Eight great dorm room decorating ideas

How exciting!  The time has come for you to move in to your own space even if it is an 8×10 dorm room that will be shared with one, two, maybe even three other girls.  The trick to dorm room decorating is to find storage in every little nook and cranny available and to use items that are multi-purpose.  And while you want the room to be pretty and reflect your personality, it must be functional first.  Here are eight easy ideas that may help when it comes time to create your own space.

1. Most dorms do not allow you to paint the walls.  Besides, how difficult would it be to get all you girls to decide on a color?  To hide those ugly dorm room walls (or at least your section) create a custom message board that is half cork to post notes  and pictures and half white board to write reminders etc.  In place of all those posters that serve no functional purpose, this can hang right above your bed.  Paint the molding a color that coordinates with your bedding and it will act as a headboard.
2. Under bed storage is a must; as are units with drawers and wheels.  Shops like The Container Store have items made specifically for a dorm room and there are cool colors and patterns available. 
3. Space bags make it possible to store out of season clothing and bedding in small spaces, allowing you to be comfortable all year long.
4. If you know your roommates, you can coordinate your bedding for a real pulled together look.  But chances are you will meet her on the first day of check-in.  Result—each girl will have different colors and patterns.  So choose what makes you happy and comfortable.  Buy the best sheets you can afford so insure a good night’s sleep because you are going to need it! 
5. To help ease the pangs of homesickness, be sure to have plenty of pictures of your family and friends around.  To save space, have these pictures transferred on to a lap quilt, pillow case, wall hanging or tote bag.
6. Even something as simple as clothes hangers can make a decorative statement.  For an uncluttered look, choose hangers in one color that, again, coordinates with your bedding.  For a wild and crazy look, buy hangers in all available colors for a rainbow effect.  You can assign a color to each type of clothing i.e. red for jeans, blue for blouses etc. 
7.  Hanging purses on the wall can act as a functional piece of artwork and add color and texture at the same time.
8. Most dorms provide each student with a small desk and chair.  Create a cute slipcover or seat cushion for your chair and turn that utilitarian piece of furniture into something pretty.

Moving into a dorm room is both exciting and scary.  Surrounding yourself with your favorite items and your favorite colors will make it possible to create a little home away from home

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Is it time to wake up your bedding?

 We spend one third of  each day in our bedroom sleeping  and that does not include the time spent in the room getting dressed, watching television or “whatever”.    Is your bedroom looking tired and dated?  If you are still using the matching duvet, bedskirt and two pillow sham combination (think bed in a bag) then it is probably time to make some changes.

New look on a budget

• Duvets, comforters, bedspreads and quilts are the “workhorse” of your bedding ensemble.   They provide the color and pattern and set the tone for the room.  Paint colors and accessories are often chosen from the bed covering.  You can purchase a ready made comforter or duvet or use your Grandmother’s handmade quilt for a country look, for example.  You can fashion your own “custom” duvet out of inexpensive material for the  backing and something as simple as a pretty sheet for the top or you can embellish the opening with buttons or ribbons to add some personality to a standard duvet.  Using your old comforter to stuff your duvet will save you even more $$.
• Bedskirts can be frilly and fluffy,very tailored with a box pleat at the corners or somewhere in between.  If your current bedskirt is a color you plan on using  in your room you can dress it up by adding layers of ribbon or gimp to the hem, sewing buttons to the top of pleats or add contrasting fabric to the inside of the pleat.  This will give you an expensive, custom look for very little money.
• Pillow shams are a decorative addition to your bedding ensemble.  They are available in standard and king sizes but you can be creative and use different sizes regardlessof the size of your bed.  Three standard shams on a king size bed offers a full and luxurious look while using a large king size sham on a twin or full size bed offers a nice streamlined look.  Plain shams can be embellished with embroidery, ribbon trim, coordinating ruffles etc.  Consider personalizing your shams with a monogram for an upscale and graphic look.
• Let’s not forget that a bed is meant for sleeping.  For the ultimate in luxury, purchase the highest thread count sheets you can afford.  You will appreciate it every night when you slip under soft, smooth sheets.

Budget is no object

Wouldn’t we all love to say this!  If budget is no object, having custom bedding made for you is the ultimate luxury.  Choose the highest thread count available to sleep like a king or queen.   Using exquisite fabrics and trims will add to the luxurious feel.  Since budget is not a concern you are free to use trendier colors and objects knowing that you can replace them when they are no longer in vogue.

If you can sew, all of these projects are easy and affordable.  Check out my fellow onlinefabricstore blogger Elizabeth’s posts from march 3, 5, and 7th.  Her sewing tips can help you create your own custom bedding and she is available to answer your questions should you run into any problems.  Sweet dreams!

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Duvet Covers (part I)

Duvet covers are a neat, convenient way to change the look of your bed. What is a duvet cover, you might ask? A duvet cover is sort of like a large pillow case to protect your comforter from dirt and to change its look. Duvet covers can be expensive to buy, but they are easy to make in exactly the print and color you would like.

Because fabric generally does not come in the width needed to cover a bed, duvets are made in three separate pieces in front and three in the back, in order to avoid a middle seam. So, you will be cutting a total of six pieces. The middle piece is always a finished 40 inches wide (41 inches cut), no matter what your bed size. Remember to add an inch when cutting the pieces, because your seam allowances will be ½ inch.

The diagram shows you the finished measurements for a duvet to fit an average queen size comforter. To cover a twin size comforter your side pieces would be 11 ½ inches, finished (12 ½” cut); a full/double size has 19 inch wide finished sides (20” cut) and king size duvet has 31 inch wide finished sides (32” cut). The pieces to make a twin duvet will be 90 inches long; all the other sizes should be 95 inches in length.

Jean and Valori Wells, authors of Oh Sew Easy: Duvet Covers and Curtains suggest using different fabrics for the pieces to create a custom look. They also suggest doing the front and the back in different color schemes; that way you can reverse them for a different look. Their book is available at Amazon and at C & T Publishing http://www.ctpub.com/productdetails.cfm?SKU=10464. I recommend this book if you are ready to really get into making duvets or curtains; it is illustrated with clear photos and diagrams that show you exactly how to make stylish finished duvets and gives much more detailed information than I can offer here. In my next post, I’ll give instructions for estimating the yardage for your basic duvet.

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