Moving into a dorm is a big transition for college kids. You’re living with someone you’re not related to and in a much smaller space.
Adeline Vela and Skylar Bantz’s door room resembled more of a prison cell than a home away from home.
Their room at Texas State University was located in a 50-year-old residence hall nicknamed “Scary Sterry” and was a 16-by-16 foot space with dingy cinderblock walls, linoleum floors, and dim lighting.
But with much planning and a $2,400 budget, they transformed it into a stunningly chic and bright space. The 18-year-olds became friends in a Facebook chat and decided they would be roommates, according to Cosmopolitan.
“We both had a similar style so we decided to focus first on a color scheme and go from there, Bantz told Teen Vogue. “We wanted something that was inviting, simple, but still elegant and comfortable.”
So, the girls and their families spent the summer coordinating, choosing colors, and buying furniture from Bed Bath & Beyond, IKEA, Target, and Amazon.
When it was time for move-in day they enlisted a group of six or seven friends and family members to help make over their door room. They spent about 10 to 20 hours cleaning the room, moving the new stuff in and decorating.
They used some peel-and-stick, fire-retardant wallpaper to create a faux brick wall that made the room appear larger and some contact paper to give their desks a marbled look.
To maximize their tiny space, they used bed risers to create loft-style beds with customized pillow headboards.
This added about four feet of extra space on either side of the room which they used to store white dressers, a mini fridge, a TV, printer, and coffee station, according to Business Insider.
“Another thing that was super important was good lighting. We purchased lots of extra lighting to update the room [and make it] feel as homey as possible,” Bantz’s mom, Sheila Ybarra, a corporate decorator said.
They chose dusty rose, white, and gray colors in their decor, while Bantz accented her side of the room in silver and Vela in gold to inject some individualism into the design.
They also got some really cool customized acrylic monogrammed desk chairs.
“We just wanted to showcase our personalities and we wanted it to be a home away from home,” Bantz told Teen Vogue. “I just wanted it to be a space that was inviting. We wanted it to be our space.”
Their dorm makeover went viral after pictures of the transformation were posted online. Their story has been featured in several national news outlets.
They have definitely changed the game when it comes to dorm room decorating. You can check out Bantz’s YouTube video on her dorm room purchases below.
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