how we as parents approach it.
The most zen of us thinks practically that if their kids have what they need to function, then mission accomplished. No distractions. I envy them.
The healthy, happy-medium moms balance wants with needs. Some fuss, but not too much. I envy them, too.
Then, there are the moms (you can’t see me but I just raised my hand) who think, irrationally, “How can I cram enough love for one year into a single room!?” or “My 18 year-old has wanted nothing to do with me for the last three years, but he/she wants to do this over the top thing with me now, so LET’S DO THIS!” Do we know that having a light up neon smiley face plugged into the wall isn’t required for academic success? Yes. But consider this: Price of light up neon smiley face? $29. Experience of bonding while planning this dorm room together? Priceless.
There are even services now, like this one at Dormify.com, that let you set up a full registry for dorm room supplies. Not a terrible idea for someone who is already facing the ever-rising cost of higher education!
My approach to designing a dorm room follows the same general process as a large scale design project. Discern intentions and aspirations for the space, and curate fixtures and finishes to reflect your goals. An example mood board looks something like this:
You then pick and choose what you like! Contact me to shop this mood!
For me, design is a love language. It’s about feeling comfortable in a new place and making that new place my own. That can translate to helping someone remodel their multi-thousand square foot empty house, or decorating a 200 square foot temporary dorm room. The intention is the same, put your personal stamp on it and it will be a place you love to live.
