Dungeon Dorm Room... Literally

(above image from: ZoeK3000)

Caves. Dungeons. Prisons. ...All too often dorm rooms are referred to under those terms. Yeah, cinder-block isn't all that cozy. Yeah, tile is awfully cold under your bare feet. Yeah, windows are often too small to let in the sun's lovely rays.

But get a load outta the dorm room! It's very reminiscent of a castle chamber, don't you think? This is a real dorm, but not of the American variety. It's actually a dorm in Turkey. But it may have some of you feeling suddenly grateful for your smooth cinder-block, chilly floors, and narrow windows. This place literally feels like a dungeon.

Even with its stone walls/floor/ceiling and lack of windows, I still think this "cave room" has some potential. Layering some oriental rugs on the floor, draping colorful tapestries over the walls, and bringing in some furniture with ornate flair could turn this drab dungeon into a chamber fit for a lady-in-waiting.

Or a big, black coffin, some bats, and velvet curtains could transform it into a swanky vampire's abode, no?

Happy Halloween!

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Bookshelf Headboard

organized bookshelf
Originally uploaded by peachheights

This is a fantastic small-space solution for both dorms and apartments. The bookcase doubles as a headboard. It adds not only floorspace, but also some visual interest to the room. While all-white makes a fresh statement in this room, I'm sure using wood tones and colors would work, too. What would make it even better? A bedside table with a lamp or a clip-on lamp that attaches to one of the shelves would really transform this into an ideal reading nook. :)

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A Wordly Study Space

(above image from: serdar123)

Take a cue from this real dorm room and add some Old World charm to your workspace by displaying a world map above your desk. The more vintage, antique, rumpled, pirate-y the map...the better!

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Awol in the Fall...

Oh, dear. It really has been too long since I've been here at the blog. You see, school has got me quite bogged down. Midterms swooped in and nearly knocked me off my feet. And now I have psychology projects, Latin tests, lots of literature reading, and a big research paper... not the mention the looming finals that occur shortly into December.

I have more photos of apartments, dorms, and small space solutions than I know what to do with. I promise, however, that I'll strive to get them posted up so that you can have some wonderful autumn inspiration for your student space.

Also, I switched dorm rooms! Yes, I gave up the large corner room with four windows for a long, narrow, smaller room with one large 9-ft window! It was quite the adjustment concerning size, and quite the challenge to fit all of my stuff in there. But, the room comes with a huge closet instead of those bulky armoires. The closet, window, and view make it worth the compromise of space. And it's quite cozier considering the windows don't have drafts. :)

I'm slightly cringing at the thought of November. With classes, homework, Thanksgiving, books to read, and a 50,000-word novel to write (NaNoWriMo)...it's going to be one hectic month of all-nighters, delicious food, reading on the bus (because it's the only time I have time) and literary abandon! Even though I'd really like a part-time job right now, I suppose this is a good month to be thankful that I don't have that to add onto my plate.

I apologize for neglecting the blog(s). As much as I like to dilly-dally around here, I must force myself to remember that there are other more important things that come first: like my education. So while I'm oh-so-very tempted to spend more time than I should blogging away, I must go now and do laundry. (Because clean clothes come before blogging, too.)

Soonly.

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Henry Link in the Dorm

(above image: Jackson Hall from Emmanuel College's Flickr photostream)

I couldn't find an exact date for the above vintage dorm room. Judging by some of the decor I'd guess maybe late sixties through the seventies? (If you have a better guess, let me know!) What I love about it is that cream-colored French provincial desk. My bedroom back home is outfitted in furniture by the same company, which is either Henry Link or Dixie (the companies were related). I wish I had a desk like that in my room here at school!

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Green Spare Time | Green Week #7

(above image from Project Green Dorm)

Here are some ways to pass the time (in an eco-friendly way) from Project Green Dorm at Teens Turning Green.

Go for a walk or take a nice, long bike ride!

Go to the Farmers' Market!

Have a picnic!

Go shopping at vintage/antique/thrift stores!

DIY something! Or paint something using no-voc paint!

Read, write, or journal!

