The younger generation of college students are flipping their dorm rooms from drab to fab to help them feel more relaxed and promote better scholarly habits.
Starting college is an exciting but overwhelming experience, especially for students adjusting to life away from home. To ease this transition, parents are increasingly hiring interior designers to create dorm room spaces that would make even Elle Woods jealous.
Previous generations went to college with a few posters, a big box store bedding set, and a lamp. But we now know that a well-designed dorm room can enhance focus and calm while and promoting scholarly pursuits. After all, they are going to college to learn.
Designing a dorm can be a blank space and opportunity to truly imprint a student’s style onto a space. However, most universities restrict what can be installed or hung on dorm room walls no nails or screws allowed, no additional lighting that could cause fires and even various furniture restrictions. These typically limit the creativity and functionality a student can introduce into their designs.
Creative solutions allow aesthetics, vibe, functionality and well-being to exist together. Peel-and-stick wallpaper, removable hooks and multifunctional furniture add personal touches that can leave with the student at the end of term. Just because students will have to pack it all up doesn’t mean their dorm room shouldn’t feel like home.
Seamless Transition Between Indoors and Outdoors
Higher-quality furnishings outfitted with more resilient upholstery enables integrated designs from inside to outside. In fact, outdoor living spaces have become part of the overall building and renovation plans.
“Our clients want to live outside,” said Williams. “Now, on new construction, we're seeing as much emphasis put on a new sunroom, patio and covered porch as there is on the inside of the house.”
Designers are searching for casual furniture that matches the functionality and design qualities of indoor home furnishings. Pieces like modular sofas or kitchen islands are making their ways to outdoor spaces.
“The furniture is interchangeable; it doesn’t matter if it’s indoors or outdoors anymore, just as long as it looks pretty,” explained Williams.
As outdoor living expands and demands evolve, so too does the casual furnishings industry. Homeowners and commercial venues are seizing the chances to maximize their real estate, and designers are finding inventive ways to breathe new life into casual living spaces year-round.
Casual furnishing designers and retailers can source a wealth of product inside AmericasMart in Downtown Atlanta. The campus is now home to the ICFA’s Casual Market and hosts two sourcing events each year. Summer Casual Market Atlanta runs July 15-18 (overlapping with Atlanta Market, July 16-22) and Fall Casual Market Atlanta spans September 16-19, 2024. Buyers can shop an unmatched selection in the casual and home categories and access the largest mix of gift product in the country.