Creating a Living and Study Space That Nurtures You

By Barbara K. Stump, MA

 I was at Target last week and noticed a girl, likely in her late teens, filling a cart with her mother. It looked like the unmistakable beginning of a college haul. Smiling at the daughter, I asked, “Back to school?” She chuckled and replied, “Yeah, we’re like a bus!” It was a sweet exchange. I could see the excitement in her eyes, but I could also sense her mom replaying the years in her head, and wondering how on earth they had already reached this day.

The start of a new school year—especially starting college—is often a time of excitement, mixed with a little apprehension. It means getting back into a routine, adjusting to new classmates, roommates, instructors, and navigating all of the emotions that come with change. On that same shopping trip, I saw Target’s back-to-school slogan: “Find the right things so you can do your thing.” It made me think about how much effort students put into their dorm decor these days. Designer looks for dorm rooms are definitely going viral. Hopefully, these visual ideas leave people feeling inspired rather than adding unnecessary stress to an already major life transition. Your dorm room should reflect your personal choices and provide a comforting place to come home to after your classes.

In the article, How Your Physical Space Can Affect You Emotionally, from the February 1, 2024 issue of Psychology Today, co-written by Suzie Pileggi Pawelski, MAPP and James Pawelski, Ph.D., they share how changing the arrangement of a room can impact the activities and the cognitive state of the occupants. Citing a 2023 National Institutes of Health review assessing the relationship between home workspace and mental wellness, Pawelski and Pawelski advocate for optimizing intentional design. “For example, having a satisfying view from our window, ideally of green space, can improve our concentration, lead to better sleep, and may even increase our mood. And if we don’t have a natural view, having a plant nearby might elevate our spirits.” Furthermore, they describe ways that deliberate selections in designing our spaces can be beneficial to our mental wellness. “Things that we may take for granted such as natural light, layout, and even wall color can have a profound impact on how we feel and how we behave.”

So what are some ways we can get designer looks for our dorm or home work space? Here are some suggestions to start your design:

• Choose a color theme that you like. Maybe blues, greens, or pinks? Or a combination of these. Maybe even neutrals, like browns, tans, or grays, with one color accent. Whatever you like! 
• Shop your house. Do you have favorite blankets, area rugs, desk lamps, baskets to organize items, framed photos, plants, and artwork
• Waiting until the last minute to shop in stores for other items is not a bad idea. You may get better deals, which will be better for your wallet. 
• Buying second hand at Goodwill, antique stores, at a garage sale, and checking the clearance items is a great way to save money. Plus, you will likely have more unique finds that will elevate your room design. 
• Refurbishing old furniture can also be fulfilling. Check your attic and ask your grandparents if they may have items you can update with a little paint and new hardware. I recently refurbished a piece of furniture that I am going to use as a writing desk.