Your university room serves many purposes – it’s a place to relax, study, and socialize. It’s also a blank canvas, quite literally. Looking to jazz up drab magnolia walls and classroom-esque furniture? If you want to decorate your uni room with some fresh student house decor 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 explore some simple ways to transform and decorate your uni room into a wonderland!

How to make a student room cosy

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 boy band 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 are some deposit-friendly student room decoration ideas.

1. Lively Patterned Bedding

Did you know that beds can be used to decorate a student bedroom? 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.

2. Use Lights to Create an Ambiance

Want to make your student room Instagram-worthy? Fancy lights are essential for a chic abode. You can get creative when adding lights to your uni room décor. From cute lightboxes to classy bedside lamps, adding light sources can refresh 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.

3. Printed Tapestry Wall Designs

Fabric wall designs are a convenient and classy way to decorate your uni 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 damage-free wall hangings.

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.

4. Expand Your Space With Mirrors

If you want to make your room feel more open and inviting, mirrors are the perfect solution. You can decorate a university dorm with mirrors of varying sizes to create the illusion of space. There are plenty of stylish freestanding mirrors that work beautifully without any need for fixing. A strategically placed mirror can transform a snug room into a spacious retreat, adding light and enhancing the overall ambience. Rich in function and style, mirrors reflect the room and make it appear airier. Once you’ve got a floor mirror, consider adding light sources (mentioned above) around the edging for a glamorous finish.

5. Rugs That Really Tie The Room Together

Rugs have a room-changing ability which brings crackling energy to bare space. When decorating your uni room, many neglect the biggest part of the room – the floor. Student room décor can be built from the floor up, with homely rugs contrasting 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 provides extra insulation to keep you toasty as you get off bed in the winter, making those 9 am lectures a bit more palatable.

6. Create a Botanical Wonderland

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.

7. Add a Statement Doormat

Touches of your personality don’t have to be confined to your bedroom. A statement doormat placed just outside your door will welcome visitors and add a breath of fresh air to your halls. You can even find mats that remind you to grab your keys or turn off your straighteners, combining style with practicality.

8. Personalised Pin Boards

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 corkboard without damaging the wall, I hear you ask? Consider this a spoiler alert for the next point…

9. Printed Tapestry Wall Designs

Fabric wall designs are a convenient and classy way to decorate a student room. Tapestry wall hangings, with their rich textures and vibrant colors, can instantly transform the look of your space. If you’re tired of the same four walls, adding a tapestry will create a dynamic and engaging atmosphere.

For a bold statement, choose a heavy tapestry that adds a spark of life and colour to your room. If you prefer a more subtle look, opt for muted designs that blend seamlessly into the existing decor. The versatility of tapestries allows you to personalize your space without compromising on style or risking your deposit. When it’s time to leave your accommodation, simply detach the tapestry and stow it away.

How to Hang Things on Uni Walls

Personalising your university room can make it feel like home, but finding ways to hang things without damaging the walls can be a challenge. Here are some creative and practical solutions to help you decorate your space while keeping your deposit safe.

10. 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.

How Do I Keep My Uni Room Tidy?

 11. 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.

12. Clean as You Go

Develop the habit of cleaning up after yourself straightaway. Whether it’s emptying your bin or putting away clothes, tackling tasks promptly prevents mess from building up.

13. Organise Your  Jewellery With a Holder

Having a jewellery holder is a great way to keep your jewellery decluttered and untangled. Its also a decorative piece that displays your rings, necklaces, earrings – adding a touch of personality to your space.

14. Create a routine

Set time aside each day to make your bed and tidy your desk. This will keep your student room a welcoming place that you’ll look forward to returning to.

There are a plethora of ways to spruce up a student room without losing your deposit. If you want more ideas on how to spruce up your uni room, check out designs for saving space.

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.