I only started this whole blogging/review/guide thing a few days ago so if you see any way I can improve this guide I would greatly appreciate it. I originally wrote this as a post in my blog, but buggal1989 commented that I should post it as a guide so here goes. I am basically hoping that my guide will help out fellow college readers who need ideas for decorating their dorm rooms. I know the bare white walls and cold tile floors can be a bit depressing, so here is how I personally livened up my room.
    I'm a California boy so going to college in Cleveland was quite a change. I remember my first few weeks in Ohio were pretty bleak and since I run on sunshine, I set out to add a touch of Cali to my college life.

THE ISLAND WINDOW

    The first thing I wanted to do was spruce up the blank white wall across from my bed. Everyone I knew was doing posters, but I like to stand out so after touring the mall with my pals one day, I came across a "Moving Pictures" booth. Some of you might have seen these, but basically they are these panels of glass that have a soothing picture of a beach or a waterfall and there is a light panel behind the screen that turns so it looks as though the water is flowing or the waves are going back and forth:

    The price tag was something ridiculous like $200 for a good sized panel, so I went on ebay and found a great deal for a tropical beach panel that was 26" x 18". If you can't afford one of these, you can always buy a similar looking poster for heaps less with the same effect.
    After purchasing the moving picture, I got some more ideas while I was waiting for it to ship. I had the idea of making my Moving Picture look like an actual window. So I again went online and, after some research, found a pair of decorative plastic shutters that looked like real window shutters but actually were made of extremely light plastic. They look just like real shutters but they are just a plastic mold of the front of a shutter and they are light enough to be supported by 2 thumbtacks:



    I bought a pair cream colored cathedral shutters that were 18" x 5.25" so they would fit perfectly alongside the picture. The last step in making the fake window was to go to a local fabric store and buy a long sheet of thin white fabric for about $5.00. Once all the pieces arrived, I hung up the moving picture right in the middle of the wall, placed the shutters on the right and left, then draped the fabric along the top of the moving picture and down the sides between the picture and the shutters to create the impression of window drapes and to hide the gap between the picture and the shutters. After it was all completed, the wall looked fantastic. After turning on the moving picture and playing some Israel Kamakawiwo`ole music, my room was an instant hit. People would tell me that even lying on my bed studying felt like a vacation in Hawaii.

THE HAMMOCK

    After setting up my fake window, my wallet was pretty thin. Luckily, my sister felt like giving me a college welcoming present so I settled on her buying me a hammock chair. You can find these pretty cheap on ebay for about $20-$40, but basically they are miniature hammocks that dangle from your ceiling or whatever:

 My room was set up so that my bed is hitched up above my desk, so I simply moved my desk sideways and fit my hammock chair underneath my bed suspending from the crossbar. I have to say that personally, I was quite dissapointed with my hammock chair: it was uncomfortable and it started unravelling within a month. However, since mine was an extremely cheap version, I can't argue with its qualities. Besides, it looked super appealing to many passerby's and attracted lots of attention.
    If you can't suspend something in your room, I would also reccomend a full sized hammock below your bed if it is bunked up. I've never tried it, but I have seen many successful cases and they look spectacular. In any case, grab a comfortable chair because the ones that come with your room are not the most tushy comfy seats.

FINISHING TOUCHES

    I went on later to add to the tropical feel of my room with other accessories. One that I am really happy about buying is my rug. A nice solid colored rug that covers most of the floor in your room will make it seem warmer, cozier, and cleaner. It's always great to come back from a shower and not have to walk on bare tile.
    I also like to have greenery in my room, so you can buy a fake tropical plant for your desk to add some color. Another random spur of the moment addition was my beta fish. While pets might be outlawed in some schools, a fish is easy to take care of and amusing to watch. Take a nice glass vase, put some glass marbles on the bottom, add 3 sticks of bamboo and your beta fish and you have yourself a functional eco-system:


    Put everything together and you have an instant island paradise in your room for $300 or less. Of course my room is just one of many possible ideas, and it is tailored to what makes me relaxed and happy. The important thing is to make your room home away from home, so whatever fits your taste, go for it.

    I hope sharing my personal dorm decoration has at least sprouted some creative ideas for the decoration of your own room. I am eager to hear what you think of my room or what creative options you personally can share.

Until next time,

kikkoman513