Add Life To Dorm Rooms
A lot of young people will soon be going off to college, where the first assignment will be fixing up their dorm rooms, which may need a lot of work!
Dorm rooms pose unique challenges — not only fitting in all of a student's belongings, but livening up a small space that really hasn't changed much over the years.
So, on The Early Show Tuesday, Thom Filicia (www.thomfilicia.com), host of "Dress My Nest" on The Style Channel, offered a short lesson on turning that little box into a stylish, yet functional home-away-from-home — jazzing it up, just in time for school.
Filicia is known for his ability to turn any room into something fabulous — and on a budget. He finds inspiration in lots of things we probably don't even think about. For instance, on his new show, he designs a room based on the homeowner's sense of taste as suggested by their closets: He feels a person's wardrobe speaks volumes about him or her, and his or her taste.
Filicia points out that dorm rooms function as an "every room": Students work, entertain, sleep and eat in them. So, he says, dorm rooms should be smart, vibrant, and super-functional.
FILICIA'S TIPS FOR EASY DORM LIVING:
Storage/Organization: Yes, there are some "luxe" dorms out there, but for the most part, dorm rooms haven't changed much in over 30 years. You can still expect your child to have limited space for all his or her things. So, learning to store things is key. Filicia showed what he believes are great storage pieces that can also be decorative:
Items:
Ottoman from Urban Outfitters $68 www.urbanoutfitters.com
Antelope Hook from Urban Outfitters $26
Kiwi 3-Compartment Hamper Tote from Container Store $39.99 www.containerstore.com
Green Caddy: from Container Store $7.99
Tips:
Always look for things that double in their use: Decorative antlers double as a hook to hang things on, and the ottoman provides seating and storage. The laundry tote has wide straps, so your child can easily take laundry to the Laundromat. It's also very big and bold, which Filicia loves. He also loves the shower caddy, which functions as a CD holder or notebook holder; it's chic, and transportable, too.
Bedding: Filicia doesn't love the all-in-one bedding sets that come with the comforter, mainly because he feels that, if your child wanted to change his or her décor, it would be hard, when all those pieces only match each other.
He also believes in buying relatively inexpensive sheet sets, and buying more than one or two, so that, if your child doesn't have time to do the wash, there's always a clean set of sheets. Filicia loves the white one from Karen Neuburger. The soft, durable and breathable sheets are made with bamboo, 100 percent cotton, and sateen blends.
He says you should have your child use a white comforter; it makes a good base. Duvet covers can be pricey, so why not use tapestery-inspired throws? They can be an easy, cheap way to bring color and pattern into a room. Plus, they're easy to change if they get stained, or if your child wants to change with the seasons.
Items:
Throws from Urban Outfitters.
White comforter from Company Store: www.companystore.com
Sheets by Karen Neuburger: www.karenneuburger.com
Rugs/Flooring: Most dorm floors are uninspired, to say the least. Filicia says you shouldn't buy just one, big throw rug — buy a few small ones; your child could then create "one" rug by mixing and matching. The ones he showed are very light, easy to transport and move about as you need.
Filicia also suggests buying large pillows, which not only transform a bed into a couch when needed, but provide nice, inexpensive extra seating.
Items:
Rugs from Urban Outfitters — $18 www.urbanoutfitters.com
Large Pillows from Urban Outfitters — each $20
Smaller Pillow covers from Karen Neuburger
Lighting: Dorm rooms don't have great light, but it's easy to add extra light. Filicia loves the idea that using a basic lamp enables your child to change the décor, using different lamp shades. He also loves the clip-on light, which really has a great "pharmacy" look, but is functional and comes in a beautiful color. Filicia adds that it's easy to create overhead light with a cord kit.
Items:
Cord kit: $10 from Urban Outfitters
Lamp shades from Urban Outfitters: $32
Clip-On Desk lamp from Pottery Barn Teen www.pbteen.com $35
Lamp Base from Urban Outfitters $19.99
Fridge: Instead of just buying an old one, remember that it, too, can function as a style element — a side table or a holding place for a lamp or alarm clock. The bright blue fridge Filicia featured on The Early Show is compact, perfect for a dorm room.
Item:
www.pbteen.com Decor: $199.99
Art: Cover up those ugly dorm room walls! Trouble is, in many places, your child can't leave holes or even place a nail into the wall. So, Filicia showed a few things he says are great ways to add décor.
Items:
Embroidered painting: $29.99 from Urban Outfitters; this is a look you could even make on your own. You take a favorite colored sheet — and stretch it over canvas.
Frame set: This kit comes with a variety of sized frames. They all match, however, so it's easy to create a "photo wall."
Also, Filicia likes a bright bulletin board made from recycled rubber. Why buy a boring, brown bulletin board? Your child's bulletin board could also serve as a decorative element. The one on The Early Show was from the Container Store, www.containerstore.com $19.99.
Misc:
Fan: a must. Your child can't always control the temperature in the small dorm room. A fan is great: It moves the air around, and this one is super sleek from Pottery Barn Teen. $79
Lap Desk: This is from Pottery Barn Teen as well, $129.99. It's great for holding pens and papers while studying.
Smart Technology: Enables your child to take homework anywhere, with this mobile workstation. The cushy beanbag base includes built-in 3-inch speakers and a sturdy surface with a convenient desktop cutout that enables your child to plug in his or her MP3 player. Requires four AA batteries (not included). 18 x 13.5 x 7" h.