aka Amanda’s Design
I have a little obsession that I am ready to admit; I am obsessed with Architectural Digest. I love reading the magazine, watching their videos on Snapchat, and I even follow Amy Astley, the editor-and-chief, on Instagram to get inspiration for my dream home one day. I have pictures saved on both Pinterest and Instagram in hopes of one day using them as inspiration when I move into my first apartment or home. I love anything interior design, and for a good month, I even thought about becoming an interior designer. I went as far as going to an interior design camp (sorry Mom and Dad that nothing came out of that one!).
While I am sadly not moving into the New York City brownstone apartment of my dreams (a girl can dream, right?!), I am moving into my sorority’s house in upstate New York. I know it’s not exactly the same, but I am beyond excited to fill the space and decorate it the way I like. When showing my friends the floor plan I made and exactly how I wanted to decorate my room (this blog is called Type A for a reason…), I realized that not everyone knows exactly how they want to decorate or even where to begin. I realized that it would be helpful to throw out some inspiration so that I can help others. This post will go through 5 different ways to style your dorm room, apartment, or even your room at home. I know not everything is for everyone, but I hope that you can take something away from this post!
This fun black and white room is perfect for those looking for a modern sophisticated look. I have always loved the vintage Barbie and Ken prints and think hanging one up could be a great pop for those that aren’t wanting too much color. This “One-Love” print is serving the perfect blend of playfulness while still being classy and chic. Adding some texture to the minimal room would be a great way to spice things up. Try doing so with some textured white bedding, which will add depth to the room. Play around with fun throw pillows and blankets to get rid of the sterile atmosphere and make things feel homey. Here, I added a fun zebra pillow that tied in with the art print and a much cheaper Hermes-inspired blanket for those of us who are trying to ball on a budget. When it comes to living in a dorm or even an apartment, most of the time rooms don’t include bedside tables. I highly recommend buying one because you may come to find that storage is a rare resource! I love this acrylic nightstand because it is sleek and has a shelf underneath where you could put some personal belongings. Don’t forget to add some fun decor like a silver balloon dog or even a yummy smelling candle (be sure to hide your candle if your RA comes in… but you didn’t hear that from me).
This fun and quirky room is perfect for those that aren’t afraid of wild prints! Buying a fun rug is a great way to add color to your room. If you’re living in a dorm, I found that having a rug makes the room so much more inviting and comfortable for yourself and friends. Being that there isn’t that much seating, having a rug allows you and your friends to have a place to hang out (and keeps them off your clean bed, if your anything like me). I love this bold and eccentric pink and red patterned rug. Keeping the rug in the spotlight, I went with some minimal bedding that tied in the red and kept the whimsical feel of the room. Being that seating is such a scarcity, adding a fun chair to the room is a great addition. With such small living spaces, I found that buying a small children’s chair would be a great way to add more seating without taking up too much space. I love this white sherpa chair and how it ties into the rest of the room. To keep with the red and pink theme, I picked an adorable cherry poster, that matches the playful vibe of the pillowcases and a pretty floral display to add some other colors into the room. For decor, I picked out a fun pink ring holder and a Jonathon Adler-inspired box to hold some of your belongings. Be careful, when people sit down in your bright and comfy room, they may never want to leave!
This room is perfect for those that love practicality and comfort but still want a pretty, ethereal room. As discussed prior, rugs are extremely recommended! This gorgeous pink and green rug is fun, while still being light and calming. To match the happy and airy vibe of the room, I went with yellow bedding, which is comforting and uplifting (in a practical sense, it also won’t show every spill or mess that is seen on white bedding). Plants are a great way to add life to your room (literally)! I love this pink and green plant that can remain indoors. Just don’t forget to give it love and water. To add some life on the walls, I recommend hanging up some beautiful and elegant prints like this yellow flower print that is bright and happy or a stunning image of flowers in a pot. Pro tip: framing your prints will make the room feel a bit more elevated and finished and less like you are living in a dorm. Finding ways to add additional storage is key to living!! Buying an ottoman like this pink one is a fun way to add color, storage, and seating! I used mine all the time last year (as a ladder to climb up onto bed, tv stand for my computer, my vanity chair, a hiding spot for my candles, and storage for my bulky sweatshirts). Books are a great way to add decor to a room too; I really liked this Plants for the People book, as it ties in all the colors of the room. This trendy, bendy, green candle is also a great way to make your room more fun! I just love the comforting and relaxing vibe this room gives off. At the end of the day, your room will be the place you spend most of your time in, so why not make it feel like home!
This room is giving me trendy, girlie, chill vibes. There is something so effortlessly cool yet laid back about this room. If you tend to be a klutz, like me, then I recommend staying away from all white bedding (although, my bedding this year is going to be white… which maybe I should re-think). This blue textured bedding is great! Not only is it simple and classic, but it also eludes a calming atmosphere. I would add pops of color to the room by adding fun throw pillows like the all pink one or the hand and heart pillow. If you love the light-up signs that are seen everywhere but don’t want to spend hundreds of dollars on them, then I suggest this acrylic sign that you can customize to say any word you like! I would also incorporate some framed artwork to add other colors to the room, like this Matisse print. To elevate your room, I would suggest buying this geometric blue side table that will be a contrast from the dull furniture your apartment or dorm might come with. You can decorate it with a decorative book like the Palm Beach one or accessorize it with some fun candles like the one shaped like a bear or the yummy Agua de Jardin candle. This room is perfect for the effortlessly cool girl inside of you.
This is the perfect room for those seeking an elevated boho style. Decorate the walls with cool minimal prints that feature earth colors. I really like the geometric shapes print, the matisse image with multi-colored leaves, the silhouette of a body, and another matisse print featuring geometric shapes. All of the prints tie in together to create a cool layered wall of art. This boho-styled room is all about layering warm earthy tones and accessorizing with saturated plum colors. I recommend keeping your bedding pretty neutral, like with this nude bedding and accessorizing with a warm-toned rainbow throw pillow and a jewel-toned purple throw blanket. I also suggested adding pops of color by decorating the room with dried pampas. Here, I chose deep purple pampas to tie in with the throw blanket and add some contrast to the room. I would suggest adding a fun whicker nightstand to amplify your room. Not only will it add storage, but it also adds another texture to the room. This boho room layers warm tones and is accented with pops of purple to create a cozy and warm living environment.
While I may not have pursued a career as an interior designer, I still love it very much. In a way, I guess you could say that the camp I went to didn’t all go to waste! I don’t think my passion for interior design will ever whither away, and I can’t wait to decorate my next space. I hope you enjoyed these five different styled rooms and please feel free to leave any ideas below!
What do you think?