Katelyn's Cute & Crafty Mizzou Dorm

Katelyn moved into her dorm at the University of Missouri-Columbia this past fall.  Since she used some of the design ideas found on The Lovely Side, she sent some photos of her space my way.  She was aiming for a "sophisticated, clean feel" for her dorm room, which is part of a 4-person suite with 3 other girls. They each get their own bedroom but share a bathroom area.

Since the dorm bed height was adjustable, Katelyn set it to the tallest height in order to store 2 three-drawer storage units underneath.  One of the 3-drawer units is plastic, while the other is a wooden one provided with the dorm.  The units store clothes, extra towels, extra sheets, and blankets.  Though the bed is twin-sized, Katelyn bought a full/queen size solid cream quilt so that excess fabric would hang down and hide some of the storage.  The solid-colored quilt continues the classic, clean, sophisticated feel Katelyn aimed for.  Plus, it's easy for her to dress up or down if her taste changes by switching out the throw pillows.

The colorful K art over Katelyn's bed is actually the popular crayon art you may recognize from all over Pinterest.  Katelyn liked the trend, but wanted to give it a personal touch so she used an oval canvas and drew a large, monogrammed K over the melted crayon streaks.  

Katelyn's dorm came outfitted with a permanent, immovable bulletin board covered in a tired, bland blue.  She dressed it up by pinning black lace around the edges.  She also tacked the leftover black lace to her cheap floor lamp.

Next to the mini fridge sits a small plastic box with a cushion on top.  the box is actually a storage locker with a tray in it.  Katelyn bought the striped cushion separately (it's an outdoor cushion with ties on the side) and tied it to the box.  she keeps plaits and food stuff in it since it's nearby the fridge and microwave.  Plus, it can double as seating.  The total price was a mere $30---$20 for the box and $10 for the cushion.  But to Katelyn, having a sturdy piece to use as both storage and seating for the next four years of college is priceless.

Katelyn crafted her own small earring holder with lace and a wooden ring you can find at any store that sells cross-stitching supplies. (Check Michael's, Hobby Lobby, or any other craft store.)  The wooden hoops are available in a variety of sizes, but Katelyn chose a small one for her small collection of earrings.  Just clamp the lace between the two pieces of the hoop and trim the backside.  It takes less than ten minutes and makes an adorable and functional piece of wall art for less than $10.  (You can paint the wooden hoop for a pop of color, too!)

Above is a photo of HOW Katelyn packed for college. To avoid breaking the bank in one weekend before going off to college, Katelyn spent most of her pre-college summer collecting what she would need.  She packed slowly and in an organized manner, labeling boxes and making sure to keep "like" things together.  Kitchen supplies got packed with kitchen supplies, school stuff with school stuff, etc.  This method made it possible for Katelyn to unpack in record time... under 30 minutes!

Since her microwave was old, Katelyn decided to give it a makeover with spray paint.  (Love this project!)

She used painter's tape to tape off a design, newspaper to cover what she didn't want to spray, and a spray paint intended for metal.  

 

She sprayed two coats of paint on the microwave, letting dry between coats, then peeled off the tape to reveal the revamp.

 And here's the finished makeover!  

 Thanks for sharing your dorm and do-it-yourself projects, Katelyn!  

 If you'd like to share photos of your dorm, apartment, or bedroom just send 'em my way via email at jessica@thelovelyside.com!