It's August, and endless carefree summer days are slowly vanishing. Soon the sun will fade into Autumn leaves falling and a crisp chill in the air. As younger children return to the classroom to continue honing their math, reading, and science skills and spend time on the playground with friends.
Many nervous young adults will take that pivotal leap from high school senior to university freshman. At the same time, their slightly older peers gain more clarity and direction on how far they want to take their studies and positively impact the world. All so exciting and scary!
Hand-Woven Boho Floor Pouf Ottoman - Grey & Beige
The average college student is known for not having a large pool of cash, living off instant noodles, and cohabitating in tiny and often not tidy, on-campus apartments or Greek housing with eh hem, unusual and at times creative roommates.
How can you help customize your favorite college student's space and make it a bit homier as their loving and supportive family member? You know your daughter's, son's, niece's or nephew's hobbies, likes, and dislikes better than anyone. Give your loved one the home decor gift that perfectly fits their specific tastes and needs.
To alleviate pressure and provide a helping hand, we've created five curated collections to help make it easy to shop for even the most particular tastes, including functional and aesthetic home decor solutions.
The Retro Gamer
Clockwise from top- Oversized Wall Clock and Calendar, Industrial Concrete 9" Hexagon Cement Table Lamp, Wooden Compact Desk with 2 Shelves, Licensed Spyro Vintage Video Game Framed Wall Art, Licensed Crash Bandicoot Vintage Video Game Framed Wall Art, Pride Rainbow Flag Area Rug, Rustic Wood and Metal Multi-Unit Hanging Wall Shelf
Remember that one person at school who spent a lot of their time playing dungeons and dragons and video games instead of partying? Well, your favorite nephew seems to prefer gaming and programming to socializing until 3 am. He never seems to stress about homework and manages to maintain a 4.0 GPA while the rest of his friends have their heads buried in the books.
Finding a corner to sit back and read or quietly play a game is never a problem, but your nephew is a little unsure how to go that next step from poster taped to the wall to a more mature home decorating style. Let's go ahead and give him a nudge in the right direction with accent pieces that speak to his style and add function.
A simple wooden compact desk that can hold a gaming computer with two shelves is the perfect start and conveniently fits into small spaces. Incorporate our Industrial Concrete 9" Hexagon Cement Table Lamp for mood lighting that produces a warm and inviting atmosphere.
An infusion of 90's inspired animated wall art like the Licensed Spyro Vintage Video Game Framed Wall Art adds pops of color and character to the room, and an oversized wall clock and calendar will definitely help your beloved student wake up on time and stay on a schedule.
The Artiste
Clockwise from top- Rustic Chalkboard 2 Bins Wall Organizer, Patchwork Tile Pattern Decorative Vinyl Floor Mat, Small Fluted Galvanized Metal Framed Square Wall Accent Mirror, Wooden Home Office Desk with Mini Hutch, Peacock Crushed Glass Mosaic Wall Art Decor, Small Rustic Beaded Wood Floating Wall Shelf
You proudly watched your little cousin, a wonderful gem of a person, grow from a curious child, always grasping a paintbrush or crayon, to a young adult who produces unbelievable masterpieces. The Artiste views her home as an extension of herself and a haven for making creative magic. Any ideas collected and stored away throughout the day manifest in her carefully curated sanctuary during the quiet of the night.
On your pre-admissions visit to the college, you checked out the dorm spaces, which were tight. Somehow your spirited cousin managed to swing a single, which is impressive for a freshman, but still, it's tiny. The desk furnished by the university is rickety and may disintegrate the first week of class. She needs a decent desk for her laptop, pad, and sketchbook. We recommend the wooden home office desk with a mini hutch. It's attractive, durable, and not covered in random carvings like Ryan loves Jenny.
Next, you must tackle decorating with a few key pieces. You know your cousin best, and she's sometimes a bit forgetful in the sweetest way. An eye-level chalkboard with two bins & a wall organizer will encourage her to write down her most crucial appointments or errands, and the bins can hold anything from hair ties to coupons to charcoal pencils.
An artist without a gripping work of art on their walls is out of character. She brought a few small canvases for hanging, but the Peacock crushed glass mosaic wall art is simply dazzling, crafted with hundreds of glass fragments, and you know she would love it. Hang a small rustic beaded wood floating wall shelf in a natural tone next to the mosaic for even more vertical storage.
Oil paints can be a messy medium, and it's probably not ok to drip spill paint all over the college's hardwood floors. An ornate patchwork tile pattern decorative vinyl floor mat in a grayscale colorway is a pragmatic floor protector for an artist's studio/workspace. Wipe away splotches of paint with no issues.
Greek Life
Clockwise from top- Sweet Shop Vintage Mini LED Marquee Sign, Oversized Shiplap Wall Clock, Barn Door Picture Frame & Chalkboard, Be Happy Neon Wall Art Decor, Corona Beer Bottle Opener and Cap Catcher Wall Decor, Industrial Metal Desk Lamp with USB Charger
Your son, who just completed his sophomore year, joined a frat dedicated to camaraderie, philanthropy, and the environment. And with him possibly studying law or medicine, adding this to his college credentials is a good move.
