Whether you’re attending college or university, you’re going to be spending about two thirds of your year in your own dorm room. You need a Dorm Room Design that is practical, cheap and expresses who you are!

It should be a place for you to relax, study, and entertain – just like your bedroom at home.

Of course, you have a much smaller space to work with, and a student’s budget, so the idea of decorating your dorm room may seem challenging – especially if you have a roommate.

Just remember to get together with your roommate before you move in and decide on a design style together.

You can design your dorm room with inexpensive, yet fun & funky pieces if you get creative and think outside the box!

The first piece to consider is your sleeping space – what kind of bed should you choose for your dorm room? If you like the idea of a couch by day and a bed by night, you can opt for a futon or a convertible bed.

The Elite Products – Mali-Flex Futon Frame and Mattress Set in Coal-Pewter futon comes with its own mattress and its arms fold out to transform from a loveseat to a bed. For something with a little more flair,

try the Lifestyle Solutions Fashion Hardwood Dio Convertible Futon in Java. The unique horizontal slats in the arms make the futon a cool focal point. A convertible bed is different from a futon simply because of its folding method – they normally have a click-clack function that moves them into a sleeping position.

The Lifestyle Solutions Casual Convertibles Capitola Sofa Bed has a neat modern shape and comes in three different colours.

You can also select the Homelegance Upholstered Convertible Sleeper Sofa Futon in Violet Red for a modern look in your dorm room.

Another sleeping space option is a funky loft bed. The Powell Monster Bedroom® Twin Study Loft Bunk Bed raises your bed up high and gives you space underneath for a desk or media center – it’s an awesome space saver!

Once you choose a piece for your dorm room to sleep on, you’ll need some dorm bedding that reflects your personal style.

If you’re going to have a futon in your room, you may want to consider a futon cover. They come in so many colours, patterns, and textures, so you won’t have a problem expressing your design style.

Try the SIS Covers Tiffany Futon Cover,

the Elite L.X.E. Coal & Royalty Slip Cover,

or the Lifestyle Solutions Navy Futon Cover to make a bold statement with your futon.

Another way to stand out is by using a fashionable duvet. The Daniadown Tokyo Duvet Cover

or the Nygård Home Ascot Duvet Cover are great options for giving a fun design aspect to your dorm room.

Decorate your sleeping space with a few throw pillows – it will keep things comfy and stylish at the same time.

The Mystic Valley Traders Cafe Aqua Boudoir Pillow,

Mystic Valley Traders Cafe Cherry Neckroll Pillow, or

Mystic Valley Traders Arboretum Sprout Bolster Pillow allow you to spruce up your dorm room on a budget.

Next, you’ll want to focus on storage space. Space is obviously tight in dorm rooms, so it’s essential for you to use every inch of room for your items.

Make use of your closet with the Organize It All Chrome Garment Rolling Rack Laundry Center – it can easily be rolled out of your closet at any time, and has three separate hampers for your laundry, so it will be easier to get your clothes cleaned.

You can also store the Organize It All Concord 3 Tier Storage Closet Organizer Cart in your closet and use the drawers for clothes, makeup, toiletries, or shoes. If you want to make use of your corner space,

the Organize It All Devant Three Tier Corner Closet Organizer in Silver fits there easily and is a great place for your books, movies, or CDs. Make use of your wall space

and install the Safco PanelMate® Wall Coat Rack Hook (Set of 6) – you can use it for jackets, scarves, or towels.

Your dorm room workspace is one of the most important features in your dorm room – you’re going to need a functional place to do homework and study for exams.

The Safco MÜV Extra Wide Workstation in Medium Oak has three racks for holding your laptop and any other study tools.

The Leda Student Desk with Student Chair in Medium cherry is even smaller and takes up less space.

Another option is the stylish Mylex Furniture Metal and Wood Student Desk.

You don’t want your office chair to take up a lot of precious space in your dorm room, so any armless options such as the Boss Office Products Adjustable Black Leather Deluxe Posture Chair,

Offices to Go Armless Task Chair, or the OFM Vinyl Computer Posture Task Chair will take up less room.

You’ll want to keep things organized in your workspace, so consider putting up a cork board or dry erase board.

The Spartak Cork Board

or the Safco Clear Acrylic Dry Erase Board (Set of 5) are handy for putting up notes, writing down your schedule, or displaying pictures or ticket stubs.

Finally, it’s time to decorate! Adding fun accessories to your dorm really sets it apart from the other rooms.

Throw down an accent rug like the Fun Rugs Supreme Collection Leopard Skin Rug,

put up a funky modern wall light Kenroy Home Burst Black Finish 1 Light Small Round Wall Lantern,

and hang up some patterned drapes Kathy Ireland Home by Thank You Baby The Sweetie Blue Dots Drapes.

Just because your living space is temporary doesn’t mean it has to be boring and generic!

