As you’ve grown up, you’ve probably noticed that it’s always been a big deal when one of your friends was allowed to redecorate their bedroom into something that better represented the person they were at that time. Unfortunately, however, not everyone has the means to redecorate their bedroom whenever they like. That’s the beauty of moving into a new dorm room as you jet off to college to begin the next chapter of your life.

Even if you haven’t been able to redecorate your bedroom since you were ten, this is your opportunity. Now you can have the room you’ve been dreaming of. If  you haven’t been able to redecorate your bedroom for a long time because your family is short on cash, though, chances are that you aren’t going to have a huge budget for decorating your dorm room. 

Even when you’re working with a budget, though, there’s no rule that says you have to shy away from dorm room decor that hints at luxury. Contrary to popular belief, high-quality and cute dorm bedding isn’t just reserved for those who are willing to dish out a little extra money. Luckily for you, we know of some excellent dorm room bundles out there that are cute, high-quality, and affordable all at the same time!

A Black Tie Affair

Classic Black and White Decor with Gold Accents Inspired by @maggiestuccio

Not all that glitters in your dorm room will be gold, but no one else has to know that. The beauty of shopping for your dorm room bedding on a budget is that you can fake it until you make your room look exactly the way you’ve always dreamed it would, and nobody else will be any the wiser. You, too, can bring luxurious gold accents to your dorm room decor at a low price that won’t put too much of a dent in your bank account.

Here, they’ve paired a classic black and white combo with touches of gold to turn it into a sophisticated, simple, and attractive look that you’ll love throughout all of your college years. The black comforter adds some depth to this look while the white accents with a subtle pattern ensure that it isn’t too dark. Gold accents in the form of a decorative pillow, some wall art, and a vase aren’t overwhelming, but just enough of a touch that it looks like just the tip of the room has been dipped in gold.

Get the look with this starter pak bedding and bath set, marble fleece throw, and gold dollar sign sequin pillow. Click here to shop. 

Bring on the Greenery

Pink and Green Dorm Decor Inspired by @janie_altman

In a perfect world, you’d be able to bring plenty of plants along with you to add both some greenery and a little extra oxygen to your dorm room. Unfortunately, however, because of the way dorm rooms are designed, it’s incredibly difficult to keep plants alive while you’re living on a college campus. Limited sunlight, fluctuating temperatures, and minimal time to devote to them mean that the chances of live plants surviving in your dorm room are pretty slim.

While plants are usually completely affordable, it’s probably best to forego wasting any money by opting out of buying real plants and instead sticking to incorporating prints of foliage into your decor, as they’ve done here. A bold print of leaves makes up some of the bedding, offset with a light pink that pairs well with the green and almost looks like a sunset breaking through the gaps between the leaves.

Get the look with this bed in a bag, eucalyptus poster, and botanical throw pillow. Click here to shop.

Breakfast at Tiffany’s

Bold Black and White Patterns with Pops of Bright Blue Inspired by @brookevituli

If you’re working with a budget, they’re a good chance that you’ve never actually seen one of those Tiffany blue jewelry boxes in the flesh, but that doesn’t mean you can’t emulate the bougie style we’ve all come to associate with it - or at least something similar - in your dorm room decor. Bold patterns and a bright blue accent are exactly what you need to build that bridge to a Breakfast at Tiffany’s themed room.

Here, they’ve kept it very classic by sticking to black and white as the base to their bedding. While you can certainly use whatever colors you want to show off some bold patterns, if you’re really looking to make an impact with them, black and white are the best colors to offset each other. The Tiffany Blue accents are there, but they aren’t so in-your-face that you might get tired of looking at them one day. They’ve rounded out this look by hanging a print of Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s up on the wall.

Get the look with this complete campus pak bedding and bath set, “back to you” decorative pillow, and black and white bohemian area rug.

Dream of Sailing Away

Navy and White Dorm Decor Inspired by @madauer

Whether or not you’ve ever had the opportunity to head out onto the water in a boat before, there’s no denying that a nautically themed room is one of the most classic looks out there. Reminiscent of summer days, you may never want to leave your bed after making it up with comfy navies and whites that will have you dreaming about summer, and maybe even of being successful enough to own your own boat one day.

Here, they’ve stuck to a pretty classic nautical theme, pairing navy and white with a few gold accents to create a look that’s both luxurious and comfortable. The layering they’ve done with rugs at the foot of the bed offers a slight twist to what you might be used to when you think of nautical decor. They’ve also layered some of the more traditional features of a nautical theme with some different textures. You can see some faux fur and ruffles, which are reminiscent of the puffy clouds you might find floating in the sky above you during a day out on the water.

Get the look with this starter pak bedding and bath set, white fringed throw, and “salty but sweet” wall tapestry. Click here to shop.

Act Natural

Cute Neutral Dorm Decor Inspired by @rosenude_homedeco

Don’t ever let anyone tell you that you need color to make a room look cute. In fact, what really determines just how put-together a room really looks is the smaller details. It’s the details that ultimately tie a look together, so when you’re thinking about how you might style your dorm room this year, focus less on the color of the room and more on the quality of the products you’re buying. It’s time to let your inner interior designer shine through.

Here, they’ve stuck with completely neutral tones, which - while it might go against everything you’ve ever been led to believe about interior design - is actually quite cute. Whites, taupes, and touches of beige are the only real colors here. You won’t even find a splash of something brighter. Instead, they’ve chosen to keep the bedding natural so that they could play around with textures that might not have looked as good amidst brighter colors. The decals on the walls round out the look by adding just a hint of black to keep the room from looking washed out.

Get the look with this starter pak bedding and bath set, chunky knit throw, and knot throw pillow. Click here to shop.

Pillows for Your Pillow

Just like you shouldn’t have to sacrifice on the quality and look of your dorm room decor when you’re shopping with a budget, you also shouldn’t have to sacrifice on comfort. And what screams comfort more than pillows upon pillows to fill up your entire bed. If you really want to make your dorm room into a comfortable place that can be a haven for you at the end of a long day, don’t shirk on the pillows that will both bring you comfort and tie together the entire look of your room.

Here, they’ve paired a seeming excess of pillows with some simple grey bedding. When you’re working with a lot of decor, it’s best to stick to the basics in terms of color and design. A patternless grey comforter stretched out over some white sheets in this look gives them the opportunity to play around with shapes, textures, patterns, and even colors when it comes to the decorative pillows that fill up the rest of the bed.

Get the look with this comfort pak bedding and bath set, “coffee before talkie” accent pillow, and faux mongolian reverse to micromink pillow. Click here to shop.

Check Yes

Simple Checkered Dorm Bedding Inspired by @laythhert

Patterns don’t have to be particularly bold to be effective in creating a cute, comfortable space for you to rest your head at the end of the day. Stripes, chevron, polka-dots, or even a checkered pattern can go a long way when it comes to setting up a space that really reflects who you are as a person. Simplicity also allows for you to go bold when it comes to some of your other design choices.

Here, they’ve chosen a modified checkered pattern (essentially just leaving behind the outline of a checkerboard) and paired it with some funkier decor, like a spunky peace sign decorative pillow, a plush faux fur pillow, and large colorful tapestry to hang on the wall beside the bed. This is the perfect look for someone who really understands their personality in a way that they can only show through the smaller details.

Get the look with this bed in a bag, wall tapestry, and “slice slice baby” accent pillow. Click here to shop.

‍

‍