Your university room is so many things – a place to relax, a place to study, a place to socialise. It’s also a blank canvas, in a quite literal sense. Looking to jazz up drab magnolia walls and classroom-esque furniture with some fresh uni room décor ideas? These simple room decorations for students are stylish, fun, and, more importantly, abide by the rules. If you’re planning on moving into student accommodation, there will be restrictions on what you can do to your room. Here we look at some simple ways to make your student room a wonderland!

Decorating Your Student Room

Decorating your new student room turns it into a cosy home packed with personality. Whether you want to create arty designs or simply hang up your old boyband posters (no judgement here), there are affordable and easy ways to make your student room hit the right notes.

Before you go wild painting walls and drilling holes, there’s the small matter of your deposit to consider. Accommodation providers take a dim view on damage, which could cost you your housing deposit. Fear not – you can still create the room of your dreams without it becoming a landlord’s nightmare. Without further ado, here’s some deposit-friendly student room decoration ideas.

1. Personalised Pin Boards

pinboard istudent decor

Bring a little bit of home to your new digs with this classic uni halls decoration. Large pin boards are a great way to keep your friends and family nearby as you settle in. Simply print off your favourite snaps and create a collage of memories with your nearest and dearest. Not only will a cork board add a personal touch and stave off any home sicknesses, it’ll also bring a quirky and colourful dimension to your space.

The beauty of this uni bedroom decoration is that it’s fully customisable. This means pictures with your new pals from fresher’s week and beyond can be added to the collection. How do you hang a cork board without damaging the wall, I hear you ask? Consider this a spoiler alert for the next point…

2. Damage-Free Wall Hanging Strips

Wave goodbye to bare walls and blu tac – hanging strips allow you to decorate walls without incurring the wrath of your landlord. The strips are discreet and will hold photo frames, canvases, and notice boards in place to create a homely and sophisticated look. With these innovative strips, it’s now possible to rejuvenate a sterile, lifeless wall with stylish art and graphics. Hanging pictures was once a sure-fire way to throw away your deposit. Now, you can decorate student room walls without leaving a mark.

As an alternative, Washi Tape can also be used to hang up posters and pictures without risking your deposit. More visible than hanging strips, the glitzy tape can be used in many innovative ways to create colourful student room wall designs. Whichever option is more your speed, your deposit is safe and sound when you use a damage-free wall hanging solution for your decorations.

3. Lively Patterned Bedding

bright bedding for decor

Did you know that beds can be used to decorate a student bedroom? Well, now you do. Bedding comes in all manner of cheerful designs with patterns to suit all tastes. Your bed eats up a fair amount of floor space, particularly in luxury studio apartments. Topping it off with the right bedding can form a vibrant centrepiece which brightens up the room. Good quality bedding needn’t cost a fortune, either, making it an ideal money-saving decoration idea for students. Pretty throws also add an extra layer, particularly when their colours contrast that of the bedding. For a clean yet energetic look, clash neutral bedding with a throw which bursts with colour.

4. Lights, Lights, And More Lights

fairy lights in student room

Want to make your student room Instagram-worthy? Fancy lights are an essential for a chic abode. You can really get creative when adding lights to your uni room décor. From cute lightboxes to classy bedside lamps, adding light sources can freshen up a room and create a relaxing ambience. Lights are a subtle way to add a homely vibe to a dark, uninviting room. If you’re looking for warmth, decorative lighting is a great way to make a student room cosier.

Fairy lights have also become trendy for student rooms in recent years. Decorating clips can be used to strategically scatter strings of fairy lights without compromising your tenancy agreement. To stay within the rules, steer clear of candles. As an alternative, electric tea lights retain the effect while protecting your deposit.

5. Printed Tapestry Wall Designs

Fabric wall designs are a convenient and classy way to decorate a student room. Due to their fabric design, tapestry wall hangings soften the space with rich texture and colour. If you’re tired of the same four walls, adding a tapestry will instantly create a look that’s packed with flavour. Of course, just remember to use the damage free wall hangings from point 2!

Available in fierce patterns and various materials, this bold design can also be hung up with strips or clips, thus keeping you in the good graces of the landlord. Heavy wall tapestries inject a spark of life and colour, while more muted designs blend seamlessly into the room. When the time comes to leave your accommodation, tapestries can be detached in an instant and stowed away. Simple and effective.

6. Make The Room Bigger With Mirrors

If your room is feeling a little stuffy and claustrophobic, mirrors are the way to go. You can decorate a university dorm with mirrors of varying sizes to create the illusion of space. There are plenty of stylish freestanding mirrors which will do the trick without any fixing. A strategically placed mirror can make a poky room feel like a spacious apartment, creating added light and widening the space. Rich in function and style, utilising mirrors will reflect the room and make it appear airier. Once you’ve got a floor mirror in place, why not top it off with light sources around the edging for a glamorous finish.

7. Rugs That Really Tie The Room Together

If it’s good enough for The Dude it’s good enough for us. Rugs have a room-changing ability which brings crackling energy to bare space. When it comes to decorating a student room, many neglect the biggest part of the room – the floor. Student room décor can be built from the floor up, with homely rugs which contrast with cold tile flooring. Set the tone with a soft, vibrant rug to add texture. Sheepskin rugs are a student-friendly option as they’re inexpensive and easy to maintain. The underfoot warmth of rugs also provide extra insulation to keep you toasty as you get of bed in the winter, making those 9am lectures that bit more palatable.

8. Create A Botanical Wonderland

house plants in student halls

Is any uni room really complete without a few houseplants? Harness the power of nature to liven up your décor with a welcome splash of rich green colours. Using plants for student room decorating has benefits which outweigh their aesthetic appeal. Being around plants is known to reduce stress and anger, creating a cooling atmosphere ready for the intensity of exam season. If you’re a night owl, the fresh oxygen they provide can also aid in feeling fresh when you’ve had one too many.

Becoming a plant-parent is, of course, a commitment. If you don’t have the time (or, let’s be honest, you keep forgetting) to keep them watered, cacti, spider plants, and aloe vera are the most low maintenance house plants. For all the luscious vibrancy without the effort, fake plants are also a great way to add a natural-looking undertone to your uni room decorations.

9. Stylish Storage Solutions

Gone a bit overboard when packing for university? Even if your new rooms in-built storage doesn’t suffice, there’s an array of jazzy storage options which are both functional and charming. From colourful storage boxes to small clothes rails, you can decorate your student housing while increasing storage space with various self-standing solutions.

Inexpensive and inconspicuous, hooks and organisers control clutter, providing breathing space and room for your other décor to flourish. Over the door folding storage and stackable shelves maximise space in student accommodation with insufficient storage.

There are a plethora of ways to spruce up a student room without losing your deposit. For homely student halls with a wide range of amenities, check out our London student accommodation Zone 1. If you have any queries or want to arrange a virtual viewing, please don’t hesitate to contact us for further information.