Go take care of Mother Nature!

For more ideas and ways to go green, check out Teens Turning Green and Project Green Dorm. I hope these past seven posts inspired you to make some eco-friendly changes in your life. :)

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Green Bath&Beauty; | Green Week #6

(above image from Project Green Dorm)

So how can you go green when it comes to bath, body, and cosmetics? Well, according to Teens
Turning Green, it's easy. It's all about being an informed consumer. Know healthy ingredients from the bad ones. Notice recyclable packaging. And follow these tips from Project Green Dorm:

• Read the Teens Turning Green Dirty Thirty. It's a downloadable list features the key thirty synthetic chemicals to stay away from and gives you safe, eco-friendly alternatives.
• Go to cosmeticsdatabase.com to check into the beauty products you use on a regular basis.
  
• Find and be loyal to companies that offer safe, organic products. You can trust these guys.
• DIY your beauty by looking up homemade recipes for beauty products. (This makes for a rad girls' nite.)

So...what's my favorite line of green beauty products?

(above image from Burt's Bees)

I am a devotee of Burt's Bees. I tried their little tin of lip balm back in the eleventh grade and was instantly hooked. It goes on so smooth and the minty taste is seriously addictive. Oh, and they have this fabulous lip gloss now that adds shimmery shine to your lips while conditioning them and being anything but sticky. While I'm a fanatic of Burt's Bees lip products, they also offer many other products for your skin, face, and hair. And it all smells and feels soooo good!

A little bit more about Burt and his bees:

Your well-being is affected every single day by the personal care products you use. Our goal is to create and educate people on truly natural products that have a positive effect on both you and the world you live in for the good of your well-being, for the good of the environment and for The Greater Good. Simply put, we strive to make people's lives better every day — naturally.
(From the "About Us" section of BurtsBees.com)

Natural. Eco-friendly. Aannnd simply amazing products.

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Green Style Tips | Green Week #5

Here are 4 fabulous fashion tips from the folks at Project Green Dorm:

"
#1 Reuse, Recyle, Repurpose, Swap or Donate. The average American throws away about 68 pounds of clothing and textiles per year. Even turn old clothing into rags or into something completely eco fabulous with a needle and thread.

#2 Buy Organic! Conventional cotton uses more chemical insecticides than any other single crop, representing 25% of the world's insecticide use and 10% of the world's pesticide use(Pesticide Action Network North America).

#3 Especially buy organic cotton t’s - One-third of a pound of synthetic fertilizers and chemicals is required to produce enough cotton for one tee (The Sustainable Cotton Project).

#4 Don’t toss the old shirt! Textiles account for nearly four million tons of solid waste every year, or four percent of the content of our landfills. Donate it to charity, turn it into a rag, or use a needle and thread (or sewing machine) to turn it into something completely eco-fabulous.

"
(from Project Green Dorm: Green Closet: Tips)

So remember. Donate what you don't wear. Purchase your new clothes from places like thrift stores, vintage shops, and Etsy. Altar things you love that need a little make-over. And when you do buy brand-new stuff, buy organic. ;)

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Eco-Conscious School Supplies | Green Week #4

Project Green Dorm has loads of green school supplies and features several great vendors. However, I was smitten most with Ecojot. Ecojot products are 100% recycled paper and made in Canada. But the real reason they won me over? The adorable prints on their products!

Snazzy Calendars

Festive Gift Wrap

Cute Journals

Lovely Folders

Sweet Dayplanners

It's never too late to buy more school supplies! ;) Click here to see more.

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P.S. I realize that this Wednesday post is technically posting on a Thursday, but I accidentally messed up when the post was "scheduled" to appear on the blog. Oopsie.

!@#$

I recently shared with you a photo of the dorm building next to me with its top unoccupied floors spelling out "ISU" in lights. Well, waaaay back in 1973 at Cornell University, freshman in Mary Donlon Hall spelled out something a little different. Because I try not to use naughty words and don't really want to showcase them on my blog, I'll just link the photo. Click here to see the work of those angsty Cornell freshies. (Maybe it was finals week?)

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