9 Dorm Room Decorating Ideas to Go From Plain to Personal

While many dorm rooms are very plain looking when you first move in, there are plenty of ideas for decorating dorm rooms that can take your room from drab to fab in no time at all.

The key is in what you pack besides your computer, cell phone, and a backpack to carry your books. While some room makeovers require big investments, many small articles can significantly improve the dorm room where you'll be living.

If you know the color of the walls in your dorm room, you might attempt a minimalist dorm room by choosing a comforter, throw pillows, curtains, and other accessories in various shades of the same color.

The benefit of this is simplicity, as well as creating the illusion that the room is much bigger than it actually is!

A twist on the minimalist idea for decorating dorm rooms is to find a complementary piece such as this wall hanging in a complementary color to the purple walls. This adds a touch of contrast and pulls focus to a single decoration. Many dorm room walls are white; try a black and white wall hanging for maximal effect.

If you and your roommate have similar tastes, you can buy the same comforter for both beds and invest in furniture, lamps, or wall hangings that complement the matching bedspreads. While many dorm rooms look quite chaotic because the two halves of the room are completely different from each other, matching the two halves with something as simple as a comforter can increase the harmony of the room.

If it seems that you and your roommate are always in the room at the same times, or if you have several roommates, a room divider can be a nice way to decorate as well as to create some privacy. Large room dividers can also be used to separate your bed from the rest of the room if you prefer the feeling of having your own room.

A wall hanging like this beautiful tapestry is a great way to give your room lots of color and style without having to spend a lot of money. Other options in this vein are to create a photo collage for the wall or to hang up a few posters of your favorite musicians or movies.

Another way to enhance the dorm room without having to spend too much money is to choose colorful versions of the basics that you need to bring with you. You have to purchase a desk lamp anyway, so why not spend a little extra on one in a fun color than on a basic silver or white one? You might just be surprised how much a small detail like this can improve the look of your room.

Magnetic poetry on your fridge will not only brighten up the boring white door of your refrigerator, but it will also provide hours of entertainment for you and your friends. Go for a set of basic letters in bright colors or invest in a magnetic poetry kit from the bookstore; hours of fun await!

If you'd like your room to have a coordinated, put-together look, try to choose accessories of the same color, such as these girls have done with their curtains, chair, and a few smaller red accents. This can bring the room together even though there are actually only a few decorations in this room.

You can also find inspiration for decorating dorm rooms from teenage room design ideas. So get inspired and see what you can come up with!