It’s that time of year again. School has started and everyone is settling into his or her new dorm, apartment or house. The walls look bare, empty and boring when you first move in. Decorations and personal touches need to be added to spice it up and show that someone actually lives there. Decorating can get pretty expensive on a tight college budget with the posters, paintings, dry erase boards, corkboards and peel-and-stick decals. These things can add up, yet your place still needs to be filled with something. Luckily, there are plenty of do-it-yourself decor projects you can make with little money.
Melted Crayon Art
Melted crayon art has become extremely popular. To do this, get a canvas of any size at a craft store, pick out crayons and plug in a hairdryer. The colors you pick are totally up to you, as there are thousands of different options. First, take the paper wrappers off. Starting at a corner is usually easier, and then simply melt the crayons onto the canvas using the hairdryer. You can do any pattern you want, dripping from the top to the bottom, or just in different areas, letting the colors swirl together. No two crayon arts will look exactly the same, and it’s a great way to add color to your empty-looking room.
Dry-Erase Board
Nearly everyone uses a dry-erase board somewhere in their place. But that white board can look so boring and plain. There’s an easy and inexpensive fix to this. Get any size picture frame and scrapbooking paper the same size as the frame. Place the paper inside the frame and under the glass and you have yourself a stylish dry-erase board.
Magnetic Board
Buy a cheap, flat cookie sheet and enough fabric of your choosing to completely cover it. Cut the fabric slightly larger than the sheet. Use a spray-on adhesive or super glue to attach the fabric to the sheet. Pull the fabric tight and wrap it around to the back of the sheet and make sure it’s glued down well. Attach a ribbon to hang the board. And now you have a decorative and useful magnetic board.
Paint Chip Canvas Art
One last and nearly free decorating idea uses free paint color samples from home improvement stores. Pick out whatever colors fit into your scheme. Use a puncher in any shape to cut out your paint samples. You can poke a hole in them and thread string or ribbon through to make garland, or attach them to a canvas in any pattern to make an art piece for your wall. They liven up your room and are easy to make.
With DIY projects like these and other personal touches, your walls will no longer look dull. The space you are living in will be cute and make you feel right at home. After all, we spend a lot of time in our dorms, apartments and houses; we have to make them look good!
Even the simplest DIY can be hard to follow. Email Cassie at csterwald@wisc.edu with any questions on how to perfect your ideal dorm look.
