Cool Dorm Room Ideas for Guys Who Have No Idea How to Decorate
Coolest dorm rooms for guys: 9 easy ideas that will inspire you to redecorate
Understanding how men decorate their dorms can open up your mind to the world of possibilities and help you decide on what kind of mood you want in your own room.
To help you confidently style your living space at college, we rounded up our favorite cool dorm room ideas for guys.
Cool Dorm Rooms for Guys
1. Cozy Study Nook
Moving into a room where you’ll have a lofted dorm bed?
This idea is a great way to make the most of the space!
Between the warm overhead lighting, cool wall posters featuring art by Van Gogh, and brooding color palette, this dorm study nook simply emanates studiousness. We love the use of a pegboard next the desk, as it’s a functional alternative to shelving. It’s not hard to imagine how such an atmosphere would invite calmness and focus.
All college guys can use a cozy place like this – one where he can escape busy campus life for awhile and become immersed in thought. When considering cool ways to decorate your room, search out decor that appeals to your need for peace and solitude.
2. Favorite Album Wall Decor
If it’s your first time decorating, the process can seem perplexing and overwhelming. Where do you ever start, right?
Thankfully, choosing dorm decoration pieces doesn’t have to be complicated.
A curated selection of your favorite music album cover art, like this eye-catching album wall by natipisho, is a straightforward way to transform your room from boring to sublime. The addition of complimentary colors in the posters and comforter really tie the whole look together.
Plus notice the Plank board above the gallery wall, the callback to a childhood cartoon is such a fun idea!
And if you find yourself needing some additional space for snacks and other stuff, risers are a great way to maximize your under the bed storage area.
3. Vintage Modern Digs
Never underestimate the power of keeping your space tidy!
This mens dorm room idea is clutter-free, organized, and very aesthetically pleasing. Despite not having a ton of room to work with, ThatDrunkViking definitely made the most of the small space. The brightly patterned area rug, extra seating, and indoor plant give it a nice homey feel.
If thrifting, junking, or pursuing garage sales are activities you enjoy, you might want to rock a vintage style in your dorm. The inspiration above shows it’s a theme that can work out beautifully!
4. Dope Custom Desk Setup
As a college student, your desk is a place where you’ll be spending a fair amount of time. So why not make it a focal point in your dorm room?
This super cool DIY dorm desk by lucas_talbert is easily the most impressive setup we’ve seen. The wooden backboard and neon lighting contrasts with the harsh white walls in truly the best of ways.
Not to mention, the black textiles throughout and well placed greenery give it a cohesive feel. It’s refreshing and oh so welcoming, essential qualities for a room you actually want to spend time in.
Love the pop of color from the lighting behind the backboard? You can achieve a similar room feel by utilizing LED light strips like these.
5. Chill Blue Hues
There’s a reason tapestries are a popular and well loved option in the world of dorm room decor.
With endless options for cool patterns and unique designs, hanging a tapestry is a no fuss way to cover up dorm walls and set the tone for a color scheme at the same time. Like flags, they instantly add texture and interest to college guys dorm.
We love how relaxing this Montclair State University dorm styled by hemingway_c21 looks. The cage pendant light, festoon lighting, soft sheets, and ocean wave tapestry give it major beachside vibes. Plus, blue is a particularly soothing color making it perfect for places where you want to unwind.
6. Minimalist Black and White
For some, nothing is more calming than a tidy, clutter-free bedroom where everything has a use and a place.
If you value utilitarian items over those that are purely aesthetic and wholeheartedly agree that “less is more” – there’s a good chance you’ll appreciate a minimalist approach to decorating.
Minimalism has been on trend for some years now. It’s about simplifying your life by prioritizing the essentials. All in all a pretty appealing way to live for college students, because on a tight student budget minimizing purchases only makes sense.
As shown in this college dorm by yufa43, a well executed poster collage can be all the decor you need. The clean lines, limited palette, and use of negative space speaks for itself. The sheer curtains are a nice substitute for mini blinds normally founds in dorms, too.
There’s an array of different images you can incorporate in a gallery wall. You might include personal photos as reminders of home, snap some polaroids with friends, or put your head together with roommates for an awesome collaboration.
7. Crisp Neon Dreamscape
The standard lighting in college housing is infamously bad. Overhead fluorescent fixtures make rooms feel more like a hospital or office setting rather than sleeping quarters for students.
Which is why when it comes to cool guys dorm room ideas, you can’t go wrong with adding lights! Even better – there are lots of different options for brightening up your space.
Love summer campouts sleeping under the stars?
A galaxy projector is the next best thing!
But, as shown in this example space by maxkerscher, you certainly don’t have to stop there. Fun lighting is a style you can go all out with. With the flick of switch or the push of button, you can change the entire ambience of your room anytime by decorating with LED rope lights or even a neon sign (etsy has tons of cool custom neon decor).
8. Modern Metropolitan Living
We can’t get enough of this picture perfect guys dorm styled by Nicholas Chae.
City prints, diffused lighting, and gold accents give this college setup an enormous wow factor. Despite the minimal square footage, it’s packed with style and function without making things crowded. One of the unsung perks about small rooms is that everything is at an arm’s distance.
Be sure to check out Nicholas’ video below for an in-depth tour of how he decorated his dorm at Princeton University.
Cool Guys Dorm Room Idea VIDEO
9. Retro Records Galore
Whether you live and breathe vinyl or simply have a casual interest in collecting records, showing off your love of music is an excellent way to jazz up your space.
And while statement pieces come in all shapes and sizes, vinyl record storage will always have a special place in the hearts of countless guys.
In the example idea above, we think moopinator really nailed it. The dedicated wall featuring modern cubby space and framed album covers with celestial posters and maps woven inbetween is like candy to our eyes. Mood lighting, an indoor plant, and classic speakers are the cherry on top touches of a truly rad dorm room.
So, if your goal is to create a space so attractive you can feature it in your Tinder profile, take note!
Wrapping up with cool ways to decorate your room for guys
Everyone has their own take on what’s cool and what makes a space feel like home. Decorating taste is the epitome of subjective.
All things considered, the examples we looked at in this post are some pretty dope dorm room ideas for guys. We hope this guide provided inspiration that will help you create your very cool setup at college.
More cool college dorm room ideas:
- Cool Dorm Room Stuff: 13 Things That Will Transform Your Space
- Best Dorm Room Ideas for Guys: 17 Setups That Are Honestly Impressive
- 14 CRUCIAL Things You Need to Bring to College
- Free Detailed College Packing List for Guys
Save these guys dorm room ideas to Pinterest for later 📌:
About Charlie
Charlie is the co-founder of College Life Made Easy and author of the book 175+ Things to Do Before You Graduate College. She’s a 2015 graduate who teaches overwhelmed students and parents of students how to confidently navigate the whole college thing. As a former broke college kid, she’s passionate about helping students develop the skills they need in order to thrive (instead of just survive), stress less, and actually enjoy the full college experience.