The Elite Sixteen: dorm

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Dorm Decor 101 || Style your Space

Did you know you could furnish your whole dorm room or college apartment all from Etsy? It's pretty amazing and what's even more exciting is how unique you can make it. When I headed off to college we went to a big box store where all the generic dorm items are readily available, but can be a tad bit boring. I remember quite a few of us having very similar items because that's just what there was to choose from for college furnishings. You have to remember this was at the start of the internet and Etsy did not yet exist. How lucky are we now? Not only can you furnish the coolest dorm ever, but all these items would look perfect in your first place after college, too. Going back to school may not be that fun, but shopping for it can be an adventure!

Dorm Decor 101:

1. modern quilt handmade by Geometric Electric

2. choose your state cutout art handmade by Perrodin Supply Co.

3. floating honeycomb shelves handmade by Handmade Riot

4. luminary table lamp handmade by Cloth & Ink

5. seattle wall organizer handmade by Pig & Fish

Back to School - Dorm Decor

With the flipping of the calendar from July into August the weather starts to shift more towards the cooler days of fall and summer slowly starts to wind down. I didn't say "summer ends" - no way! There are still plenty of days left for skinny dipping in the lake. The focus, however, does turn over to back to school as many begin gearing up with backpacks and sharp pencils. Whether you're getting ready to head back to college or getting the little ones ready for school, our team of curators have been putting together styled Etsy shopping guides to help you out! You can see the whole list right here.

The images above were compiled from a gorgeous dorm room focused shopping guide curated by the lovely Jillian of Jillian Rene Decor - she's put together 16 cool items, so be sure to check out the entire collection by clicking here!

1. Bamboo Puzzle Laptop Stand || Green Tuna Design
2. Natural Round Wall Clock || Color Time by Lairam
3. Pair of 1950's Lamps || Project Sarafan
4. Wall Mount Modern Mail Holder || Red Tile Studio

Style Your Dorm on Etsy | Bold, Bright, and Modern

It's 2012 and there is no excuse to have a bland + boring dorm room. You also don't have to settle for what you can find off the shelf at a big box store. Why? Because there is Etsy and our goal is to help you find the best shops on Etsy to make shopping easy and fun!

Our dorm room today was styled by Jillian of Jillian Rene Decor. What I just love about this room is that it's modern and colorful. Who wouldn't want to study in a space like this? I find that most people have trouble finding a starting point when decorating a space. A great tip to take from this room is to find a piece of art your really like and build your whole room around it's color palette. How easy is that?

Find all of our Dorm Room Picks on Pinterest.

Jillian's Dorm Must Haves:
1. French Barrette's | Loft Full of Goodies
2. Infinite Love Print | Louisest Art
3. Love Initials Art Print | Retro Menagerie
4. Chevron Pencil Box | Mmim
5. Aqua Necklace | Branch Bound
6. Pink Chevron iPhone case | Red Tile Studio
7. Cassette Tape Pillow Case | Classic by Nature
8. Vintage Set of Mugs | LoVintage Finds
9. Blue Yarn Bowl | Karo Art
10. Butterfly Clutch | Mama Bleu Designs
11. Thistle Wall Vase Set | Pig and Fish

Dorm Wars on Etsy | On Campus vs. Off Campus

Can you believe it's August? I can with our sweltering heat. August has never been my favorite month for two reasons.
1. In Texas, it's just plain HOT. The type of heat where the AC must be on and fans are a must have. Go outside and it's even hot before the sun comes up.
2. Back to School. It's been a few years since I have had to fill up my backpack and go and buy some used text books and I can't say I really miss it. If only Etsy had existed when I was college student!

I feel that I was pretty lucky back in my college days to have lived off campus. I started my college life in an apartment about a mile from campus and I never looked back.

For those living ON campus, Caroline from a Dark Ride shares her Dorm Style.
Basic Black + a Pop of Color

Whether you live on or off campus the key to making your new space work is making it feel like home. Etsy makes it easy to take your space and make it your own and on a student budget no less. Being stylish doesn't mean spending lots of money. Always invest in solid basics (couch, bed, dining table) and then have fun with your accent pieces and accessories.

Jenn of Palimpsestic takes us OFF campus to a studio apartment.
A hint of mid century elements + red, white and blue palette keep it fresh and inviting.

So who won this Dorm War? I think both options are great since they are budget friendly + transitional. Both of these designs can evolve with you as you hone your decor style. I can't stress enough how helpful Etsy + non-dialup internet would have been back when I was a freshman.
Remember the most important thing in design + decor is have fun!