Uni Room Tour

I LOVE watching room tour videos on Youtube. They are one of my top kinds of videos. I think it’s because a) I’m nosey and b) I love interior design and homes so I love seeing how people have theirs. I wasn’t sure how well a room tour would work in the format of a blog post, but I wanted to try and capture how I have arranged my living space at university. I will be leaving Bath soon because I have now graduated, and as much as I would love to stay here, there is no way I can afford to.

This is the third place I have lived whilst at uni in Bath. For my first year I was in halls, and I loved my room. It’s actually the biggest room I’ve had whilst at uni. I think I loved that room for the memories it held and the fun I had that year with all my friends, rather than for the actual room itself. In my second year I agreed to take the box room so I could pay less rent. It was a decision I soon regretted, because not only was the room tiny, it was also damp and mouldy too. Yuck. I still think I managed to make it look quite homey though.

My room this year, in comparison, is much bigger. I love that I have a big wardrobe, a chest of drawers and a desk that I can actually sit and work at! If you’re off to uni in September or you’re just looking for some tips on how to jazz up your room cheaply, maybe this will help you out.

The first picture is of the room when you are standing in the doorway looking in. It’s quite a bright room, especially in the evening (like when I took these photos) because the sun sets on that side of the house so it brightens up my whole room in the afternoon and evening. The lampshade you can see at the top was a bargain from Primark for about £2, and I love it because it is so pretty and hides the boring light bulb. You can also see my map of Middle Earth on the wall above my radiator.

This is my bookshelf. It didn’t come with the room, I bought it with me when I moved in because I need space for all my books! I think it was about £10 from Argos. On top is my mirror, which I got in a charity shop. When I bought it the frame was painted orange, which is not my most favourite colour. So I bought a tester pot of white paint and repainted it. I think it looks much better with the décor in my room now. Also on top of the shelves are some toiletries, my perfume, and a milkshake cup and little red lantern (both from Ikea). I know that lots of people think that pink and red clash, but I think they look lovely together! I then have a small selection of my books and DVDs – my favourites which I chose to bring from home. Also scattered around the shelves are little knick-knacks such as mugs, a little duck and a pretty tin where I keep my hair bobbles and stuff. I think not just filling a shelf with books makes it look less crammed and more interesting.   

The next photo is of my bed area. My duvet cover is from the Rosali range at Ikea (I think they are still stocking it). I actually have a double duvet even though I only have a single bed – it just makes it more cosy when I’m snuggled up at night. I also have some cushions to make it more comfy and to brighten up my bed. On the wall are my many photos. This is one of my favourite parts of my room. I love waking up and looking up to see lots of happy memories and friends on my wall. If you create an account either with Snapfish or Photobox, you can get your first photos for free, so it’s a really cheap easy way to give your room some personality.  

Here is my desk. Last year, I didn’t have a desk in my room so it was luxurious to have one this year! I keep my uni folders underneath it because I don’t have a tall enough shelf to put them on. On the little shelf built in to the desk I have more books and some sewing bits and bobs. To the right of it is some wrapping paper, because I think it looks quite pretty stored in that way. On top of my desk, I know that it looks a little cluttered but I like always having a pen to hand! On the left I have a print which my boyfriend got me for Christmas. It is one by Chris (Simpsonsartist) inspired by the Doctor Who 50^th anniversary special. It is a quite strange, quite quirky print but I love it so much. In the house which I have lived in this year, we’re not allowed to pin pictures to the walls so I just popped the print on my desk and leaned it against the wall, which I think works just as well! I also have a few little tea light holders, which are from Ikea and some are some jars I washed when I had finished with them. I have a magnetic whiteboard on my desk as well which I have covered in tickets, leaflets, little notes, cards, and of course magnets!

Here’s a close up of my desk. I’ve got a little polka dot cup and a tin mug which my grandma painted for me, and I put my pens and pencils in these so I always have one when needed. I’ve also got my film camera (an Olympus OM10 if you’re interested), and a little snow globe photo frame my housemate gave me for my birthday. There are also two little monkeys; a cuddly toy and a tiny rubber, which were also given to me by my housemates. I don’t know if it’s obvious, but I am a big fan of monkeys!      

 

This is a close up of the posters above my desk. I got the Harry Potter when the first film came out and they were giving them out for free in the cinema. I am so glad that I have held on to it for all this time because I still love Harry Potter and I think it’s a lovely poster. I’ve then got some Pokémon cards (Squirtle, Charmander, Bulbasaur and Pikachu – no, I’m not ashamed). There are some postcards I got when I went to London, and also a couple of Blur posters which came from NME magazine. I think little things like postcards and pages from magazines are great ways to add some personality to your room.

Here’s my wardrobe, not that interesting, but I thought I would include a picture anyway! You can see my laundry bag and old Urban Outfitters bags and gubbins down to the right, I keep those bits there because it’s out the way but still handy if I need something in a hurry. On that note, I also have space under my bed where I have some boxes with bits and bobs in tucked away. Hanging on the handle is my ‘William and Kate’ union flag heart from the Royal Wedding (I’m a bit of a fan of the royal family. Again, I’m not ashamed). I’ve got postcards on my wardrobe doors just to cheer them up a bit. I think most of them were from Paperchase, but the Platform 9 ¾ one on the left is from Kings Cross station.

This is my chest of drawers, and I’ve hung a little mushroom decoration I got from Wilkinson’s at Christmas on one of the handles. I have a bit of a mushroom obsession. On top of my chest of drawers I keep all of my hair bits and pieces (bobbles, hairbands, grips) on a little red polka dot tray I got from Dunelm Mill. I keep my cleanser and moisturizer there. The cotton wool pads I use to cleanse my face are stored in an old Bonne Mamam jar. I also have a little tea light holder from Waitrose, and a photo frame from Ikea to add a personal touch. I think I have managed to make this space look quite pretty but not too cluttered.

Here is a close up of the noticeboard above my chest of drawers. I pinned my beautiful fairy lights from Urban Outfitters around the edge. I popped my cat ear headband up there, a Studio Ghilbi postcard, a picture of the Arctic Monkeys, more Pokémon cards, and the wristband I wore for my uni summer ball. Finally, I used my noticeboard as a place to store and display my cinema tickets from the year at uni. As you can see, I have made good use of the Odeon in Bath. I love going to the cinema!     

And that’s my room. Although it’s not perfect, I will miss it because I think I did quite a good job of making it homey and cosy. I hope I’ve given you some tips for giving your room a personal touch and making it your own special space without spending loads! 

Emma J