Thinking back to my college years, I remember a lot of different emotions. That first time away from home is an eye-opener.
One of the hardest parts is leaving the comforts of home and branching out to discover your way. I remember thinking I’d spent 18 years curating my childhood room, and now, I had to leave it behind.
Making a dorm room or rental bedroom feel like your space is not always an easy task. With rarely an option to add paint colors or even your furnishings to a space, it can be challenging to make it truly feel like home.
My suggested solution? Fabulous fabrics and bedding, of course. With limited furniture and space, I found myself perched on my bed for much more than just sleeping — it is where I studied, snacked and chatted with my roomie before bed.
When helping customers get ready to make this particular move, I always try to encourage them to make that area as special as they can.
It is not always easy to find bedding that is both luxurious and stylish, especially in a twin size. It seems everyone always ends up matching the girl down the hall by accident.
One of our bedding gals, Jill, took the opportunity this year to send her daughter off to college in style with a gorgeous custom bedding look. She and her daughter visited our design library to look at fabrics and chose some sweet textiles in soft pink and spring green (two of my favorites).
When her custom duvet and pillows were complete, we had to see them in action. I just adore how soft and sweet the look turned out to be. As a finishing touch, they also picked out a lovely coordinating fabric to create their upholstered headboard to attach to the school-provided bedframe — such a great way to add another pattern and warm up an otherwise cold space.
We’ve done quite a few looks for college students throughout the years, and each one puts a smile on my face. Creating custom bedding is such a fun opportunity to show your individuality and style, and maybe spend a couple more quality hours with Mom or Dad before school starts.
From patterned DIY headboards to mix-and-match ready-made duvets with custom pillows that pack a punch, it is exciting to see how these young adults pull together looks that are all their own.
Katie Laughridge is the owner of Kansas City interior design destination Nell Hill’s.
