<p>Can anyone give any ideas for decorating the common room (a small living room area) in my daughters suite. It comes with a small couch, chair and 2 tables. They have a floor to ceiling large window overlooking the street. They would like color and wall decorations. I have no idea of sites to go to for ideas. Does anyone know of any websites that might have pictures/ideas?? Thanks</p>
<p>Girls are so different. I brought up the subject of dorm bedding with my S last week. He seemed amazed that I would even consider thinking, much less talking, about it. Then, when I mentioned the possibility that he and his roommate might want to have a modicum of color coordination, he looked at me as if I were insane.</p>
<p>Left to his own devices, he would probably mention the fact that he needed “some sheets and stuff” at 11PM the night before he left. (The way he mentioned 2 minutes before we had to leave the house to drive to a daylong string quartet workshop that a) he was supposed to get there 15 minutes earlier than listed on the website, and b) he was supposed to bring lunch. Oh. Too bad there was nothing in the house to make sandwiches with at that particular moment and the extra 15 minutes meant that we were going to be late without stopping anywhere to buy something.)</p>
<p>What is the color of the wall? What is the furniture like? I’m not sure what to suggest for a common area that can’t really be drastically changed except maybe a few throw pillows, flowers in funky bottles, maybe some art on the walls. Hide and replace ugly curtains and such until they are moving out. 
Maybe add a lamp or two. They really just have to figure out what accessories they can all live with. And… I can’t say this enough, but… IKEA! IKEA IKEA IKEA!</p>
<p>But seriously, what colors are already there?</p>
<p>Many schools have a poster fair the first month of school so that the roommates or suitemates can get together and look at what is there together. When there are other kids involved, there should be some sort of a consensus. You don’t want to be the mom barging in to decorate with the other kids being ticked off. I would stay in the background on this one.</p>
<p>Also if you google posters, there are number of sites with just about any and every poster in the world. They are relatively inexpensive frameless. I’ve used a couple of the services and they seem to be fine. One of the greatest posters I saw was one you self generate using a bunch of your pictures. If all the kids give their fave pics and have them all put on a CD, they can be made into a montage by some of those machines out there. I just did one with a school play which turned out great, and my brother has done a number of these for his vacations. Very personal, very interesting and unique.</p>
<p>Things that the suitemates might shop for together to jazz up that space…
an area rug
curtains or a scarf valance
tapestry to hang on a wall
throw pillows for the sofa
possibly even a decorative covering/tapestry/ fabric for over the sofa
lamps with colorful shades
string of lights (often have a theme or color)
little inexpensive tables
stuffed collapsable dorm chairs or cubicles for extra seating if it fits
funky thing to put in center of table
posters
placemats or fabric to put over table if they are really into decorating</p>
<p>Look for things maybe at Bed Bath and Beyond or Urban Outfitters either in person or online.</p>
<p>My D had a huge wall that was bare, and she bought a pack of 5 wall-hooks/rings, hung them at random heights, and then bought 7 yards of colorful sheer fabric and draped from ring to ring. It was stunning!!! (She also painted the wall purple!!)</p>
<p>While not in the common room, I forgot to mention that one of my D’s bought fabric to hang across the ceiling (not interfering with any lighting) in a billowy way…coordinated with her duvet we had made and pillow cases. Could be done in a common room as well.</p>
<p>Definitely look at the Urban Outfitters website for wall stuff - they have some unusual things.</p>
<p>are they allowed to hang curtains? sometimes there are regulations about what and what cannot be put in/on windows,walls etc. There should be some sort of dorm /move in guide that tells you.
D once lived in a dorm with no closet doors.She and roommate bought tension mounted shower curtain rods and pretty fabric shower curtains to hang in the openings.They were not see tyhrough like some curtains are and were cheaper than good quality curtains.But for a window you could get filmy colorful sheers. Theres lots of ideas for extra furniture in places like Bed Bath and Target. Usually the furniture already in place in a suite has to stay there.
D had a chair (I think its called a “moon chair”? roundish,almost like the papasan chairs of my day…very comfortable and foldable. She also got a folding bookcase,four shelves high that shes toted from place to place since her undergrad freshman year. That came from Target.The sides fold in on the frame and the shelves drop down for moving.
Both campuses D has been on and the one S is on have had the poster sales when school starts. Its a nce time for suitemates to decorate together.</p>
<p>This definitely should be a collaborative effort. For example, I use my living room for yoga, and I like it to be a simple place where I can read quietly, relax, and do yoga. A “busy” room full of posters would undermine that. Bean bag chairs that can be moved, a corner low light lamp, a place for some books and yoga mats is my style.</p>
<p>On the other hand, if they all agree it’s going to be a busy “social hangout”, then art can be nice, and older people would probably find my taste in Frida Kahlo offensive, but teens would probably all like it.</p>
<p>It should be a collaborative effort – by the girls! Unless they specifically ask for your help & suggestions, I’d advise all moms not to offer any. Decorating the dorm rooms is something these kids (well, girls, lol) have been looking forward to for months.</p>
<p>The PBTeen/Dorm part of Pottery Barn is worth a look, depending on taste - most of it is very girly girl though so would not appeal to everyone.</p>
<p>I am with katlia…let the girls do it! If she is sharing a room with other girls, they can land up duplicating things.</p>
<p>Also then when they are together and pick out their color scheme you will be able to pick up some cool filler stuff at clearance prices (Target, Bed Bath and Beyond, TJ Maxx, Tuesday Morning, etc), because the kids will already be back.</p>
<p>I would make the deal, talk to your suite mates, and when you all decide your theme, I will take you shopping!</p>
<p>Will anyone in the group take care of plants? With a window, plants would be great - but nothing is more morose than dying plants.</p>