2013 Dorm Decorating Ideas You’ll Love

Though two weeks into the semester we can’t stand the sight of our textbooks and hastily scribbled-upon notebooks, when the back-to-school banners are hoisted in stores, we can’t help but get a little giddy. There’s something kind of exhilarating about starting fresh, as if we subconsciously think that a new planner or really smooth-writing gel pens will make us an UNSTOPPABLE FORCE OF CAMPUS DOMINATION. And you know what? There’s nothing wrong with that.

In fact, now is the perfect time to capitalize on one of the most enjoyable aspects of back-to-campus shopping: Decking out that dorm room (or apartment). We have a few ideas for ya:

Ladylike: To avoid looking like you’re one bippity boppity boo away from living in the princess section of the Disney store, think in terms of contrasts: Not everything can be pink, fluffy, ruffled and lace-trimmed. Pepper in a few hard-lined, more modern items, like the woven storage ottoman, to balance things out.

• Arden Floral Duvet Set, $99; Dormify.com
• Everlasting Glow LED Candles, $16; Amazon (Most dorms don’t let you have actual candles, and the lighting can be pretty awful, but this trio does wonders for combating that sickly fluorescent glow.)
• Lauren Conrad Ella Bow Pillow, $24; Kohl’s
• 2014 Vintage Travel Calendar, $22; Anthropologie (Doubles as wall art!)
• Seville Rush Storage Ottoman, $41; Target (seating for guests, extra shoe/purse space for you!)

Globetrotter: You may not have the budget for a few cross-continental adventures, but that doesn’t mean your space can’t reflect those first-class dreams. Sticking with 3-4 key colors to repeat throughout the room will make your various souvenirs (and design influences) feel coordinated, not cluttered.

• Desert Passage Comforter Set (Twin XL), $61; Amazon
• Sugar Skull Reversible Pillow, $39; Dormify.com
• Vintage Camera Pencil Sharpener, $17; Amazon
• Watercolor World Map, $23; Society6 (18″x13″ size; multiple sizes available)
• Glass Hanging Terrarium with Air Plant, $14; Amazon
• Concealed Bookshelf, $10; Dormify (This can double as a nightstand, though be warned: You’ll have to make sure you can drill into your walls and you’ll have to cover up the holes when you move out.)

Classic (Yet Quirky): You can appreciate streamlined style, but you still have a sense of humor, and we appreciate that. A couple unexpected items — like the Sweet Brown-inspired wall print or the sculptural, high-fiving bookends — can break up the modern, hard-edged lines of a preppy room. Without ’em, a “classic” room can veer into showroom territory, where it has the bed-in-a-box look that screams, “I’m as interesting as a soggy bowl of bran flakes.” No bueno.

• Navy Striped Comforter (Twin), $15; Target
• High-Five Bookends, $33; Dormify.com
• Gray Bicycle Pillow, $39; Dormify.com
• “Ain’t Nobody Got Time for That” Print, $25; Society6 (13″x13″ size; other sizes available)
• Grass Electronics Charging Station, $24; Amazon

Craving more ideas? Check out our Top 5 Items to Have on Move-In Day and Collegiate Cook’s Guide to the Best Cookbooks for People Who Don’t Cook (Often)