Tour these designer dorms at Villanova, Temple, and West Chester
Peek inside these small spaces with distinct themes: red-and-cheetah, “early 2000s,” and coastal-living. And get tips on how these students pulled it off.
The school year is officially underway at dozens of Pennsylvania and New Jersey colleges.
And if you haven’t been inside a dorm in a decade or more, many of the rooms may look very different from ones that you lived in, helped someone move into, or visited.
A growing number of Gen Z college students are carefully curating these tiny spaces. They spend months soaking up inspiration from TikTok and Pinterest, brainstorming with soon-to-be roommates, and shopping for must-have items, such as stylish headboards, chic “fridge bridges,” and ottomans that perfectly match their plush bedding.
While this trend is more pronounced in other parts of the country, particularly in the South, The Inquirer recently found that Philly-area college students are also crafting designer digs for hundreds or thousands of dollars.
» READ MORE: What TikTok-worthy designer dorms look like at Pa. schools from Philly to State College
These local students and their parents say it’s not just done to impress new classmates or show off on social media. It’s about making the college transition as comfortable as possible, in all senses, they say, and using the dorm-design experience as a parent-child bonding opportunity before a bittersweet goodbye.
Villanova University sophomore Vanessa Joseph said her meticulously designed room has become a kind of sanctuary on campus.
“I’m not at home,” said Joseph, who is from North Jersey, “but this is somewhere I feel safe.”
Following The Inquirer’s earlier report, more local students and parents reached out to share their unique dorm designs, and how they pulled off the look. Here’s a peek into their on-campus homes.
A Villanova dorm with ‘eye-catching’ colors
Top tips:
Know you can design on a budget. Said Joseph, “Our main goal was: How can we get this look without spending that much money?”
After freshman year, recycle items from prior dorm rooms.
Look at what other students are putting on the curb at the end of the year and pick up used but good-quality decor.
Save money in advance. Both roommates work two jobs and put some of their earnings toward room upgrades.
A coastal-themed West Chester dorm
@reesedennison_ YAYA dorm🔥🔥🔥
♬ original sound -
Top tips:
Keep the dorm as simple as possible to avoid clutter.
Start planning early. Christine said this ensured Reese had everything she would need and helped spread out the spending.
Save on some things; splurge on others. They bought a micro-fridge off Facebook Marketplace, for example, and painted it to match the color scheme. They splurged on a $400 mattress pad, which Reese said makes her dorm bed the most comfortable she’s ever slept in.
Bring in extra dressers for more storage space and more aesthetically cohesive design.
A Temple dorm with ‘early 2000s’ vibes
Top tips:
Stay true to your own style: Searching for inspiration online, “I didn’t really see anything that spoke to me. A lot of the dorm rooms looked the same.”
Start shopping early, so items aren’t sold out or marked up.
Don’t be scared of secondhand: “I got a lot of things from the side of the road and refurbished.”
Go to thrift stores and discount retailers (her favorite is Burlington).
Invest in XL move-in bags to help with transport.