4 Stick to your budget
We all know what it’s like to fall in love with a piece of furniture or home accessory, only to find out that it’s far beyond our price range. Karl advises to set a budget and stick to it absolutely. This means going to box stores that you know are in your price range, as well as checking out the discount stores that have items priced 20-60% off (like HomeSense, where all the room’s accessories were purchased from). It’s also a good idea to plan out how much you want to spend on each item in the room, and avoid visiting stores that you know have beautiful items that are outside of your budget.
5 Use the internet
Coming from a computer generation, today’s students are super savvy with the internet, making it easy to navigate all the great sites for home decor. Not only do many online retailers allow you to search for items with a maximum price level – ensuring you’re within your budget – but you can also choose to buy new from businesses or buy used goods from online communities. “Sites like Kijiji.ca are great because the price is right, and since it’s people selling great items they no longer need, it saves them from dumping it at a landfill,” Karl adds.
Karl Lohnes’ DOs and DON’Ts for a dorm-style small space
DO use ambience lighting. Many residences don’t allow for candles to be lit, so an alternative option is to purchase a small light with a low wattage so you can leave it on at night and feel safe coming home to a room that isn't completely dark.
DON’T overuse patterns. A lot of pattern in a small space can be overwhelming, so it’s best to choose solid colours for larger items, like the fuschia rug. That allows for more patterns to be used for the room’s accessories.
DO buy items that are proportionate to your room size. Buying a queen or king size bed might suit your fancy, but it won’t leave you much room for anything else in a dorm-style space.
DON’T permanently attach things to your walls. The last thing the landlord wants is for you to drill holes in the walls, so another option is to use Sticky Tack to hang items on the walls or have a freestanding bookshelf to display items rather than a wall shelf.
Read more in Decorating & Design and Styling Secrets
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