17 Stylish and Space-Saving Dorm Room Ideas (2024)

A movie poster, a collegiate pendant, a psychedelic tapestry haphazardly hung with thumbtacks—at one time these items constituted the full extent of dorm room ideas for students across America. But these days, many college kids have upgraded their approach, swapping in custom pieces in place of standard-issue furniture, investing in high-quality quilts rather than average bed-in-a-bag sheets, and even hiring professional interior designers. “Last year, we did 10 dorms in one day—it was a marathon,” says Dawn Thomas, the principal designer at After Five Designs in Jackson, Mississippi. Thomas and her team have decked out dorms from Tennessee to Southern California.

Whether they’re leaning on the pros or sourcing dorm room ideas from dorm-centric online shops—like Dormify and Room 422—college students are paying extra attention to dorm room design. That’s why we’ve reached out to the experts to get the scoop on dorm room decorating ideas, which Frances Lacefield Hovis, founder of Room 422, says really boils down to three principals. “The key is to create a space that reflects your style, is functional, and makes you feel comfortable during your time in the dorm.”

Architecture + Design

Layering, texture, and shape bring one family’s weekend retreat to life

Clever

You’ll love these contemporary styles and budget-friendly price points

Clever

Cheers to this top-shelf storage solution 🥂

interiors

We gave interior designers Joy Moyler, Darren Jett, and Noz Nozawa a photo of the same abandoned school bus—then asked each of them to transform the space, however they pleased with no restrictions. Three artists, one canvas, each bringing something different to the space. Which bus conversion has you considering the van life?Renders by Duke RendersWe Serve Busy Interior Designers With 100% Accurate Photo-Realistic 3D Renderings Of Their Creative Designs. We make you and your clients proud, confident and empowered at every step of the design process. Visit http://www.dukerenders.com/startPortfolio Pictures by:Lauren Andersen https://www.sencreativeco.com/Seth Caplan https://seth-caplan.com/Verasson Creative https://www.verasson.com/Christian Harder https://www.christianharderphoto.com/Ori Harpaz https://oriharpaz.com/\Christopher Stark https://www.christopherstark.com/Director: Hiatt WoodsDirector of Photography: Kevin DyniaEditor: Ron DouglasProducer: Joel David AhumadaLine Producer: Joe BuscemiAssociate Producer: Josh CroweProduction Manager: Melissa Heber Production Coordinator: Fernando Davilla Camera Operator: Jake RobbinsAudio Engineer: Michael GugginoProduction Assistant: Shahid Barraza; Pichteeda TaingPost Production Supervisor: Andrew MontaguePost Production Coordinator: Holly FrewSupervising Editor: Christina MankellowAssistant Editor: Andy Morell