Your first year of college, you find your residents hall, then your dorm room, meet your roommate and then turn to look at your area and ?gag?. Dorm rooms tend to be very utilitarian for a reason; it is because from semester to semester or year to year the university does not know the personal design preferences of their new students. A dorm room is a blank canvas literally with very basic furniture and neutral walls.

This blank slate can be a very good thing when it comes to designing your space. There are a few things to take into consideration when it comes to making your dorm room area your own. First check with the college or university about any restrictions there are when it comes to painting or hanging items on the walls. Also another thing to remember is that you are only designing your area not the entire space, unless your roommate just happens to have the same design style as your own. This is a time where the more eclectic the area the better overall design will be.

Start by thinking about what you want your space to look like, generally there are only two people to a room so splitting the space down the middle is a good place to start. Dorm room furniture generally consists of desks, twin beds, and dressers for clothes. The furniture lines are usually very clean and utilitarian, so have fun with your space.

Since this is a small area even the smallest changes can have major impacts. Choose bedding that both fits your style and is interesting to look at, and then add accessories to compliment the comforter. When thinking about adding furniture to your dorm room, remember to keep it small. There are many discount retail stores across the country that has special sections for dorm room furniture and accessories. These items are generally undersized and low to the ground for space saving reasons.

Every dorm room needs to have a TV and DVD player in it, and many times you will need to provide your own. Both can be purchased very reasonably at any retail outlet across the country. Once you have these items it is time to think about storage solutions. The possibilities for small space storage solutions are countless, and can fit into any budget. A steamer trunk is always the best place to start for storage, it fits perfectly at the end of an average twin size bed, is low to the ground so the top can double as table or foot stool, and comes in a wide range of styles and colors.

Along with steamer trunks leather or canvas CD cases can double perfectly as a DVD storage solution. If your educational institution allows you to hang items on the walls add some shelves throughout your space so that you can have a place to put books, pictures, and other accessories that would not have a place otherwise.

Dorm life is some of the best times in a person academic career, and decorating your dorm area is easier than you think. Get creative and use dressers as TV stands or bookends as DVD storage on a shelf. You will be amazed at how much stuff you can actually fit in such a small space. Enjoy the college experience and make your dorm room area a true reflection of your personality.