13 Ways To Turn Your Dorm Room Into A Magazine Cover

Magazine covers with glossy perfection cause envy, but there are tricks to making your dorm room look exactly like it’s ready for a photoshoot.

1. Stick With A Color Scheme

The very first thing to decide when designing your dorm room to look like a magazine cover is a color scheme. Having a base color with no more than three accent colors will help keep everything cohesive and organized.

It will help make the entire room look like a magazine cover when your accent color pops against your base color. The color scheme sets the mood for your room so decide on your style and pick the complementing color. Magazine’s and Pinterest have endless examples of color schemes for dorm rooms.

2. Add A Throw Rug

This simple element adds texture, warmth, and magazine-worthy envy to any dorm room. Add one with fur for added comfy places to sit. Or, add a bold design to draw the eye from the ground up.

Take some measurements of your dorm room and decide if you want a large area rug to cover the majority of the floor or a small area rug just on the side of your bed. It not only adds the perfect decorative magazine cover element to your room, but it can also be comforting to step on to a softer rug in the early morning as opposed to coarse short carpet.

3. Throw Pillows

The endless possibilities of design, shape, size, and textures make this design element the best decorative element in your room. The perfectly placed throw pillows make your bed look like a princess’s dream and 100% magazine cover-worthy.

Be sure to pick the perfect ones and remember decorating in odd numbers appeals better to the eye. Any more than five and you won’t have enough room to sleep so be conscious of the ones you buy.

4. Wall Art

Wall art covers a vast majority of things from posters to pictures to mirrors and jewelry organizers. Make your wall art work for you and maximize your space, because you’ll need to in a dorm. Find wall art that matches you’re overall theme and mood for your space.

It’s important to consider the colors in your wall art if you really are going for a magazine cover look in your dorm. Remember what your accent colors are and make them work to your advantage. Similar to the pillows, you should decorate in odd numbers and varying sizes to appeal to the eye. Pinterest teaches you how to organize a gallery wall and use multiple elements that aren’t just posters. Get creative and show off your unique style. This magazine cover-worthy room should scream your personality.

5. Curtains

Not only does this add a soft touch to your magazine cover style room it can help keep in the heat or cold in your dorm room. Trust us, you’ll want this. This is the perfect way to really showcase one of your accent colors.

Find floor-length or a shorter style and tie them off with a ribbon to add a chic effect. Adding this homey touch to your dorm room will make it feel less like a cramped box and more like a regal bedroom for you to relax and unwind in.

6. Organization Trays

Nothing screams magazine cover like a perfectly minimal and organized space. Cute organizations trays for the top of your desk or dresser making getting ready in the morning easier. Not only that, but it also keeps your small area tidy and appealing to the eye.

7. Fairy Lights

These fun wall decorations add a perfect mood-setting soft glow to your space. Even at night, your dorm room will look like a magazine cover. Hang them aesthetically around your already perfectly placed wall art and watch it shine in a new light.

Hang them on your wall or dangle them from your ceiling to add a starry night effect for days you’re craving the outside world but can’t escape your responsibilities.

8. Don’t Overcrowd The Space

The key to making a magazine cover-worthy space is to understand how to maximize the size no matter how small or big. The key is to not overcrowd your walls, bed, or desk. Get creative and force yourself to only decorate with pieces that speak to you and work with your space.

Don’t get overzealous and cover every surface with every cute knick-knack you could pack. Take a step back and give yourself the room to breathe and live in your space.

25 Easy DIY Dorm Room Decor Ideas

9. Rolling Organization Cart

A rolling organization serves as a trendy magazine cover element for any space. In a dorm room, it can be a makeshift coffee cart, an alternative nightstand, or even a beauty organizing tool. The portability means you can move it around in the room and find the perfect place for your rolling organization cart to exist.

Place your elements on the cart in an aesthetic manner and try to keep it from becoming overcrowded.

10. Throw Blanket

Another textural element to add to your dorm room. Plus it’s the perfect cuddle buddy that’s always available. Blankets are chic and always in so finding one to match the magazine cover look you’re going for in your room will be no problem.

The more texture and perfectly organized haphazard thrown on the bed look will make your room look lived in but in a cute way.

11. Non-plastic Underbed Storage

While functional, large clear plastic bins under your bed can be an extreme eyesore. There are plenty of cloth or even wooden ones available that make your dorm look less playhouse and more boss babe. Having non-plastic bins allows you to keep your items inside hidden from the view of nosey onlookers.

Panties and socks muddled in plastic definitely don’t fit the magazine cover-worthy standard.

12. Cute Mirror

Finding a cute mirror for your wall not only gives you a place to do second looks before stepping out the door, but it will also add depth to your tiny space. Finding a mirror with non-average shapes or styles adds another decorative but functional element to your dorm room.

13. Headboard

While this might be a little over the top, and will only work for some dorms, it adds the completed magazine cover look to any dorm room. Having a headboard to lean against while you study, snack and gossip in bed will save your back from permanent damage and pain. This element adds another homey piece to your dorm and brings together the entire look.