Infuse your personality into your dorm room design, so when you invite your new friends over to hang out, they get to see the real you carried out in your room’s style.

Need help decorating your dorm room,  just send me your budget, dorm room dimensions and design style and lets see what we can come up with!

Nicolette Interior Design Diva

Decorating on the lower end of the price range can be a struggle but not with this interior design advice. When you have less cash to spend; it seems you get less décor selections.

Choose to decorate significant rooms that are the most important to you, and take it one project at a time – it’s the key to saving money. Interior decorating on a budget will be less of a struggle and, ultimately, rewarding!

Here is a list of interior design tips to decorate the different rooms in your house for less than $1000.00 per space:

1. Budget Living Room Interior Design Advice(total spent: $972.99)

A practical choice for living room seating is a convertible sofa bed sectional. It’s two pieces of furniture in one – a comfy couch and a guest sleeping spot.

Look for practical features, like inside storage and reclining abilities. Always see how many pieces you can get when buying a sofa – you’ll save time and money if it comes with at least two, like a chaise lounge or an ottoman.

If you’ve noticed a dent or stain in your hardwood flooring or carpet, you might be thinking about getting it replaced.

A cheaper option is to cover up the imperfection with a stylish rug or mat . It might seem odd to cover up carpet with a rug, but if the rug you select is a completely different texture than your carpet, it will balance out. Make sure the colour of the rug looks right with the carpet colour, or else it will appear out of harmony.

Looking for a coffee table? Just a normal table with no features isn’t the most practical choice.

If you’re low on storage, try finding a coffee table with built-in drawers or shelves . A table made of durable hardwood will last the longest, and finding a table in a solid colour or shade (like basic black) will never go out of style, so you won’t have to replace it for years to come.

An easy way to add some modern style to your living room is by adding a few chic photo frames (Zodax Modern Chic Faux Patent Leather 4 x 6 Photo Frame).

However, they don’t have to be limited to family photos only – get creative and frame old postcards, greeting cards, or handmade art. Place the frames on end tables, your fireplace mantle, or the TV stand.

2. Budget Dining Room Design Advice (total spent: $888.99)

Dining rooms are usually considered to be a formal sitting area, but if you want to liven your dining room up a little with a cool modern look, try a glass dining 5 piece dining set.

Since dining sets come with a table and matching chairs, they’re normally less expensive than purchasing a table and chairs individually.

A great place to put extra storage is the dining room.

Since this space is normally restricted to a table and chairs, you’ll have some leftover room in the corners. Utilize this space to its full potential by adding a corner pantry storage tower. Store the good china, silverware, placemats, and whatever else needs a place in its cabinets.

Storage cabinets cost less than installing a shelving unit, and far less than a fancy glass curio cabinet but still looks stylish. Plus, it leaves more storage space available for you in your kitchen.

To add a touch of class and a focal point to your dining room, consider installing a crystal chandelier. Chandeliers with one light are the least expensive option, and they still give off the sophistication of a full chandelier.

3. Budget Kitchen Design Advice (total spent: $599.99)

If you want to have a little fun in your kitchen, consider putting in a retro-inspired soda shop breakfast nook.

Extra seating is always a good investment choice in the kitchen – a breakfast nook is suitable for quick meals, waiting for your food to be done, or seating for guests.

Nook sets are normally constructed for corners, so be sure to take measurements and see if a corner in your kitchen has enough room to hold extra seating.

Since the kitchen is generally the heart of the home, where all the hustle and bustle is contained, you’re going to want a wall clock in there so everyone knows the exact time .

Don’t stick to traditional clocks – you can find fun, low-cost artsy wall clocks out there that will enhance the look of your kitchen.

Some clocks on the market have numbers that are exceptionally hard to read, so look for a clock with numbers that are big and bold. There are designer clocks out there with no numbers at all – how do you expect to tell the time quickly with those? Look for a clip-on feature on a clock – when hanging it to the wall, you won’t leave nail marks!

The kitchen is also a place of unusual smells. To clear out the odd scents of meals past, and give the kitchen some flair, put in decorative scented candles .

They look great on the kitchen island, a windowsill, or on top of the fridge.

4. Bedroom (total spent: $760.45)

Another great set to consider is a platform bed set . In general, you can get a bed frame, dresser, and mirror with one of these sets.

Of course, sets are more practical since they’re quick to order – you’re only making one purchase! There are plenty of styles and set combination’s out there, so think about what design style and the certain pieces you’d like to have.

Freshening up the look of your bedroom is as easy as changing the comforter.

Try to choose a comforter set – they will save you money and time because you won’t have to buy the items (like bed skirts and pillow cases) separately.

Machine-washable fabrics, like cotton, are the best choices because they are light, breathable, durable, and of course washable – giving you the best deal for your dollars.

Another set that makes for inexpensive design is a mirror set .

