Ready to upgrade your college student’s space? These 45 DIY dorm room decor ideas are fun, affordable, and full of personality!
DIY Dorm Room Decor Projects
Heading off to college is a big transition, and creating a cozy, comfortable space can make all the difference for your student’s well-being and success.
With a few clever DIY projects, you can help transform a basic room into a functional and personalized retreat.
To make it easier, we’ve gathered 45 of the best DIY projects perfect for your college student’s dorm room or apartment.
Storage is key, so we’ve included lots of DIY storage ideas including underbed storage, wall storage and plenty of storage ideas for all the necessities.
Try adding a comfy chair for lounging, a small side table just the right size for a laptop and be sure to include personalized wall art with family photos.
These are just a few of the ideas we have in store for you. Take a look around to find just the right projects for your student’s space.
DIY Pouf Ottoman from Pretty Handy Girl
Get all the details on how to make a colorful and useful DIY pouf ottoman, along with several tips that will help you in making yours. It also doubles as extra seating for guests.
How to Fix a Wobbly Chair from Pretty Handy Girl
One thing that is a necessity in any student’s dorm room is a comfy chair, either for a desk or lounging. Keep costs down by fixing an old chair and refinishing it. It’s a great way to add a unique look and personality.
Space Saving Sofa End Table from By Brittany Goldwyn
Here is a great idea for bringing in an end table that doesn’t take up much space. Your student can pull this handy table over to the side of a chair, sofa or bed to use their laptop.
Modern Boho Side Table from In Her Garage
Learn how to build a modern boho side table with minimal supplies on a budget!
DIY Garden Table Knock-Off from Pretty Handy Girl
I spotted a plant stand at Anthropologie, but it was priced at $148.00. While it’s quite stylish, I just can’t rationalize spending that much on a plant stand. So, I made my own at a fraction of the cost and I’m thrilled to share the process with you. This would make a colorful addition to any dorm room!
DIY Side Table from Woodshop Diaries
This compact end table is great for small dorm rooms or apartments and has plenty of room for books with a bottom shelf, as well as the top.
Half Round Copper Wood Side Table from Pretty Handy Girl
Create a compact side table suitable for a dorm room that is space-efficient and has a light, open, and industrial vibe.
Upcycled Stool From A Chair from Decor Adventures
We probably all have an old chair that has seen better days. Rather than discarding it, turn it into a playful and useful stool. Follow this tutorial on transforming a broken chair into a stool.
Recover a Butterfly Chair from Pretty Handy Girl
Do you have a butterfly chair that is worn or faded? With a sewing machine, some fresh fabric, and a bit of free time, you can transform that unsightly butterfly chair into a beautiful new piece that is perfect for dorm life!
Reupholster Dining Chairs from Pretty Handy Girl
It’s amazing to see how different an old chair can look with just a little paint and some pretty fabric. Reupholstering a chair is not as difficult as you may think. I’ll show you how!
How to Paint Second Hand Chairs from Remodelando la Casa
Here is a really unique painted chair makeover with a chalkboard feature! This is just perfect for a college apartment or dorm room. Think how cute it would be for each roommate to have one of their own.
Recovering This End Up Chairs from Pretty Handy Girl
Vintage “This End Up” chairs are super sturdy and could be re-upholstered giving them new live. And outdated chair is nothing a bit of colorful paint and fabric couldn’t fix. Now they are ready for their next 20 years!
DIY Floating Shelves from Pretty Handy Girl
Shelves are a necessity for extra storage in a dorm room or small apartment. Floating shelves are affordable, attractive and easy to install. Check out these 25 DIY floating shelves to find the best one for your space.
DIY Envelope Pillows from Remodelando de Casa
Envelope pillows are the easiest pillow covers to make. You can get super creative with the design and color to match any dorm room decor.
Patriotic Denim Bunting Tutorial from Jaime Costiglio
An easy way to add a decorative touch to any space is to hang a pretty bunting or banner. Use school colors for a customized look.
Pom Pom Placemat Pillows from Jaime Costiglio
You can never have too many throw pillows, but they can be pricey. Check out this step-by-step tutorial for turning placemats into pillows!
Hidden Storage Laundry Room from Pretty Handy Girl
Hide unsightly necessities with this creative hidden storage DIY. Make one for under a bed or anywhere you need hidden storage. It can be adjusted to fit any size space.
Make Piping Out of Thrift Store Finds from Pretty Handy Girl
When making custom pillows, there is no need to buy expensive piping. Learn how to make your own with this tutorial. Add custom school colors to old pillows, scarves, and other fabric projects.
DIY Wall Bookshelf from Pretty Handy Girl
Save on floor space and increase storage by building a charming wall-mounted bookshelf. This is a beginner-friendly project.
DIY Wood Crate Nightstand from The Unprofessional Blog
An inexpensive wooden crate serves as an ideal nightstand for a dorm room. This design not only functions as a nightstand but also provides the advantage of serving as a bookshelf. Below, you’ll find a simple guide to help you create your own.
