The Lovely Side

We all know that dorms aren't the prettiest spaces to live in.  College budgets can't afford a Gossip Girl wardrobe.  Our cooking skills pale in comparison to Rachel Ray.  And communal bathrooms are associated with harrowing experiences.  Lovely Undergrad is all about making college lovely. Whether it's diy solutions to decorating your dorm or apartment or putting together Blair Waldorf-esque ensembles using sale scores and thrift store finds.  From learning to cook simple, healthy meals to making the communal bathroom as un-terrifying as possible...

How do you make your college life lovely?  Lovely Undergrad wants to know and wants to feature Lovely Undergrads all over the nation (and world!) to showcase all the loveliness that's out there in colleges and to give hope to all the students struggling to find loveliness in their college lives.

So whatever is your lovely niche (decor, fashion, food, entertainment, beauty, health, you-name-it)... tell LU what makes YOU a L…

Welcome to Mari's beautiful Tokyo apartment.  With 750 square feet and being unable to paint, Marie turned the space into a lovely, organized haven decorated in beachy white and neutrals. 



A cute blue chair sits in the foyer as a place to keep Mari's eco-friendly bag and the shoes she and her husband wear every day.



Isn't this space calm and inviting?  I envy Mari's superb organizational skills.  There's so much crisp white in the apartment, but the natural materials and vintage accents make it cozy and comfortable.



This is Mari's "Ultimate Geek Nook," where her husband spends much of his time. 




Here's where those enviable organizational skills come front and center.  Baskets, boxes, you-name-it.  I want one of these shelving units sooooo bad.



I think this is such a lovely vignette---the turquoise bottle, the glass jar, the vintage clock, the stack of books and that adorable airplane.  Her cat is quite cute, too. :)  Marie has two golden rules for …

Garrett Murray, an award-winning film-maker and award-winning iOS designer/developer, also has great taste when it comes to decorating his small space.  I came across his apartment on Flickr and although these are photos of his office space, I think they could be very inspiring for college students living in a single dorm or studio apartment.  Pictured above is the sitting area.  The couch (similar to a futon, but more stylish) folds down into a bed for guests. 



And the Toto Cube Lamp also serves as a table.  Doesn't it give off great ambience in the dark?  Ideas to borrow:  1. Invest in a convertable couch rather than a futon.  It's more stylish and more grown-up, so it will transition easier into your post-college apartment.  2. Buy things that serve double-duty, such as a table that also gives off light.  3.  Hang your artwork/prints in unique ways.  The way Garrett displays his posters is as visually interesting as the posters themselves. 



This Herman Miller bench offers f…

It's a dreary, wintry day here in Iowa.  O Spring, why must you be such a tease?  I came across this gorgeous, pink-infused space and fell in love.  Luz Vasconcelos' Portugal home is so warm and rich that I simply must share it with you on this cold afternoon. 



I love the distressed cupboard in the background---it has so much character.  And its shelves are painted turquoise!  The table looks so inviting with its mix of pattern and color.  



Ah! Look at that pink!  Soo pretty.



Luz has a way with mixing florals, colors and patterns effortlessly.  And I'm extremely jealous of the small card catalog she uses as a nightstand.  



 This cozy corner takes a break from the hot pink by incorporating deep blue, rich purple and buttery yellow.



Floral patterns + stacks of books + antique fireplace = decorgasm.



You know by now that damask absolutely brings me to my knees.  Gorgeous.



Definitely going to have to borrow this idea of storing/displaying books in an old suitcase.
Luz ha…

Hey lovelies,

Just wanted to let you know about a new blog in the blogosphere.  Tyler Clarey is a graduate Interior Design student at Iowa State University.  I interviewed him and toured his apartment for my article in Trend, an on-campus fashion magazine.  After the issue's release, I'll be sharing photos of his fantastic space here on Lovely Undergrad.  For now, you should head over and check out his new blog The Refined Graduate: A Guide to Living the Graduate Life in Style.  There's lot of design eye candy and inspiring photos for you to enjoy.

Have a dorm decor dilemma or rental revamp request?  Need a small space solution for your place?  Lovely Undergrad is here to help out!  Due to a large influx of readers requesting decor tips for their personal space, LU is starting a new feature that allows you to get advice personalized for your dwelling.  Please send all photos and advice requests to [email protected].  Photos of your space will be featured on the blog along with creative, budget-friendly ideas for a lovely transformation.  Be sure to include your name, school, information about you, budget, decor likes and dislikes, restrictions (such as not being able to paint or hang things on the walls) and anything else relevant to your place.  If you have sent photos in the past, please re-send them to [email protected] so that your space can be addressed. After transforming your space, feel free to send "after" photos so that I can feature them on the blog, too!
I'm super excited about this new aspect of LU …

Laelia Quilt - Anthropologie
It's springtime and flowers are popping up everywhere---but floral patterns seem to be especially on trend this year.  Everywhere I look I see flowery dresses, blouses, shoes, purses, notebooks, dinnerware and, of course... bedding!  I love floral bedding.  So here's a round-up of some of my favorite options out there right now.

 Sunbird Sheet Set - Anthropologie


Woodland Organic Duvet Cover & Sham - Pottery Barn


Meadow Floral Duvet Cover & Pillowcase - Pottery Barn Teen


Antique Floral Duvet Cover - Urban Outfitters
Vintage Scarf Reversible Duvet Cover - Urban Outfitters
If I could have any of these, I would undoubtedly go with Anthropologie's Laelia Quilt because it's just so goshdarn lovely.  What about you?

 (image via: here.) Hey Lovelies!
It's been over two weeks since the last post and I apologize!  School and life got crazy!  Midterms, a breakup, work and a few other personal things made it necessary for Lovely Undergrad to go on a sudden, much-needed "Spring Break" of sorts for the past few weeks.  But have no fear!  There are lovely, springy things to come.  :)  
What's your favorite thing about Spring?

Here's a little inspiration for those of you are into something a bit more stark, masculine or MidCenturn Modern than the (colorful, florally, eclectic) rooms I usually feature.  There's just something about the quiet handsomeness of this space that appeals to me. 



I love lamp.  I really do.  Especially this one.  I love the contrast of the rough vintage crate and the sleek modern table.



There's a mannequin in the corner!



Here's a shot of the living room. 
Old cameras and photography books are displayed tastefully.
And the hallway is just lovely.
Check out more photos of this home in The Vintage Cabin photostream on Flickr.  (All photos in this post belong to The Vintage Cabin.)  Check out the Etsy store here.