The Cutest Dorm Room EVER!

This past weekend was extremely busy - my youngest daughter moved into her dorm room at UTSA.  Being the stylish girl that she is and us being thrifty, this was a fun project for us to do together.  I actually waited until move in weekend to build the kitchen cart because we weren't 100% sure how much room we had to work with - a word of advice for those of you preparing to send your kids to school, take good measurements and photos of the dorm room during visits to college.  Here are some photos and info - let me know if you would like additional info.

• The shutters were given to us by a friend who found them in her attic, but I've seen these at the Habitat for Humanity resale store.  I gave them a quick, thin coat in this fun color!
• I made the shade and pillows with fabric purchased from JoAnn's.  The shade is a simple lined panel with Jute twine used to tie up/down.  It is attached using a tension rod on top.
• The cart near the bed is from Ikea.
• The chevron wool rug is from Wisteria 
• I made the Vintage Step Stool from plans from my FAVORITE blogger, Ana White!
• I made a simple bedskirt using plain white cotton fabric at JoAnn's/  I attached it under the frame of the bed using command strip hooks and a 1/4" medal rod from Home Depot using to feed the drape on.
• The basket with blankets is from World Market.
• Bedding is from Target.
• "S" letter is from Memorial Antiques & Interiors.
• Trashcan from Bed Bath & Beyond.

 

• I made this kitchen cart to better utilize the space we had to work with.  I wanted to give her plenty of storage to house her appliances and food.  I made a beginner's mistake (I should know better by now!!) and did not leave enough room to put the microwave on the shelf, which is why it's all the way on top.  That's ok - she'll probably use her toaster oven more, anyway!  Anyone with basic building skills can do this - just make sure you draw it out and MEASURE TWICE!!!  I added casters to make moving easier - with all the traffic on move in day, they were life savers!!!
• The scripture artwork was ordered online by my daughter, but I didn't want her to put it on the wall & not be able to keep it.  I cut a piece of 1/4" plywood to size, painted, and made a simple frame.

  

This tv/dvd/wii stand was a super fast project to fit in a little corner at the end of her bed.  I used 1x4's for the legs and 1x12 for the shelves.  A cross bar on the bottom facing the wall gave it more stability, but to ensure it didn't accidentally get knocked over I put a heavy duty Command Strip on the top shelf against the wall.  Notice there is PLENTY of space below for the hamper!

 

•  I built this narrow shelf for the bathroom to give the girls plenty of storage space. The shelf is 5' tall using leftover scraps of 3/4" plywood for the shelves and I ripped down some 2x4's into 1.25" square boards to use for the frame and trim.  (you can use 2x2's, but the ones I found at the local Home Depot are in such rough shape, I thought it would be easier to rip down my own)  
• The shower curtain was made using fabric bought at JoAnn's.
• I made a Mason Jar Storage area to mount on the wall - using an old piece of teardrop siding for a rustic look!   

 

• The entry way has this artwork my daughter bought on her first trip to Africa 2 years ago & I mounted it on a simple frame.
• The closet area is open, so we used a shower tension rod and purchased some ready made drapes with grommets to keep things neat!

This was a super fun project & made my daughter so happy, so now she can focus on her studies!  I know she'll think about me every time she comes home to her new "home".