How To Make Your Dorm Room Look Expensive (Even On A Ramen Noodle Budget)

But that doesn’t mean they have to look like a holding cell with Wi-Fi. With a little vision, a few strategic online orders or Facebook Marketplace finds, and a hot glue gun (optional but highly recommended), your dorm room can go from “RA check-in” to “elevated It-girl sanctuary” faster than your roommate can say “Wait, you brought a milk frother?”

This is your unofficial guide to making your dorm look like it was designed by someone who definitely hasn’t been living off granola bars and dining hall soft serve. No designer budget required.

1. Ditch the Twin XL Vibes and Layer Like a Rich Girl

Repeat after me: one comforter does not a cozy bed make. You want layers. Think a soft, neutral duvet cover (white, cream, or linen always looks $$$), a quilt or throw folded at the end, and at least 3 pillows you definitely won’t sleep on. The goal? A bed that whispers “I have a trust fund,” even if you just Venmo requested your mom for toothpaste.

Here’s the secret: thrift stores are gold mines for bedding. Look for vintage quilts, textured throws, and even pillow covers you can wash and reuse. Can’t find what you want? DIY it—grab a plain pillowcase and stitch on trim or tassels, or use fabric paint for a subtle pattern. Bonus points for a textured lumbar pillow or one of those frilly round ones that look like you “borrowed” them from your grandmother’s house in the South of France.

Shop: Etsy Linen Pillowcase With Ruffles, $13

Shop: Quince Organic Luxe Honeycomb Duvet Cover, $80

Shop: Bed Bath & Beyond Pink Plaid Patchwork Quilt Set Bedspread Queen, $45

Shop: Urban Outfitters Printed Marshmallow Cloud Fleece Throw Blanket, $169

Shop: Urban Outfitters Thara Icon Mini Velvet Throw Pillow, $34

Shop: Urban Outfitters Trophy Ribbon Shape Velvet Throw Pillow, $49

Shop: Etsy Beige Animal Print Decorative Pillow Cover, $28

2. Mood Lighting > Overhead Lighting

That fluorescent ceiling light? It’s giving hospital chic. Replace it with warm, glowy lighting that says romantic main character who journals at night. Think fairy lights (but make them minimal), battery-powered sconces, salt lamps, or even a chic vintage lamp.

Check thrift stores for quirky ceramic bases and swap in a cute lampshade from Target or Urban Outfitters. You can even spray paint the base to match your aesthetic. Also, swap your desk lamp bulb for a warm-toned one for an instant serotonin boost.

Shop: Amazon Twinkle Star 200 LED 66 FT Copper Fairy String Lights, $10

Shop: Amazon ONEWISH Mushroom Lamp-Small Bedside, $30

Shop: Urban Outfitters Tulip Floor Lamp, $179

Shop: Urban Outfitters Cheetah Table Lamp, $119

Shop: Amazon Pleated Lamp Shade for Arc/Arched Floor Lamps, $25

Shop: Urban Outfitters Odette Flush Mount Conversion Kit, $89

3. Curtains Can Fix Everything (Even Brick Walls)

Command hooks + a tension rod + gauzy white curtains = a Pinterest-worthy window moment. Even if your window faces a parking garage, curtains make it look like you might be in a fifth-floor walk-up in Paris. You can also hang them against a blank wall to fake a window (because we’re delulu and proud).

Sheer white scarves from the thrift store or cheap flat sheets from Walmart can also double as curtains—just hem or clip them with curtain rings.

Shop: Amazon LAMIT Natural Ivory Semi Sheer Linen Curtains, $17

Shop: Amazon LAMIT 100% Blackout Natural Linen Curtains, $22

Shop: Amazon Pair of Swan Style Drapery Curtain Holdbacks Tieback Hooks, $12

Shop: Amazon Curtain Holdbacks Set of 2, $14

4. Style Your Nightstand Like a Vogue Shoot

It’s not just for your phone charger and that half-full Stanley. Use a tray to corral your hand cream, lip balm, and a mini candle you’ll light once and then forget. Add a tiny framed photo (bonus if it's black and white), a stack of two aesthetically pleasing books you’ve never read, and boom: magazine spread.

