Check Out These Simple Interior Design Tips To Add A Little Bit Of Order To Your Student House

Decorating walls can often be a chore that never gets completed. Students end up hanging old tattered posters or unframed pictures of various descriptions.

But what if you could quickly frame a few pics on your phone and have them delivered?

The company Framafoto is a new custom picture framing service exclusively for mobile devices. They are making framing photos and art, easy, creative and fun - right on your phone. They offer lots of customizations on modern frame styles and layouts that they design in New York and produce in Ohio. Prices start at $39 (sorry UK students) with delivery in 5-7 days. They're affordable, high quality and handcrafted.

Considering getting one? Find out more here...

Contributor: Howard Hunt | LinkedIn

Company: www.framafoto.com | Instagram

Tile stickers are the simplest, cheapest way to transform a kitchen or bathroom tiles. They come in different shapes, sizes, and colors. They go right above the existing tiles and can be easily removed. The renovation project is quick, mess-free and only takes an hour or two. The stickers are easy to clean with a cloth. They can be efficiently removed by using some heat from a hairdryer and they easily peel off.

Interested in getting some tile stickers? Explore different designs here:

• For UK readers.
• For USA readers.

Contributor: Eva Bowker

Company: Fantastic Handyman

This kind of project requires some drilling in the walls, so you need to ask your landlord first. Most of the landowners will be okay with this kind of improvement as you're adding storage space to the property and increasing its value. Make sure to keep it in the color scheme of the room. The shelves can be used to expose beautiful items. You can also use matching baskets on them and use as a storage. This way the wall will look neat but it will also be functional.

Interested in getting some open shelves? Explore different designs here:

• For UK readers.
• For USA readers.

Contributor: Eva Bowker

Company: fantastichandyman.com.au

Wallsauce.com, create and supply wall murals worldwide. All of their wall murals are made-to-measure and available for print onto a choice of quality wallpapers including peel and stick - perfect for temporary or rented accommodation! They have thousands of images for customers to choose from, including a designer range and 'upload your own image' feature.

Contributor: Nicole Yeardley

Company: Wallsauce.com

When it comes to personalizing your student digs, most of us will know from experience this can be a real challenge due to the constraints of living in rented accommodation. You can make the most of any space though with a few plants strategically placed which will add some color to your surroundings and allow you to get a bit creative! We'd suggest rubber plants, Jade, and Bromeliads as they're quite forgiving and easy to care for.

Considering buying some flowers?

Fupping Exclusive Discount: Get 5% 10% off all plants and flowers at Waitrose Florist with coupon code FFAPRIL1810 (expires on the 22nd April 2018). Check out their full selection of flowers and plants here.

Company: urbanflower.com.au

Contributor: Tom Wills

Dormitory living can be hard due to the limited space, but also the rooms are baren.

First, a great quilt and pillows can add life. Art can be posters or use 3M hooks to hang a magnet/ bulletin board. Rub on decals are also good to add interest to bare walls. Under-bed storage bins are great for shoes, extra clothes. Baskets are great for transport and storage of smaller things and staying organized.

Just a few ideas to spruce up a dorm!

Get some of this stuff here:

• Quilt - UK Readers, USA Readers 
• Comfortable Pillow - UK Readers, USA Readers
• Posters - UK Readers, USA Readers
• Under-bed Storage Bins - UK Readers, USA Readers
• Storage Baskets - UK Readers, USA Readers

Contributor: Karen Plaisted | LinkedIn

Company: designsolutionskgp.com | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram

When you're a student on a tight budget, the smallest changes can make a huge difference to the look and feel of your room. One of the best ways to brighten it up is by adding cushions and throws, injecting a fresh pop of color and texture. Soft furnishings are the easiest thing to change on a seasonal basis as they are an affordable, quick switch.

You could also add prints to brighten up a plain wall (most student accommodation won't allow nails, so Command strips are the best solution!) Consider a gallery wall consisting of different prints and photographs, each placed in a different frame for a personalised design statement.

