I have a son that just finished his freshman year of college so I am very close to this subject having just gone through it myself. There are so many details that I hadn’t thought of and I’d love to help make the process easier for you! if you’ve got a son going to college and you want to create a cozy home away from home, please keep reading. Most of the time it’s about the girls rooms, but our boys need all of the comforts of home too, right?

It is time to get ready for your student’s dorm or apartment living at college, yes now… below is a link for everything you will need to coordinate with this particular dorm room design in this blog.

Visit the Dorm Room Essentials 4 Boys List for ideas here, urlgeni.us/amazon/DormRoomEssentials4Boys 

I spent all last summer agonizing but excited to decorate my son’s first home away from home at college. He is a guy and really doesn’t care but I am an interior designer and that’s just what I do! It turned out perfectly for him and his roommate. I worked with his roommate’s mom who did her son’s side of the room and I brought in a rug with colors from both sides of the room to bring it all together. We lofted the bed for extra seating underneath and each bought a $30 baby papasan chair and matching storage ottoman for a hangout space. I found a really cool side table with lots of color to coordinate with the rug and bringing in any of the colors that the boys wanted to add in with their “second phase of design” once we parents left. We used his baseball caps using command strips on the wall in the seating area as well. One of the first and easiest wall “art” for boys is to hang a 3’x5’ flag, usually over the bed. Either your State, your favorite team, or your school. You can use any type of flag or tapestry you’d like. They are great for taking up a lot of wall space and adding interest and warmth. My son had a Tennessee State flag that was gifted to him at his graduation. To personalize the room I went on www.etsy.com and looked up his school name + art. There are some great things on that website with very talented artisans! I got the bottle cap epoxy side table from there as well as some license plate art and a personalized bottle opener for his frig. which he loved! I didn’t over do it with the art because they wanted to add their own finishing touches with posters to make it their own. The room turned out great! I know it’s not ‘high design’ but it didn’t need to be in this situation. Now, for girls in the south, that is a different story, which I will get into in another blog.

TV’s are very important for boys, especially for sports! You’ll have to keep in mind that you cannot use nails or screws in a dorm room so invest in a free-standing tv mounting bracket. A 32” TV is the perfect size for a dorm room. For wall decor, hooks, etc you’ll need all different kinds of Command strips!

Don’t forget the blackout drapery panels on a tension rod for those sleepy boys. I don’t think they opened them all year!

The things you don’t think of until you get there and start setting up are usually smaller items like desk accessories, picture frames, lamps, wipe board calendars, and most importantly bathroom essentials and first aid kits. Sharing a bathroom with 4 boys can be interesting, to say the least! I made sure everything was off the floor with shelving or a standing rack over the toilet, trash cans with lids, nonslip rugs, a lined shower curtain, and a shower caddy for 4, one shelf for each. I found some really fun wall art as well for the bathroom but it was too inappropriate for the parents, but boys will be boys, and will probably add it later.

If these aren’t your styles or colors, don’t worry, this was just my personal experience. Anything can be customized towards your boy’s school of choice, team of choice, or to their own individual interests by setting up an online meeting or to chat with me as your very own interior design consultant from anywhere in the U.S. For personal consultations for your kids dorm rooms or college apartments or even for some assistance with your own home, go to Services, scroll down to packages and choose a package for your needs. The first consultation is FREE!

Once complete, room as touted by he and his new buddies was the “best-decorated boys dorm room by far”! The work and thought that went into it paid off as well by becoming the popular room for all of their dorm mates. This is proof that good design whether it is in a dorm room or a castle serves well for gathering, and meeting new friends! It served them well their freshman year and I am so proud to have been a part of it. Of all of the huge houses, expensive rooms, and custom design work I’ve done throughout the years, this was the most fun and I think the boys appreciated it despite the many eye rolls during the process!

Anyway, after a well-used dorm room freshman year, and after adding their own ‘Finishing touches’ it has all been taken down to move into an apartment this fall with 3 of his friends. The apartment is furnished but not “Decorated” so we will need rugs, lamps, throw pillows, bedding, wall art and a fully stocked kitchen. I am in a group chat with the other 3 moms who have put me in charge of decorating the common areas. Living, dining, and kitchen. I am currently working on a wish list to sent to the other moms. I’ll share it with you here. Stay tuned!!!

Click the link for the “DormRoomEssentials4Boys” below. It will make your life so much easier and includes everything that is featured in this boys dorm room plus some other bedding and rug options I liked! Most everything on the shopping list comes in different colors and patterns so be sure to check those out at your One stop shop I’ve curated just for you boy moms!You can change the team names on the NFL featured products or take those off of your shopping cart list. All you’ll need to buy separately that is not on this list would be your son’s preferred toiletries and you are DONE!

Now, I am very aware that the boys rooms don’t even compare by a mile to the girls dorm rooms, especially in the southern schools and there are curated designs for the young ladies as well who, a lot of times, want everything to match, but that is for a different post. I’ve also had much experience working with girls from my client’s daughters to my own step daughter. I have helped her in and out of 3 places in college. Now she has graduated and is coming back to Nashville to get her nursing degree and a whole new apartment all to herself. We have a few finishing touches for her apartment then I will post photos and links on where to buy. I will be posting about the boys new apartment for fall as well as girls dorm rooms asap! Follow me and keep a look out for those!