Over-the-Top Dorm Decor

When your teenager goes off to college, there are many ways you can help them prepare. If they plan on living on campus, decorating their dorm can be one of the most exciting parts for them as they begin their academic journey. While many people used to picture college students living in tiny dorm rooms and eating ramen noodles throughout their first year of college, many aspects of starting college have changed since then, including dorm decor.

There’s a lot of pressure nowadays for everything to be perfect when decorating your child’s dorm room. As a parent, you want your child’s dorm to be comfortable, but a lot of the inspiration online for dorm decor is over the top. Even if you want your child’s dorm to be perfect, remember that it’s okay to keep it simple and that the way their room looks isn’t the most important aspect of their college life. Keep reading to find out about some of the most over-the-top trends in dorm decor.

If you lived in a college dorm for any amount of time, you might remember the decor being a lot different than it is today. With dorm decor trends being shared all over social media on apps like Instagram and Pinterest, there’s a lot of pressure to choose the most expensive, and sometimes excessive, decor.

Whether you’re in charge of decorating your college student’s dorm room or you’re helping them decorate, keep in mind that you don’t have to keep up with every trend. Even if your child’s dorm room isn’t Pinterest-worthy, it’s most important that they can feel comfortable.

It’s not surprising that you want to do something nice for your teen when you send them off to college, but it’s easy to go overboard as a parent. It’s normal for you to feel a mix of emotions during this time, but you don’t have to drain your savings account to decorate their dorm. Keep things realistic instead of trying to keep up with every trend. If you’re looking for a simple way to decorate their space, you might avoid some of these over-the-top dorm decor trends.

Neon signs are one of the most popular trends in college dorm decor. While a small neon sign could add a nice touch to a dorm room, one that takes up the whole wall may be a bit excessive. Custom neon signs with your child's name can also seem over the top. While many people enjoy this trend, neon signs in dorm rooms certainly aren't for everyone.

Everyone has their own taste when it comes to patterns, but some patterns are a bit too bold. Whether you’re choosing the pattern for wallpaper or a comforter, you’ll want to choose a pattern that your college student won’t get tired of. Bright, bold patterns might seem like a good fit at first, but it can be hard to match them with the rest of the decor and these types of patterns make it difficult to focus on anything else in the room.

There’s nothing wrong with wanting the decor in a college dorm to match, but it’s okay for some things to have different colors and patterns as well. Ensuring every piece of decor in the room matches, from the trinkets on the shelf to every piece of furniture, can seem over-the-top and may lead to a lot of unnecessary planning.

In a time when plant owners have started calling themselves “plant parents” adding some tasteful plants to your child’s dorm room can be a great way to make it look and feel cozy. However, there shouldn’t be so many plants that they seem to be taking over the dorm. Keep in mind that all the plants will have to be cared for, and while they may look nice in the room, they can also lead to a lot of maintenance.

How much you spend on your child’s dorm decor isn’t what determines whether they’ll feel comfortable or not. Buying only brand-name decor that looks expensive can come across as over-the-top. There’s no doubt you want their dorm to look nice, but it’s also important to remember that it’s a temporary living space and they’re going to be spending a lot of their time in class or around campus as well.

There are plenty of dorm signs out there that are specifically designed for college students. There’s nothing wrong with having a funny sign on the door or in your child’s dorm, but you may want to keep it tasteful. Funny dorm signs can range from cringe to downright inappropriate, depending on which one you or your child chooses. Before you hang a sign in their room, think about the message it sends to other students.

You might have a specific theme in mind when setting up any bedroom space. Creating a theme for your child’s dorm room can be a fun and unique way to decorate. However, some themes can be over-the-top. Even if you do decide to go with a certain theme, it doesn’t have to take over every item in the room. Additionally, make sure your child (and potentially their roommate) has a say in what theme you decide to go with.