I’ve been going back and forth on whether or not to write this post. With Covid still raging in many places the upcoming school year seems to be uncertain. I hope for the mere sake of normalcy that school will be able to begin again in person, even if there are new regulations and precautions. Even if everything at school doesn’t go back to normal I still wanted to incite that same excitement I had before I started college. Which is why I’ll be sharing new dorm room inspiration with a brand that I love, Pottery Barn. Pottery Barn provides amazing options for dorm / home decor and storage. From decorative details to bedding and essentials, Pottery Barn covers it all.
Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you I may make a commission if you click through and purchase.
Pottery Barn Dorm Inspiration
Pottery Barn has a ton of inspiration for both regular rooms and dorm rooms. Even if you’re living in an off campus apartment you can be inspired by their products and demos. I wanted to share 4 of my favorite dorms that they put together with you today and all the products that went into creating them. Rest assured there is a ton more dorm inspiration on their website that you can see here.
In the past I’ve shied away from recommending Pottery Barn for dorm needs just because it can get a little pricey. However I’ve realized that many of the things that I wanted throughout college Pottery Barn provides. If you can get a few good years of use out of it I do think it is worth the price. After all, I still use and love my comforter and quilt from college in my house today.
Besides sharing these room inspirations with you I also wanted to provide you with some essentials that you most likely will need in college. I’ve shared them below so you can easily shop for these make or break items quickly.
Know Before You Go
It is extremely important to know what your dorm will look like before you go. Not all dorms are created equally. Most dorm furniture that is provided is the same throughout your campus. However, things like air condition can differ from dorm building to dorm building. It’s important to know what furniture (and amenities) will be provided in your dorm room before you start shopping.
Let me just give an example of how they can differ. Radford University (where I went to school) provided a desk and chair, a chest of drawers, and an XL bed frame with a mattress. All their dorms also had two full(ish) closets. They are also all suite style dorms meaning you have a bathroom connecting two rooms for a total of 4 people (max). Virginia Tech on the other hand provides a desk and chair, an XL bed frame with a mattress, and a half wardrobe. They also have communal hall bathrooms. As you can see, just the furniture provided will make a difference in what you will need. More over the door storage vs closet storage. Bathroom caddys vs. no caddy, etc.
This is why it’s important to know what you’ll need before you start shopping. Or you may have some pretty useless storage options. This may be more difficult to do if schools are not providing orientation opportunities. However, if you get in contact with your school they should be able to provide you with a list of everything. And hopefully you got to visit the school and see the dorms before you decided as well.