Because the mirror is divided up into different pieces, you can constantly change around their order, which will always keep your design fresh. You won’t ever feel like replacing it. Could you do that with a one piece mirror?

5. Budget Kid’s Bedroom Design Advice (total spent: $269.99)

When your child has a friend over to spend the night, a great bed for them to have is a bed with a built-in trundle.

The trundle bed is a pull-out bed from the bottom, so you don’t have to pump up an air mattress or lay down an old futon mattress for their guest.

Sometimes all you need to keep a room decorated is a throw round pillow . Show your kids an assortment of lower-priced decorative pillows, and let them choose their favourite for their bed. It not only ties their bed together, it’s comforting to sleep with!

Kids can leave their toys and books all over the room. Where’s the design style in that? Encourage your kids to put away their belongings in a toy box.

If you find a basic, inexpensive box, you can always paint it to your child’s liking. Choosing a themed toy box isn’t the best idea, because the theme will eventually go out of style.

Classic toy boxes will last much longer, and can eventually be moved into their teenage room for shoe or magazine storage!

6. Budget Patio Design Advice (total spent: $270.00)

A cute and clever way to display your candles on your deck is by installing a few clamp-on candle torch lanterns .

Traditional torches are limited to where they can be placed, but the clamping feature makes it more versatile, therefore more practical. Plus, candles are natural light (obviously) and don’t need to be plugged in anywhere – saving money on the electrical bill!

Outdoor Bistro sets are a charming and inexpensive addition to a patio.

Most bistro sets have a charismatic, wrought iron look, but the cheaper versions are actually made with aluminium – which is rust-proof, unlike iron! These sets come with two seats, so if you’re looking for more, you’re going to have to buy them separately.

If you’ve been wanting to update your patio’s flooring without tearing it up, consider selecting wooden cedar garden deck tiles.

These cedar deck tiles don’t come with any hooks or clips, so they are easy to move around. Tile a certain area of your patio, like the space under your outdoor table, or underneath potted plants. You can also cover up water damaged or ripped areas on your patio.

7. Budget Bathroom Design Advice (total spent: $302.00)

When it comes to interior design, sometime the bathroom is overlooked. What do you do to improve your bathroom’s look without spending a fortune on renovations? Start with a shower curtain!

Shower curtains come in as many textures and styles as comforters these days, so it won’t take you long to find a design you love.

Try to pick quality over price, and don’t go with a print that’s super trendy – if you opt for a classic look that isn’t made of cheap plastic, it will last much longer, and won’t need to be replaced in the near future.

Updated hardware can always revive the look of your bathroom.

Try adding a new chrome faucet to your sink , in updated metals like stainless steel and chrome. Installing it yourself will save money, since you won’t be hiring a contractor.

Also think about adding an up-to-date sink .

Bowl sinks that rest on countertops are fashionable at the moment, but don’t feel like a trend – they’re visually appealing and they catch water more efficiently. There’s also a wide selection of these modern-day sinks – they’re available in many different colours and finishes.

8. Dorm Room (total spent: $497.99)

Everybody knows that dorm rooms are extremely low on space. So how do you decorate one while on a budget and trying to save space at the same time?

Start off with a futon – it can convert easily from a couch to a bed, so you won’t need both pieces in your room.

Try to find a futon with as little detailing as possible to save space, and pick one out that already includes a mattress – you’ll save time and money!

Frame your futon with a pair of end tables (Southern Enterprises Mission Wood Magazine Table).

You’ll want end tables that are easily moved around, and not just built to hold a drink. Look for tables with racks and/or drawers to store extra items, and make sure they are small enough to fit into your dorm room.

A coffee table is a perfect centerpiece for a dorm room , especially if it comes with extra features. A lift top coffee table is ideal for storage, as well as a rack and a drawer on the bottom.

You can store your books, CDs, movies, and more in a storage coffee table – it will leave precious room in your dresser for clothes! Make sure you take down the measurement of the coffee table you want to see if it will fit into your dorm, and see if it has casters – they will make it easier to move around!

Grand total: $4562.40 (less than 5 grand for a whole house!)

Take this final Interior Design Advice to add to your cost-friendly design plans:

• Re-arrange your furniture. Research placement plans on the Internet and find a way to make your current furniture work for you and your space – no new furniture purchase required!
• Clean up! If you’ve got dust or pet hair everywhere, or clutter spilling out of closets, it can interfere with the design plan you’re going for. Once you have everything neat and organized, you can focus on the design style you’re after – not the mess!
• If you have any tired-looking wooden cabinets, tables, or chairs, consider staining them a different shade. It will instantly update the look of the wood and make it seem like you bought new furniture. Finish off with a sealer or varnish to make your wood last a long time.
• Take down any bulky curtains. You might find that the room becomes more open and inviting!

Let me know what worked for you, how did you save money on your latest design project?

Nicolette Interior Design Diva