Natwerk Designs

Design tips for dorm living room?

I got assigned an apartment owned by my university for my dorm next year. it has a living room and a kitchenette, and the living room comes with an (ugly) sofa, chair and 2 tables. does anybody have any creative suggestions of how i can make the living room look nice without paint or nails in the walls, and with using the ugly furniture it comes with? thanks in advance:)

Public Comments

1. For the sofa and chair buy a cover for it,,buy some cheap material and sew some pillows out of foam and make some valances with the same material so it will match...if you can, paint the tables with new paint.. then I would buy a floor lamp and a nice rug...that might work...
2. There are numerous styles of slipcovers available for sofas and chairs. The more inexpensive, stretchy ones are available at Wal-Mart or Target stores. Purchase a small area rug to coordinate with the slipcovers. As for the walls...purchase posters and lightweight frames and use the removable hanging apparatus that leaves no marks. You can find these at your local arts and crafts store. Get the soft goods first and coordinate the posters to those...it's easier to find artwork that goes than the other way round.
3. Get a sofa and chair cover--one in each color. Get bright colors that coordinate. Also get some fabric that matches both colors and cut and frame the fabric in 3 different frames and hang them on the wall. Also get a rug and some throw pillows that match. And there you go.
4. Well I'm not sure of your sewing skills, but doing a cover on the couch is always a great way to go, but if that isn't your cup of tea then maybe buy a really cool throw blanket to throw over the back of the couch so then you are only exposing the cushions you sit on and then get some nice throw pillows (you can find cool ones at http://www.pillowsuperstore.com/decorative-pillows/5023+5025.cfm or at http://www.pillowdecor.com/). That should take care of the sofa. For the walls and stuff you could drape fabric over the windows. If you can't put nails in the wall maybe by the super strength hooks by 3M. They work great and then you can still hang pictures on your walls. You can get them at Target, WalMart, Wallgreens, Etc. I hope this helps!