Moving into a new place for the first time can be incredibly daunting. This is made all the harder when you realize that not only have you never seen this space, but it looks the same as every other room. 

A new dorm room is a blank slate that can be manipulated in any way you want. Creating the perfect trendy dorm room can be done in so many unique ways that really make your personal style shine while making the most of your small space. Below are some fun ideas that are breaking through to be the next biggest trends for 2022. 

Plants That Pop

Neutral colors are a calming background that is perfect to study against. With these as your base, you can begin to add pops of color,  like plants. Adding greenery as accents and decorations will not only pop out against the beige but people who are around plants are shown to be healthier in the long run. 

Some popular plants right now that are incredibly dorm friendly include snake plants, monsteras, aloe vera, and philodendrons. The reason these plants are ideal for a college student is that not only do they stay relatively small, but they can withstand the lack of water if you forget to water them for a few days (or weeks!). 

If you aren’t inclined to raising real plants, a fantastic alternative is plants that are fake. Plastic plants don’t require any care, and the limitations of sunlight and watering are nonexistent! This means you can put them on high shelves, refrigerators, or outdoor window ledges and forget about them. 

Neon Dreams 

Every college student wants a chance to say “this is my space” when it comes to their dorm room, and a great way to do that is with a neon sign. With shapes that range from personalized names to rainbows and lightning bolts, neon light signs give an unexpected surprise in an otherwise perfectly normal room.

Cute neon lights, like this one from Sofia on OCM’s Instagram, are the perfect way to tie a room together.

Mounting these lights on walls is a truly insta-worthy background, and the additional lighting is great for studying during the day, or hanging out with your friends at night. Pair it with some vintage posters or open background posters like this one and your dorm turns into the ultimate backdrop for photos, vlogs, or just to give you a sense of your own space.

Let Everyone Know Whose Dorm It Is

Monogrammed pillows are a fun and unique way to tell the world you designed your place. While it is a creative way to decorate that is unique to you, it can also help distinguish your stuff from your roomie’s when the dorm gets messy. 

Pillows aren’t the only monogrammable thing in your dorm room either! Towels, backpacks, cups, and even laptop cases can be monogrammed to add a personal touch of flair. Your room will never seem basic again!

Picture Perfect Walls

Capturing memories throughout college is so important to have to look back on. While digital sites and apps have a way to store those, nothing beats a good old-fashioned photo wall. By hanging your pictures up in your room, you are​ both setting yourself apart from the crowd–because no one else will have the same photos as you–and coversing up that drab wallpaper with your snapshots.

If you’re not allowed to pin things on your walls, a great idea for a mark-free photo display is light-upislight-up clips that can be hung from hooks and taken down at the end of the year or semester. These double as mood lighting for when the lights overhead are too bright, or not the vibe you are going for. 

Bottle the Stars

Fairy lights seem to be popping up everywhere from dorm rooms to gazebos. These tiny lights can pack a big punch, and everyone seems to be taking advantage of the big light in their tiny packages. These lights are fun and flexible and often come in multiple colors that can fit any aesthetic you can think of (including these aesthetics that we think are perfect for a dorm room revamp). 

If you are looking for a more condensed sense of lighting, maybe consider putting a string of lights in a jar and keeping it on your desk or bedside table in place of a lamp. This gives your roomyouroom a fun and playful vibe while still giving you the light you need for those late night study sessions.

A-”head” of the Curve

Every dorm room comes with the same basic furniture: a desk, a chair, an end table/drawers, and a bed. These are all very run-of-the-mill and offer no personality to your room. While revamping your style, consider getting (or making!) a headboard to put at the end of your bed to add a little flair. 

Buying a headboard isn’t the only way to make the head of your bed more eye-catching. You can make a headboard from a surprising amount of everyday things. Adding a large photo, a tapestry or even removable wallpaper like this marble one can give your room the extra little kick it needs to look super chic.

How’s It Hangin’?

Paper posters and photo collages aren'tarent the only way to dress a wall up. Tapestries are a cute and personal way to add layers to your decor, and adding a string of lights around it gives your room that super popular boho chic feel.  

If you prefer using textures for the comfortable feeling, or as a statement piece for your room, tapestries are a neat way to stay on top of the latest trends because of how easily you are able to change them out for a new one. This also means that your room will be ever changing and that you are able to switch it up whenever you feel the need to. 

The Theme Scheme 

One of the most exciting new trends of 2022 is actually one of the most simple. Can’t decide on a color theme for your dorm room? Try a simple black and white room. Stripping the room of bright colors allows minimalism to shine in your dorm room. Black and white colors in your room can be accented by patterns–especially polka dots and chevrons– to add excitement to your surroundings and break up the monotony that you risk with mono- and dual-toned rooms. 

Additionally, a theme given to your dorm room can be chosen to match your personality, favorite sport, or holiday. One of the more interesting and unconventional themes that are breaking out as more popular is the idea of matching with your roommate! If you'reyoure looking for a way to show everyone why you’re rooming with your best friend, try matching or coordinating your comforter, posters, or even a pair of matching bedside caddies.

Not Just a Bed

If dorm rooms are short on one thing, it’s space. OftentimesOften times, this also means that the only place to sit and hang out is your bed. Since doctors say that studying in the same place that you sleep is bad for your health, it is important to have a different environment to study in. These two dilemmas clash to leave the ultimate choice: study outside of your dorm room, or sacrifice your quality of sleep so as not to trek the whole way to the library. 

With just a few simple pillows and a little rearrangingre-arranging, you can completely transform your bed to be a daybed to study on during the bed, and back into a place to wind down and sleep with just a little moving. By pushing your bed up against the wall–or in a corner–you can have the perfect backdrop. 

Another fun way to decorate your daybed is by having throw pillows that make a statement. At night, move the pillows to reveal your super plush comforter set to go to bed. In the morning you can re-layer big pillows, small pillows, and creatively shaped pillows to make your daybed the comfiest spot in the building! 

Multi-Purpose Decor

College students are always looking for new and easy ways to make use of what they have. Things like shoe racks and over the door organizer can be used in several different ways. This year is all about function and fashion working together, so a vanity organizer that can double as a holder for your undergarments when stuck in your closet works like a dream! 

Another slightly sneakier way to get more storage out of your dorm room is to have an ottoman that doubles as a place to keep your blankets, sweaters, or books. This double duty piece of furniture is perfect for propping your feet up and setting your laptop on while also hiding all your extras that you only use occasionally.

Keeping your room #UpToDate with the Newest Trends

Once you get the hang of decorating your dorm, it becomes a fun way to express yourself while also keeping up to date with the newest looks and trends. Whether you want to be a style influencer or just have the coolest room in the dorm, using some of these trends are guaranteed to make your dorm roomdormroom the trendiest spot on campus. Not only will you have a new and unique environment, but your room Iinstagram will look like it was pulled off of the front page of your trending page.