This year he's moving into his fraternity's house and leaving behind his adolescence at the dorms. He's been hinting at wanting some new embellishments for fun and a semi-adult life. He has a desk with a chair but needs more accent pieces for his walls and a minimalist, industrial-style desk lamp for late-night studies.
Having a clock is critical for any college student. It's almost like they need to be reminded of time all of the time. It appears that your son is making strides to be a sophisticated adult. In that case, an elegant gray oversized wall clock with Roman numerals will give his new digs a suggestion of maturity and keep him on time for class.
For a playful contrast, hang the neon rainbow be happy wall art. It's quite all right for room decor to be polished, exciting, and vibrant, especially for students.
He's always been good at keeping himself organized through his digital planner and other apps, but it's always worthwhile to have a manual way of writing messages for communicating with other housemates. The farmhouse-style barn door picture frame and chalkboard would look charming in a communal area of the house like the kitchen, along with the handy corona beer bottle opener and cap catcher.
The Boho Country Girl
Clockwise from top- Farmhouse Window Shutter Wall Shelf Organizer, Rustic Farmhouse Mirror, Oversized Wood & Metal Farmhouse Wall Clock, Mosaic Home Arrows Decorative Vinyl Floor Mat, Floating Wall Coat and Hat Rack Shelf, Small Vintage Metal and Wood Rolling Cart
Your daughter has become your best friend, and the two of you do everything together. It's going to take a period of adjustment not to have her in the same house. You're proud of her accomplishments and her decision to move away to attend school in an urban environment to experience more of life.
She can't take much with her to the city, so she needs to buy a few pieces of furniture and home adornments upon her arrival. You plan to surprise her with a rather large care package of chic, rustic farmhouse style pieces for your bestie and her Boho Country Girl panache.
Apartments with ample storage space in urban areas are spectacularly expensive, so you helped her find a modest studio where she will eat, sleep, and work, all in the same room. Your daughter will also require guidance on finding creative ways to store clothing and accessories with a few necessary objects.
When you perform all activities of daily living in one area, you don't want to spill anything on your flooring that can attract unwanted critters. A quick wipe decorative vinyl mat reduces orders, germ buildup, and comes in a mosaic farmhouse motif with the word "HOME." Your girl also loves to wake up early to curl her hair and meticulously put on her makeup. She can store her arsenal of beauty products on the small ornately decorated rolling cart as she searches her space for the best natural light to apply her blush.
Homey vintage-inspired shelving that comes ready to hang also integrates distressed vintage-inspired artistry with multi-use hooks for hanging coats, hats, or pet leashes. Pairing with a charming yet rustic, neutrally toned accent mirror by an entryway is perfect for a last-minute appearance check before heading out for the day.
The Aspiring Musician
Clockwise from top- Rustic Wood Wall Shelf with 4 Metal Hooks, Silver Portable, & Compact C-Shaped Desk, Geometric Moroccan Pile Shag Accent Rug, Vintage Boombox Stereo Framed Photo Art Print, Licensed David Bowie Concert Poster Framed Wall Art , Rock n Roll Guitar Vintage LED Marquee Sign
You love your child with every cell in your body, but you've quite frankly had it over the last year of remote learning and drum practice. You want your children to flourish in their endeavors, and college is the place for them to give music their all, even if it's learning a new drum lick at 2 am.
Your aspiring musician leaves for college in a week and moves into a shared off-campus apartment, which is not much bigger than their previous dorm room. This child truly has an all-consuming passion for music, all things related, and their living quarters must reflect this energy through immersion.
Classes and band practice will keep your drummer occupied and out of their home for a significant part of the day, but you want to ensure they have a creative refuge when needed. Let's begin with ambient lighting. A conservative desk lamp is a logical option, but it doesn't suit your teen's personality or tastes, and they most likely won't appreciate it as much as the rock n roll guitar LED marquee sign. It's just cool.
David Bowie, the shifter of personas, transcends generational boundaries and music genres. The Aspiring Musician dreams of having a career that spans a lifetime with far-reaching influence in the music industry. Receiving a licensed David Bowie Live in Santa Monica concert poster is motivation in a frame.
Hoodies seem to be your child's classroom uniform. They roll out of bed and into anyone of ten black hoodies with some band name or other. With no real closet space worth mentioning, this guitar imbued rustic wood wall shelf with four metal hooks is a need. For entrance decor into the lair of tunes, a black and white framed photo of an iconic 1980s boombox immediately lets anyone who enters know of their love of a good beat.
Shopping for head-turning gifts for college-aged people isn't always so easy, but if you take some notes and pay attention to the people close to you, their hobbies, dreams, and even what they find unappealing, you may have some fun! And don't forget to treat yourself to a little something for the now open space in your home while you pick up everything they need to make their new space feel like home.