DIY Personalized Wall Shelf from Jaime Costiglio
Create your own custom wall shelf with some simple painting and assembly to achieve this fantastic, personalized piece.
Decorative Shelf with Crown Molding from The DIY Village
Make a decorative shelf with crown molding and hooks to hang towels, coats, scarves or other items to keep a dorm room tidy.
Fir Tree Pegboard from The Unprofessional Blog
Space can be limited in a college dorm room. This is a table-top pegboard can add extra storage for school supplies, makeup, and more. The best part is it has a small footprint and doesn’t take up much space.
How to Make a French Cleat from In Her Garage
Here’s a reliable technique for safely mounting heavy items on your wall using a board and some screws. This French Cleat system has proven to be an excellent solution for this purpose.
DIY Ladder Display Shelves from Pretty Handy Girl
A simple storage option is to repurpose an old ladder as the framework for your own DIY display shelves. These will add a cool rustic look and additional storage to a dorm room or apartment.
DIY Jewelry Organizer from The Happier Homemaker
Check out this super easy way to keep your jewelry organized. It’s another convenient way to go vertical with storage and save table top space.
DIY Rolling Storage Stool from Jaime Costiglio
There never seems to be enough seating in a dorm room, especially in such a tight space. These rolling storage stools are the perfect solution!
DIY Produce Rack from Addicted 2 DIY
Think beyond storing fruit and vegetables in this DIY produce rack using some scrap wood and inexpensive wire baskets. Hats, gloves, scarves, and other belongings can quickly be corralled in the bins.
DIY Cell Phone Charging Station from I Am A Homemaker
Create a homemade cell phone stand and charging station for your college student. This is definitely a must!
Scrap Wood Industrial Ironing Board Rack from Addicted 2 DIY
Use scrap wood to make an ironing board rack (or coat rack) with ample storage those things you want to store away, but grab quickly. Such a great space-saver!
Galvanized Tub Storage Bench from Pretty Handy Girl
This easy storage option features a galvanized tub topped with a soft, upholstered lid. It serves as an ideal spot to organize and manage mess in your student’s dorm room. Additionally, the tub can function as both a bench and a step stool.
DIY Tray Gift Box from Pretty Handy Girl
Quickly whip up a tray using vintage rulers perfect for student life. They can be used to corral small items, hold a mail pile, or used for an inbox.
Rustic Wood Box Crates from Pretty Handy Girl
Creating personalized rustic wooden box crates is quite simple. You can design your crates to perfectly fit into a bookshelf or utilize them as drawer replacements in a cabinet.
DIY Decorative Bin from Pretty Handy Girl
Gather a cardboard box and art supplies to make adorable decorative bins. Get creative with the design style and size. Then store shoes, magazines, books, electronics, or anything you want hidden out of sight inside. This project should cost you next to nothing!
Tall Skinny Storage Cabinet from Woodshop Diaries
Create a narrow, tall shelf for bathroom supplies. It’s a great space-saver with room for storing towels, rolls of toilet paper, baskets, and cleaning products.
DIY Stacking Storage Cubbies from Addicted 2 DIY
These tiered storage bins are ideal for storing footwear, books, and more. They can be customized to fit into any small nook.
DIY Underbed Storage from Jaime Costiglio
Here’s a straightforward storage solution utilizing cedar wood for your dorm room. Build these cedar bins to fit under your bed and take advantage of that otherwise unused area.
DIY Jewelry Holder with Wine Corks from Love Create Celebrate
Repurpose wine corks to hang necklaces and other jewelry. This is a whimsical and affordable storage option!
One Board Storage Idea from Pretty Handy Girl
Using a single 1″ x 8″ x 8′ board, I made a decorative cubby box that offers ample storage space, making it suitable for any size room.
Scrap Wood Caddy from Woodshop Diaries
This scrap wood caddy is extremely versatile to hold whatever you want inside. A custom shower caddy, cleaning supplies, tools, snacks, etc.
Wall Mounted Desk Tutorial from Pretty Handy Girl
Looking for a desk but short on floor space or budget? This guide for creating a wall-mounted desk is perfect for you! You can also adjust its length to fit your specific requirements.
Folding Laptop Tutorial from Pretty Handy Girl
This folding laptop and writing table is just the thing you need to make any room a work space!
DIY Wood Wall Organizer from Decor Hint
Make a simple DIY wood wall organizer to organize your things, while still making the space look polished and well decorated.
DIY Sliding Mirror Door from Jaime Costiglio
Learn how to build a sliding mirror door for a dorm room or student apartment using wood, wheels and pipe fittings.
DIY Platform Bed In Her Garage
Don’t break the bank buying your college kid’s furniture. Create a DIY platform bed for them! This bed embodies minimalism and seamlessly compliments the contemporary Bohemian decor trend.
There you have it! 45 DIY college dorm room decor ideas that you can easily create for your student’s space. I hope you found a project or two to try.
If you are looking for more easy DIY ideas, check out my build-it project gallery.
