dorm decorating ideas

Here at DormDelicious, we try to stay tapped into the latest and greatest websites and mobile apps that help college students lead a more delicious dorm life. That's why we were super excited when we came across HipSwap, which lets you shop the most fabulous closets, homes, and shops in your neighborhood.

Whether you're a freshman ready to start replacing your uber-generic Bed, Bath and Beyond decor with something that's a bit more you, or a senior looking to decorate an off-campus house, HipSwap can help you find the most unique stuff in your area. We took the HipSwap iPhone app for a spin and found some great items at reasonable prices -- clothes, art, shoes, and more. We love that it's all local so you're supporting your community and beautifying your dorm!

The website features the collections of a few local designers and merchants, along with some hand-picked items curated by the HipSwap staff. You can browse through items, see high-resolution photos, and follow the sellers you love. When you want to buy something, you just add it to your cart and pay with a credit card or PayPal. Easy!

Of course it's great to buy stuff, but we think the best part about HipSwap is that anyone can set up their own shop in minutes. So you cash-strapped college students can make some extra moolah and clean out your closet at the same time. If you live in Los Angeles, HipSwap will even deliver the items you buy and sell with their delivery van, which is great if you're lacking transportation.

If you're looking to outfit your dorm with unique items from your neighborhood, give HipSwap a try. Let us know what you think in the comments!

[ Continue reading Find the Coolest Stuff in Your Neighborhood with HipSwap → ]

Photo: Apartment Therapy

Guest blogger Robin McDonald is a designer, mom and certified "Dorm Diva" who writes about dorm room bedding and decor.

Dorm rooms are small and drab. You want your new home away from home to be the room uniquely yours. Good bye blank walls and boring dorm bedding. Exciting things are on the horizon. Let’s get started.

1. Get your dorm room layout.

If possible get the furniture measurements and work with your room mate(s) to get a plan that works for both of you. If one snores, the beds should be across the room from each other. Also, if one person is a night owl and the other a morning riser arrange the beds across the room. Place lighting (lamps/floor lamps) for late night studying in appropriate spots- near desk or over bed etc. Decide if you want dressers back to back or side by side as room dividers. Play with layout options. Decide who gets the top bunk, if beds are going on risers etc…

2. Color scheme/theme

Once you’ve got your plan… now get your color scheme. If possible, try to coordinate with your dorm roommate for the best dorm looks. However, this is not a must. Make sure you reach a happy medium here as you don’t want to start off on a bad note. Try to each have your own style and coordinate accent colors. Add rugs for buffering those cold and often dirty floors. Add rugs by sink (small) and larger size in front of the bed. Try a yoga mat as a rug… long, colorful, and cushy

3. Windows

Add panels. I prefer long panels for color pop and light diffuser. Use a small PVC pole cut to size and add “finials” with round Styrofoam balls covered in fabric and hot glued to the ends. Panels are great to cover the closet. Remove the doors and store under the beds for another option.

[ Continue reading College Dorm Room Bedding and Décor - What You Really Need → ]

We have all seen college movies. Where posters of beer pong, classic movies, or famous and trendy art covers the limited wall space, the ground is covered by piles of clothing, the bed spread is a plain color, and the sounds system is simply computer speakers. Now after my first three years of college I have seen every shape and variety of dorm room. To be honest, it is rather hard not to slowly slide into the generic and basic décor. The items that create such a setting are simple, cheap, and mass produced to meet demand which is why it is so hard to stand out some times.

But standing out is a must. Your room can be an expression of yourself if you let it. First off, when choosing wall coverings, stay away from those generic posters. Everybody has seen these and no one is ever impressed by them. Maybe you will get a chuckle for the mere commonplace nature of the thing.

On the other hand, something you put effort into finding can evoke conversation and that is exactly what posters are good for. No more awkward silence for you. I personally found some 1984 Los Angeles Olympic posters, a Dali painting, a rare Bob Marley saying (that I actually connect with) and a less than common Muhammad Ali portrait.

[ Continue reading Avoiding the Generic: How to make your room stand out → ]

Design Your Dorm presents a series of back to school blogs. Check out our 3-D dorm room designer, to see and design your dorm before move in day.

College rooms are always smaller than you expect. But no worries, here are some tools that can help you organize your new dorm room.

Wall and Door Hooks

Use hooks for your towels, shirts, pants or shorts. Clearing up the clutter on the floor will make your room feel bigger, and cleaner. Standard hooks come with a sticky back. But if drilling is allowed, you can also screw or hammer hooks into the dorm walls.

Bed Risers

If you decide that you don't want to loft your bed, then getting bed risers is a great choice. They are generally black plastic cubes that go under each leg of the bed. They raise your bed by 6 inches, enough so that you can store some larger items under there.

[ Continue reading Organizing Tips To Make Your Dorm Room Feel Larger → ]

Make your new dorm room feel like home with silk flowers and plants

Silk flowers aren't what they used to be. Your grandmother's not-so-realistic arrangements - forget it! Your mother's Victorian-era proper blooms - no way! This is a new day, a new journey. And now you can find realistic silk flowers that are as young, modern, and versatile as you are.

Other than you, your college dorm room will be one of the first things that your fellow students notice. It will make a first impression of its own. A dorm room says a lot about its occupant(s): Techie or Trekkie; wild or mild; perfectionist or incurable slob. With that in mind, you will naturally want your college dorm room to be an extension of you - a way to express yourself.

College dorm rooms are never fashionable, to say the least. But the good news is: Stark white walls and cookie-cutter design make them literal empty palettes, just waiting for your personal touch to be added.

Silk flowers can do more than complement your décor. They can serve as subliminal personal expressions of your own unique qualities. Are you quiet and polite like a pink rose? Or are you spicy and bold, like an orange tiger lily? Or, maybe you're a free spirit, like an assortment of wild flowers.

Natural-looking silk flowers do more than brighten an otherwise bland room. They speak to the nature of the occupant in a subtle, but unmistakable way.

[ Continue reading Silk Flowers in Your College Dorm Room - for Lasting Self Expression → ]