Decorating Your Living Room on a Student Budget

By Student Cribs | June 17, 2022 | Reading Time: 7 minutes

If you’re interested in interiors, chances are you won’t stop at just decorating your bedroom, as everyone knows that living rooms are just as important! It will be one of the rooms you’ll be spending most of your time in, so make sure its pleasant and ideal for you and your housemates. You can even turn this into a mini project with your housemates, whether you know them or don’t, it’d be great to break the ice and have a bit of fun on a Sunday. So, put the radio on and get decorating!

        Cushions

One of the many great ways to add a cosy feel to any room are cushions, lots and lots of them. This is especially gret if you aren’t particularly a fan of how your sofa looks or feels. Uncomfortable? Pillows. Not your style? Pillows. Bored of its appearance? Pillows. Because while you may be unable to change out the sofa for something else, you can definitely change out the pillows.

However, if your seating is quite limited, you can also throw a bunch of pillows in a corner to create some extra seating.

        Fairy lights/lamps

Most student accommodation falls victim to awful lighting, it’s either too harsh or not enough, whichever your house falls under, there’s plenty ways to fix this. The easiest and cheapest options are fairy lights, drape them everywhere! Not only do they add to the cosy feel, but they also look great. If fairy lights aren’t your thing, go for lamps, whether they’re floor lamps or desk lamps, add them to any surface to instantly improve the lighting.

        Pictures

If you are living with your friends, then we can assume you all have plenty of pictures together. Get these printed out and stick them on a wall, like a picture collage!  If you don’t, then have a picture wall in the making and add to it as the year goes on, not only will it be fun, but it’ll be great to look back on throughout the year. Another great idea to fill up any bare walls are posters, they’ll make a fun addition to any room, however always beware when sticking things on the wall as they may cause some damage to the paint!

        Cleaning charts

A cleaning chart is a great idea for any student house. While it should be a rule that everyone cleans up after themselves right away, it would also be a good idea to make a chart for when a communal clean will take place. If you’re lucky enough to have a cleaner, then this may not be necessary, but for those who don’t, the place can get dirty pretty quickly.

        Calendar

Adding a calendar to one of the communal rooms can prove to be brilliant for those who may need some quiet on certain days. Say if one of your housemates has an exam coming up, but putting it on the communal calendar, not only will everyone be aware of it, people can ensure they’re supportive and quiet on few days before. Birthdays and other events like big nights out or university events can also be added to it to make sure everyone is aware and included in all activities.  

        Plants

How many more blog posts can we go on and on about plants and how much they can add to a room? Clearly not enough. Not only are they cheap, but they’re fake too, so putting a few plants in a room can add some colour and make a huge difference.

        Rugs

Not a fan of the carpet? Or hate the feeling of the cold floor on a winter’s eve? Rugs are your best friends (as well as slippers, obvs). Though we understand rugs may not be the cheapest home décor for a student, there are cheap ones around if you look, Amazon is great for almost everything!

        Throws

You’ve got the cushions, now you need the throw because cushions may be cosy but they aren’t going to keep you warm during the winter. They also look fabulous draped over the side of any sofa to add a nice touch!

        Reed diffuser

Student accommodation may not be the best smelling, especially if your living room and kitchen are open planned, so buy a fresh scented reed diffuser for the living room to add a pleasant smell to mask the always present scent of food. Don’t get us wrong, there’s nothing better than the smell of bacon in the morning, but it can liger and that’s not-so-great.

        Bunting

Whether you choose to DIY some yourself, or you head out and buy it, bunting is another great addition to any room as it can add colour and personal style. Drape them across a plain wall or across a room then step back and enjoy your creation!

        Coasters/place mats

We love it when something has more than one purpose, like coasters! Not only can they look pretty on a table, but they can also protect it from getting damaged. What’s even better is you can buy custom ones with pictures of you and your housemates on to add a personal touch.

Looking for the perfect living room to decorate? Check out our Student Cribs, we are sure you’ll find somewhere that suits you!