The first and most obvious place to begin decorating a dorm room is the bed, according to a local interior designer. Depending on a person's taste, a wide variety of throws, pillow cases and bed sheets can be found in furniture and home decorating stores. Along the shopping strip at the junction of U.S. 441 and Interstate 85 in Commerce are myriad home decor and furniture stores. A popular option for dorm residents starved for more space are bed lofts or bunk beds. Most often, students enlist the help of parents or local contractors to build lofts.
Lamps are a simpler way to add personality to a dorm room.
Upward-facing lamps on long stands and swinging lamps can work well, according to Mobley. Mobley also suggests purchasing an inexpensive rug, either an Oriental type or an Indian throw rug, to add color to a dorm room. Students are not allowed to paint or otherwise alter the walls of their dorm room, but they can use posters or light wall hangings to make their quarters less monotonous. Posters are widely available at downtown shops. In addition, one popular decorator item is the free poster advertising quarterly movies at the Tate Student Center.