College Dorm Reveal: A Classic Contemporary Design

“ Some girls were just born with glitter in their veins.”

Creating a stylish college dorm design scheme doesn’t have to break the bank, especially when using basic dorm essentials from retailers and hiring a designer to pull it all together. In just a few weeks and a bit of online shopping… options were sourced and decisions could be made in time to install before the start of school. This recent dorm design won the Dorm Decorating Competition at UVA!

By adding elements of contemporary style with acrylic base lamps and layering these rugs. You can see how these added touches make this dorm room sparkle. The headboards and bedding have a more sophisticated look to bring in a little bit of chic and yes the rose pink leather moroccan poufs are like icing on the cake.

We love to infuse local artist work into our clients spaces and this client happens to love Sunny Stack Goode artwork. A perfect way to personalize and inspire creativity while studying or hanging out. The client’s mother found these Lovesquare prints which blended into the design perfectly and gave that special touch from Mom.

LOVESQUARE PRINTS

dorm room essentials

In smaller spaces it’s important to have lots of creative storage to keep things tidy. This book shelf is classic white and the gold striped bins at a contemporary touch.
Framed pictures and photo collages are a special way to keep memories of friends and family close while being away during the year. A great way to also remember to pick up the phone and give them a call to say hi once in a while too.

A room schematic helps provide scale and a sense of space

By drawing out a room we show clients ways to maximize their space. This is also helpful to have during move-in or install day to easily place things. Make the most of your room by planning out the placement of furniture storage and seating. We like to measure out rooms to ensure the spacing of furniture is just right and to also find the right size we’re looking for.

Layering bedding is not only stylish but practical, especially in different climates or seasons. By having a balance in the patterns and textures it delivers a thoughtful sense of design that isn’t an overwhelming theme. We love these subtle colors that bring a calm but still girlish feel to the room. It’s o.k. to still love polka dots and ruffles too just in a paired back way.

CONTEMPORARY ACCENTS

We’re so excited that our client loves their new space. It was so fun collaborating with the student and her mother as we combined their finds together to create a home away from home. Hearing they won for best dorm room design is also pretty amazing too.

Cheers!

Melissa Mathe

Stylish Study Spaces For Every School Age

“The more that you read, the more that you’ll know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go." ~ Dr. Seuss

As everyone gets ready to go back-to-school in the prepping mode… buzzing around gathering new school supplies and fun new clothes. We relish in savoring the end of summer and look forward to a new season coming upon us. A reminder that schedules will have a new order and the idea of getting organized hits like in the Disney ‘Enchanted’ movie where Giselle is singing with the animals while cleaning up (wink, wink)… well maybe not completely. However parents raise excitement by getting their new Elementary students backpacks monogrammed while others are putting together new dorm essentials to spruce up the space of their recent graduates new adventures in college education. This may also happen to inspire the creation of new study spaces that can be personalized with style and functional organization, to keep the ho-hum out of the homework struggles. We’ve rounded up a bunch of desks, chairs and accessories to spark new decor ideas for your students study spaces.

ELEMENTARY STUDENTS

Elementary Students are full of energy and excitement a lot of the time in their back-to-school adventures. Keeping arts and craft supplies well organized is essential for these young students. With all of the markers, pencils and notebooks to keep track of having defined areas to store them by using containers, helps reduce clutter and productivity.

Crate & Barrel

Ikea

Colorful furniture and accessories are eye catching… making a space feel more exciting to be in while focusing on daily projects.

KIDS DESK ACCESSORIES

MIDDLE TO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

As children age and enter Middle School and High School their desks and chairs need to accommodate for their larger bodies. A great time to pass their older furniture along or to be sold for new items. Thinking about the selection of these items and their longevity into High School graduation can be important. Depending on your needs you may find more cost effective furniture or decide to invest in an upgraded style or quality to be kept in the family long term.

THE ART OF ORGANIZATION

At this age, girls especially may find organization to be exciting. Sparking enjoyment in picking out stylish accessories, as they become more independent in their studies and keeping their spaces tidy. By hanging wall organizers and incorporating desk accessories the clutter has a place to land besides the floor. Writing notes and displaying their favorite photos becomes a weekly ritual for family and friends to share in seeing.

TRENDING TECH ACCESSORIES & LIGHTING

Ikea

As technology is a large part of daily life we’ve found some functional and stylish tech accessories that include USB and charging capabilities. If you’ve ever caught yourself talking to your teenager and realizing they didn’t hear a word you were saying because of their ear pods… you’re not alone.

STYLISH DESK CHAIRS

Who said desk chairs have to be boring… sleek or super comfortable there is no need to sacrifice style in a home study space. Here are a few design inspired options to show a different side of the old “Office Chair”.

STYLISH DESKS

As designers we have special resources to find unique furniture pieces. If you’re interested in having one sourced we can find it.

2017_Bernhardt_Clarendon_Leather_Wrapped_Desk_377-512_front.jpg

COLLEGE STUDENTS

As study, sleep and common space can often times become one in dorm settings. We’ve looked at a different take on where papers and projects can be accomplished. Imagine sitting in a comfy chair and pulling up a small side table for a laptop which can easily become a space where later people gather for social time or a study group. These C-tables and laptop carts provide a compact hard surface space that can be used for multiple purposes.

COMFY LOUNGE CHAIRS

Pottery Barn Dorm

We’ve recently been enjoying helping a client design their daughters dorm space. Bringing elements of subtle color and texture into a space can give those smaller living and study areas a sense of style and personality. And with a little imagination a dorm or small apartment will feel more inviting and cozy to be in.

Going along with the idea of space become a minimum. We’ve thought of finding useful decor and accessories like storage ottomans and carts to store things and keep small objects out of walking paths… and shared spaces with other college roomies.

DORM ACCESSORIES

As back-to-school approaches we hope you find everything you need to make it a successful year. Tackling study spaces with a sense of design and style makes it all the more fun-ctional!

Cheers!
Melissa Mathe