From a more functional perspective, you could improve organization by adding dividers to your drawers, creating different compartments for your cables, stationery and other bits-and-bobs. Baskets are also a great option for stylish storage, especially if your student accommodation doesn't have sufficient wardrobe/cupboard space.

Get some of this stuff here:

• Cushion - UK Readers, USA Readers
• Prints To Brighten Up A Plain Wall - UK Readers, USA Readers
• Draw Dividers - UK Readers, USA Readers
• Storage Baskets - UK Readers, USA Readers
• Command Strips - UK Readers, USA Readers

Contributor: Ana Zuravliova | Creative Lead at Blinds Direct

Company: blindsdirect.co.uk | Twitter | Instagram

Having just published an Ebook called Preparing your Property for Lease there is a section that mentions what students need when organizing accommodation especially for them. Having worked in the Cleaning Industry for over 25 years and assisted Real Estate Agents to prepare properties for sale and/or lease I have learned what is required in a home or rental property not only from the sale/leasing point of view but also for the purchaser/tenant.

Although student accommodation is shared, where everyone uses the bathrooms, kitchens and TV rooms, ideally each student should have their own locked room. In that room there should be a bed, wardrobe desk and chair. These are the basics. Unfortunately, many landlords around the world see students as a way of making money with very little outlay. I have been in houses where three students share one room, and even the lounge/TV room has become a shared bedroom. This means in a three bedroom house or apartment there could be up to 12 students living in the property.

Layout Of The Room

For a Student to make their room more habitable and friendly, the first thing to do is make the bed convertible by pushing the length of the bed against the wall so cushions can be placed across the back thereby making the bed into a sofa during the day. Storage for items such as cases and boxes can be stored under the bed. Secondly set the desk either under the window or near the window to gain the light and to see outside while studying. Wardrobes are usually too big and heavy to move, but other students in the property could help shift it to a more appropriate position in the room if necessary.

Where To Shop?

To purchase personal items for making the room more homely, a visit to the local charity shop is the answer. Picking similar colors for such things as cushions, rugs, bedspreads, and curtains (if necessary) will add color to the room and take away the drabness and unlived in look. Lamps for the desk are generally available in these stores also if there is only one light bulb hanging from the middle of the ceiling in the room a shade from the charity shop will help remove the starkness. The total outlay for these items will not break the bank.

Adding A Little Personality

Pot plants and family photos strategically placed around the room improves the ambiance and makes the room a pleasure to enter. If the student is a person who always forgets to water, then cacti are the obvious plants, as they do not need regular watering.

When the student leaves the property, they take all their purchases with them or, if traveling a distance to return home, the items can be donated back to the charity shop to be resold.

Further Reading

There are three published Ebooks so far in the series. Preparing your House for Sale, Preparing your Apartment for Sale and Preparing your Property for Lease. Two more Ebooks will be published later this year they are Preparing your Property for the End of Lease Move and Preparing a Deceased Estate for Sale. Although there are similarities in the preparation requirements for each of these properties there are also marked differences to accomplish the prescribed effect. Want to read these e-books? Find out more here...

Contributor: Julie Finch-Scally

Company: juliefinchscally.com.au

I think baskets are your best friend when it comes to keeping things organized and pretty! Luckily baskets come in a variety of styles and colors so there are plenty of ways to express your personality while staying neat and organized. I use them in especially in bathrooms both inside cabinets and on the counter and I fill them with hair accessories, body locations, shampoo, perfumes, toilet paper you name it— everything looks more luxe when clustered.

I’ve hung baskets on the wall and from the ceiling. I’ve slid them under a bed and on top of a shelf. They make the perfect quick storage hideaway — moms coming to visit, or longer term organization plan...

Get some of this stuff here:

• Storage Baskets - UK Readers, USA Readers
• Hanging Storage Baskets - UK Readers, USA Readers

Contributor: Charmaine Wynter BID | Luxury Interior Designer

Company: charmainewynter.com | Instagram | Facebook