10 DIY Ways to Dress Up Bland Dorm Walls
Personalize those blank, white walls without breaking any rules.
As the calendar gets closer and closer to the first day of school, it’s time to dive into your dorm room decor planning. One of the biggest challenge to tackle? What to do with all the blank, white space on your walls.
I’ve rounded up 10 of my favorite dorm room wall DIYs to help you jazz up your space and make it feel more like a home.
1: Create Your Own Custom Tapestry
This is a fun option for any student who never leave home without their cameras. You can use any high-resolution photo to create your own large-scale piece of art. It’s the perfect solution to filling up space on your wall. Since you usually can’t use nails, you can hang it up with adhesive strips or hooks.
Try This: DENY Designs
2: Print an Instagram Poster
Social Print Studio
For Instagram addicts, consider creating a giant poster with all of your favorite Instagram shots. You can choose each photo to include, so you end up with a great piece of art that also reminds you of all of your friends and family.
Try This: Social Print Studio
3: Try Some Engineer Prints
Engineer prints are another fun option if you have a favorite photo or two that you’d like to blow up. These are black and white, newsprint-type posters that are created on large format printers. You can get these printed at your local Staples or Office Depot, or order them online and get them sent directly to your dorm.
Try This: Parabo Press
4: DIY Fiber Art
Woven wall hangings are still as trendy as ever, and this easy but impactful project from A Beautiful Mess would look gorgeous in any space. The great part about this project is that you can size it to fit the exact space you have to fill. It’s a simple project that comes out looking like you’re an undercover weaving superstar.
Make It: DIY Fiber Art via A Beautiful Mess
5: Shower Curtain Statement Art
A shower curtain is an inexpensive solution for a large, empty wall. You can follow the instructions in this project and create a "frame" for your shower curtain, or simply use scissors to cut a strip along the top (to eliminate the holes) and hang the curtain as if it were a tapestry.
6: String Art Design
Brian Patrick Flynn, Flynnsideout.com
Another simple project is to create a sign using string art. You could make a sign that features your name or pick out a phrase that means something special to you. Choose the colors of the string to coordinate with your dorm bedding, and you’ll end up with a unique piece of decor that coordinates perfectly with the rest of your space.
Make It: DIY String Art
7: Sequin Wall
Nicole Mlakar / nicolemlakar.com
While this project was originally intended as a photo booth backdrop, we think it would also look fab in a dorm room. This could be the perfect solution for anyone who loves a little extra sparkle or glam in their life. And because all the sequins are attached to a piece of poster board, you don’t have to worry about violating any of your school’s "dorm decor" policies.
8: Collected Autograph Work
Rustic White Photography
This DIY is a fun way to involve your friends and family in a meaningful way … by collecting their autographs. This almost feels like a visual representation of a yearbook. Another variation might be to set this up as a blank piece of art when you get to school and collect the signatures of everyone you meet throughout the year.
16 Easy DIY Wall Art Ideas
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9: Abstract Art
Eric Perry, 2014, Scripps Networks, LLC. All Rights Reserved
Creating your own piece of abstract art is another great project for anyone who’s feeling a bit more creative. And don’t feel limited by the idea that you don’t feel like an "artist;" anyone can take on this DIY. This is another great project that will also allow you specifically fill the space you have in your dorm by choosing the right sized canvas.
10: Washi Tape Wall Art
White Contemporary Dorm Room with Tape Decorated Door
Washi tape is used in a playful way to add a unique touch to this closet door in a white, contemporary dorm room.
Washi tape is truly the unsung workhorse of the crafting world. You can create so many types of wall art with it, and best of all, it doesn’t leave any marks when you remove it. This overlapping geometric design is super easy to recreate on a wall or a door with some coordinating washi. You can also use washi tape to hang various photos or pictures from magazines. You could even use washi to write a cool message on the wall or spell out your name.
Transform Your Space With Washi Tape
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20 Totally Removable Dorm Room Decor Ideas
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