THE SUITE LIFE

A college dorm makeover to inspire
article and styling by Maré Brennan and photography by Kelly Moore Clark

You can’t open Tik Tok without seeing insane college dorm room makeovers that could make anyone want to go back to school. While it may seem a little “extra,” most young students want to start college out on the right foot. An area to call their own that is comfortable, welcoming, easy to keep clean, and most importantly conducive to studying (and resting when they can) is 101-level priority.

Dana Mejia and her amazing Residential Life team at University of Louisiana-Monroe allowed BayouLife to spend a day as one of their residents in the luxurious BayouSuites residential hall in the heart of campus. Dorm rooms are built for the long-haul, with students coming and going semester after semester, and for that reason are generally ruggedly stocked with durable furnishings. With a little “zhuzh” and help from local retailers and artists, we were able to turn bare walls into a homey haven. 

Let’s make the bed.  And let’s be real and make that bed easy to make.  Whatever you do, the bedding needs to be 100% washable and easy to care for. Life gets messy for college students and the ability to throw a comforter or duvet cover into the wash with some bleach can extend the life and freshness of your investment. The white matelassé coverlet is from Walsworth & Co. Material Things is our source for the extra fluffy white linen and embroidered duvet cover as well as the twin rococo-style headboard. Fabulous Fabrics created custom made pillows in a myriad of sizes and coordinating floral and graphic prints, a colorful botanical inspired bed scarf, and the lined, pinch pleated drapery panels that add warmth and softness to the space. Generally, a dorm bed is doubling as a sofa, so we’ve created a gallery wall of local artists including Lacey Stinson, Emily Caldwell, Emily Pullin and Maggie Jones Boudreaux’s pink botanical art (available at Material Things), framed herbarium specimens sourced from Walsworth and Co., and personal photos from home.

For an intimate reading area in front of the window, we placed an inviting upholstered chair in a graphic print from Walsworth and Co. along with the petite glass-topped occasional table and a perfectly tiny lamp (Material Things). A hot pink ikat print pillow from Fabulous Fabric provides a comfy pop of color. 

A dorm room-sized wastepaper basket decorated with birds and blooms (Material Things) and a small, fishy trinket dish (Palette House) adds an unexpected touch to the cozy nook.

An upholstered camel hued ottoman from Material Things adds yet another cushy spot to lounge. Palette House also provided the chic tennies, rope handled tote and clothing in ULM colors to get you ready for campus activities. Store towels or dirties in a large woven basket, sourced from Palette House. 

A classic faux bamboo dark navy chair with an upholstered cushion from Walworth & Co. provides the perfect perch for studying. The small Visual Comfort brass task light was sourced from Haven. Notebook and brass pen with tassel are available at Material Things. 

PRO TIP: Use Peel and Stick Wallpaper in a graphic print to re-imagine a dorm room chest of drawers.

The room’s chest of drawers provides another area of interest. We found the gilded metal frame mirror from Walsworth & Co along with the tall ceramic lamp with gilded accents and the glass vase. Hand-crafted butterflies with magnetic mounts add whimsey as they float around the edges of the mirror and were sourced from Material Things. Also from Material Things is the framed, original contemporary art and heavenly Trudon room fragrance, as well as the gold and glass tray. The pastel tissue box holder is a Fabulous Fabrics find. 

Thank you to Dana Mejia, ULM Residential Life, and University of Louisiana-Monroe and to our area retailers for your chic inspiration: Material Things, Walsworth & Co., Fabulous Fabric, Palette House, and Haven. Find your own inspiration for fall 2026 and beyond!