Cheer up this Blue Bedding | Decor Questions

Shelby (@sschoensee) tweeted at Lovely Undergrad, asking: 

"@LovelyUndergrad...Any ideas on how to make a dorm room with blue bedding (rosette from anthro in new blue) more cheerful?"

Soo... since I'm always up for a decor challenge and up late drinking coffee anyway, I zoomed over to Anthropologie to check out how they decked the rosette quilt. I swooned at the bedding in all itsbillowy, blue glory!  (Shelby, I'm overwhelming envious of you right now! Haha.)

Anthropologie styled the bedding on a charcoal-colored, modern four-poster bed.  The room has concrete floors and is painted a cool bluish (almost periwinkle) gray. It's a moody, romantic room... but a little on the gloomy side for a dorm room.

I instantly had an idea for brightening it up...

Two words: primary colors! By bringing in bold gold and eye-popping cherry, the blue hue of the bedding becomes more vibrant and less gloomy.  So, Shelby, here's my guide to bringing my moodboard's look into your dorm room.

Color Scheme: 

Royal blue. Cherry red. Mustard yellow.

Furniture: 

You're probably stuck with a bunch of plain, dorm-provided furniture.  You'll want to work with what you have as much as possible.  However, if you can, bring in two painted pieces of furniture... both being hand-me-downs or thrift-store-finds.  Paint a  nightstand a bright golden yellow.  Pick a small, simple one so that you can easily bring it into your dorm without overcrowding.  For the second piece, swap out your desk chair for a metal or wooden chair.  Paint the chair a bold red hue.

Floor & Windows:

An easy way to bring texture and pattern into your room is via the rug and curtains.  For both, select products with a neutral background... like a creamy white or latte beige.  These can be simple solids, but if you want more personality... bring on the pattern!  In my moodboard, floral-printed curtains tie together the three colors of the room, all against an antique ivory background.  The rug is a warm beige that features a fun Moroccan pattern with hints of blue and red.

Accessories:

To dress up the bed, add a couple throw pillows.  Pick one that features a pretty pattern, and another that is solid to balance it out.  In my moodboard, I chose a yellow pillow with a blue toile-like pattern and a solid red pillow.  Keep larger accessories neutral.  I love the idea of bringing in some light brown vintage suitcases for extra storage and added vintage character.  Go for artwork that is comprised of mostly neutral patterns---typographic art or quotes are ideal since they'll bring something new to the table without overwhelming the room with additional pattern.  Throughout the rest of the room, disperse more yellow, blue, and red using smaller accessories.  Try to do so equally.  For example, when you add a blue lamp base, opt for a yellow desk lamp and then hang a red clock.

I hope you find my moodboard inspiring!  Let me know how your dorm decorating goes---(I'd love to see pics when you're finished, of course!)

Have a decorating question for Lovely Undergrad?  Tweet at LU like Shelby did, send it in an email, or post it on the Lovely Undergrad Facebook wall.  Hope to hear from you soon!