Thrift stores are a goldmine for pretty trays, vintage frames, and hardcover books you can peel the jackets off of for an instant coffee table moment.

Shop: Amazon Coffee Table Tray, $30

Shop: Amazon 17'' Rattan Serving Tray, $37

Shop: Amazon Ceramic Jewelry Tray, $12

Shop: Amazon Round Decorative Tray Wood, $14

Shop: Amazon Aesthetic Decorative Books Set of 2, $20

5. Art That Doesn’t Scream “Freshman Orientation”

We’re retiring the Bob Marley poster. Instead, go for a mix of minimalist prints, vintage gallery walls, or coquette-core sketches. The trick? Printables from Etsy or free museum art downloads + Dollar Tree frames spray painted gold.

Shop: Etsy Grandmillenial Preppy Coastal Art Print, $3

Shop: Etsy Brown Gingham White Flower Print, $3

Shop: Etsy Vintage Botanical Set of 3 Prints, $10

Shop: Etsy Custom Newspaper Print, $11

Shop: Etsy Custom Playing Card Collage Template, $15

6. Smell Rich

This one’s underrated. Your room can look cute, but if it smells like a gym sock and Instant Noodles, no one’s fooled. Get a good candle and a lamp warmer so you never have to buy another (you just heat it up, turn it off, and repeat.) Go for “linen,” “amber,” or anything with the word “noir” in it. Basically, if it sounds like a cologne commercial, it’ll do the trick.

Alternatively, if you're really tight on cash, you can make your own room spray with water, witch hazel, and a few drops of essential oil in a pretty thrifted glass spray bottle.

Shop: Quince Currant Noir Candle, $24

Shop: Amazon 1OAK Soy Wax Linen Scented Candle, $15

Shop: Amazon Candle Warmer Lamp with Timer and Dimmer, $21

7. Upgrade the Basics

Matching velvet hangers? Rich. Acrylic organizers on your desk? Rich. A feminine rug to cover the prison-grade tile floors? So rich. These small swaps instantly make your space feel more thoughtful and put together. And yes, your floor deserves a glow-up too.

Can't afford the fancy ones? Look for secondhand rugs on Facebook Marketplace or in thrift stores—just spot clean or steam them.

Shop: Amazon Basics Slim Velvet Non-Slip Sturdy Clothes Hangers 50-Pack, $20

Shop: Amazon 25 PCS Clear Plastic Drawer Organizers Set, $16

Shop: Urban Outfitters In Bloom Floral Scallop Printed Rug, $199

Shop: Urban Outfitters Colorful Floral Digital Printed Chenille Rug, $39 - $289

Shop: Urban Outfitters Homebody Club Striped Coir Doormat, $39

Shop: Urban Outfitters Nirvana Floor Cushion, $79

8. Add One “Wow” Piece

A disco ball. A pink mini fridge. A ridiculously oversized mirror you found on Facebook Marketplace. That one item that makes people say “wait where’d you get that?” is key to taking your room from basic to babe, are you an interior designer??

Facebook Marketplace, thrift shops, and even curbside finds during move-out week are treasure troves for statement pieces. Bonus if you upcycle them with paint or decals.

Shop: Sofiest Designs Disco Table Lamp, $120

Shop: Frigidaire 1.6 Cu. ft. Retro Mini Refrigerator With Side Bottle Opener, $170

Shop: Anyrose 63"x23.6" Wavy Full Length Mirror Decorative Floor Mirror with Flannel Frame, $55

You don’t need a Beverly Hills budget to create a dorm room that looks expensive. All you need is a little creativity, some double-sided tape, and the confidence of a girl who romanticizes her Tuesday afternoon laundry run. Your dorm is your castle (well… your castle with community bathrooms), so make it cute—and if you can thrift half of it? Even better.