Going off to college is probably one of the most exciting feelings ever. It’s a ton of work and involves all the adult things, sure. But you’re entering a new, independent stage in your life with the freedom to do pretty much anything you please.
Stay up until the crack of dawn, partying with your new besties? Check. Eat mac and cheese with a side of rocky road ice cream for lunch? Uh, chyeah. Wear a robe and slippers ‘til 3 p.m. every Saturday? Count us in.
Lastly, and perhaps most excitingly, college is a time when you’re finally able to create a super awesome space that’s all your own. That’s right, it’s time to kiss that Justin Bieber poster in your childhood bedroom goodbye or say sayonara to your younger brother you shared a room with all your life.
Instead, say hello to…linoleum tile and cinder-block walls?
Okay, so college dorm rooms aren’t always the epitome of elegance. In fact, they’re usually pretty blah and small, cramming in a teeny twin-size bed and a standard oak desk with matching chair (double all of those things when you have a roommate). Even after hanging pretty drapery or adding some funky wall art, you’re still left with the same old ho-hum space.
However, with a little creativity (and maybe a little help from your parents) you can actually create the dorm room of your dreams—and for a reasonable price to boot. That’s just what Adeline Vela and Skylar Bantz, two freshmen roommates at Texas Southern University, did.
The two only recently met this year, but in just a short amount of time have put their heads together to create a dorm room that would have even the chicest of interior designers raging with jealousy.
Having a living space you’re proud of and enjoy being in can actually make you happier, and even more productive when it comes to studying. The girls clicked right off the bat and really wanted something that was inviting while staying true to their personalities.
The craziest thing? These ladies didn’t even need a hefty budget to do it (though the end result certainly looks high end). A few trips to IKEA, Target, and Bed Bath and Beyond and some clicks on Amazon later, the final total only came to $500 each. (Fortunately for the roommates, the parents were happy to split the bill. Happy college to them!)
While the renovation didn’t cost a ton of money, it did take a lot of work—the help of seven people to be exact, who turned the dorm room around in just about 20 hours.
And the makeover? It’s unreal. We’re talking about a dorm room that’s 50+ years old and just 16-by-16 feet in total being revamped into a total Pinterest-worthy phenomenon. Even homeowners could learn a thing or two from these first-year undergrads.
Besides new desk chairs and a full-on DIY entertainment system, the roommates even thought to upgrade their walls and desks with peel-and-stick wallpaper—faux brick for the walls and marble for the desks.
You’ve really got to see it to believe it. Check out the video below to see the final transformation!