For many freshers, the biggest impact of moving away from home is an unfamiliar bedroom. But with our helpful tips, you can soon make room in your halls of residence feel like home.
1 Surround yourself with familiar photos and accessories
What will immediately hit you as you enter your new bedroom for the first time is the soulless anonymity of the space. In most purpose-built student accommodation, everything is the same – the same furniture and the same layout.
The key to making it feel like home is to personalise it. Start this process by surrounding yourself with plenty of family photos and appealing wall art.
2 Update the lighting
Again, the lighting can be stark and functional, with the bright white light being unforgiving. Or it can be as well lit like a dungeon.
Soften the lighting with soft glow bulbs and energy-efficient LEDs but also give yourself choices when it comes to light. A table lamp, for example, would make a great reading lamp, as well as giving your room less of a stark glow.
3 Add a rug
The texture is important for creating a room and a space that looks three-dimensional. Things that look and feel the same give a flat, uninteresting appearance and so a rug is a great investment that will see you right through to your PhD and beyond.
Modern rugs are one of the most affordable and luxurious additions you can make to your student accommodation. If you are not keen on chevron or geometric patterns, thinking them too obvious for your student digs, then opt for this faded floral patterned rug instead.
4 A comfy, comforting armchair
It’s a big step, leaving home for the first time and there are times when it doesn’t matter if home is around the corner or hours away, all students will need comforting.
And there is nothing better than sinking into the warm depths of the all-enveloping leather armchair. Choose a modern but comfy leather armchair, with a pretty shape that would sit well alongside the other items of reclaimed furniture you choose to add or take with your from home.
5 Up the storage solutions
You get limited storage in most student digs and so upping your storage options means that you are more likely and able to keep your room tidy-ish.
A tall chest of drawers gives you more drawer space for clothing and study materials. And if space is limited, a narrow desk is a great alternative to a large expanse of table.
We have a range of industrial desk options, many of which can be made to a custom size, well worth considering if you plan on being in the same digs for some years to come.
Other quick tips for adding colour, style and home comforts include;
- Cushions of all shapes, sizes, colours and fabrics – and the more, the better!
- Have plenty of bed linen options – the easiest way to give your room an extra zing is to change your bed linen
- Throws – opt for chunky knit woolly throws for an extra layer of warmth and snuggly comfort
- A houseplant – you have to water it, talk to it, look after it, something that experts say can help with a sense of belonging.
