Some of the rooms are decorated with individual works of art. Others have chandeliers. In one there is even a disco ball hanging from the ceiling.
No, these aren’t homes renovated on HGTV. (Although some of the creative makeovers would fit the channel well.) They’re college dorm rooms—and the jaw-dropping lengths some people go to to make cramped college dorms as luxurious as possible are going viral on TikTok.
Online, it seems that some parents spare no expense to transform their child’s dorm room from boring to chic, even hiring professional interior designers and decorators to do the job. In some cases, however, it is the students who get help with the design or remodel their room themselves in a DIY style.
Alethea Jay, an interior designer who made waves by redesigning her sister’s college room, says that in a housing market where owning a home seems increasingly out of reach, many Gen Z members want to make the most of what they already have, even if it’s just a college room to live in for a year.
“I see so many people say, ‘I can’t wait to do this when I get my home,’ or ‘I’ll call you when I buy my first home,'” says Jay. “And I keep reminding people that they don’t have to wait. There’s a process. Treat yourself to the experience now in an affordable way. You don’t have to wait until you have your forever home.”
Who says a student dorm can’t be luxurious?
#DormTok—the TikTok corner for all things dorm—is full of stunning designs for small spaces. In comments, users marvel at how much rugs, wall art, headboards and lighting can enhance a room.
Some dorm designs are more elaborate than others. In a video with 1.7 million views, a designer shows off a dorm room she decorated for two college students that includes a bar cart, wall installation, custom art and a glass coffee table. “We’re talking dorms where they only stay for one school year, right?” one person asked in the comments. “These kinds of dorms?”
It may seem like an unusual and unnecessary investment to some, but psychotherapist Stephanie Sarkis advises not to underestimate how much the decor can impact mental health. As long as students and families don’t overspend on the design, she believes #DormTok can be a healthy place to express creativity and share how to make a space their own.
“I think there’s an art to seeing someone take something and transform it,” says Sarkis. “When we feel more at home, we’re more productive and sleep better. We feel more at home.”
Not every #DormTok design breaks the bank
According to Jay, a common misconception about #DormTok is that parents spend a fortune on their kids’ dorm rooms. That may be the case for some; however, she says she and other designers are finding creative ways to add a luxurious feel to rooms at a reasonable price.
Her sister’s dorm room, for example, Jay says, cost $500 to decorate and took about three hours. The final product – which includes framed portraits of her sister, ceiling lights and glass decorations – has 13.2 million views on TikTok.
“It’s so important to talk about the budget aspect,” says Jay. “People feel like they either do nothing, can’t afford it, or they do the most and spend really, really a lot of money. … It’s not the longest time, so you don’t want to spend too much money, but you definitely want to spend enough to make it feel like home.”
Jay worked as a nurse until her dorm design videos took off online. Now she works full-time as an interior designer and receives numerous requests from students who want to hire her to renovate dorm rooms. Jay says she virtually decorates dorms in the New York City area as well as across the country. She charges $300 for a virtual dorm design consultation.
Each dorm room, Jay says, brings its own creative hurdles, and finding a style that matches her clients’ personalities is a fulfilling challenge.
Still, not everyone is a fan of #DormTok, and many question the need for a luxury student dorm. “And next year there’s a new theme and all this goes where?” asked one user.
More: Parents are hiring “concierge moms” to help their kids get into college, but is it a bad idea?
Jay doesn’t pay any attention to the critics. She believes they miss the point of what #DormTok is really about: self-expression and making the most of what you’re given – even if it’s just a tiny dorm room.
“I did the room for my sister to enjoy and she loved it,” says Jay. “I loved it. And I think the people who were inspired by it were inspired to either do something with their rooms or to go out and try to be creative in their own way. So I’m all for anything positive about it, but if you don’t have anything positive to say, you just don’t care.”
