Want to decorate your student dorm room for less? Check out the top cheap bedroom decor picks to shop for uni.

Your student bedroom essentials should include decor. Why? Well, your room should feel like a home away from home. It’ll help you relax, get in the mood to study, sleep better and potentially improve your mood. 

We’re going to get real with you. A student dorm isn’t the prettiest thing in the world. You’ll likely have a single bed, desk, chair, and if you’re lucky, maybe an ensuite bathroom. Nonetheless, you’re gonna want to make this space your comfy safe haven. Think art prints, photos, throws, plants…and anything you can think of to decorate your uni bedroom.

Worried about the costs? Decorating doesn’t need to be expensive either. In fact, we’ve got some awesome student bedroom decor ideas on which you can get our student discounts on.

Best student bedroom essentials for decorating

Below are some of the bare minimum student bedroom essentials, plus a few extras to decorate your space and make the most of it.

1. Bedding

Brentford plain duvet cover set. Online Home Shop — £5

Bedding is one of the first things you notice in a student room. It should be top of the list for uni room essentials, as it’s where you’re going to sleep! We love this minimalist white plain cover set from Online Home Shop. It can act as a base to build upon by adding coloured throws and cushions.

Get an Online Home Shop student discount.

2. Doorstop

Door Stopper Dog Design. Amazon — £8.99

A door stop ranks high in things to buy for a bedroom at uni. Why? By having your door open you openly invite your housemates in and make friends! 

Don’t want to settle for a bog-standard door stop? We love this cute dog stopper one on Amazon. Great for animal lovers and a great item to add to your student bedroom essentials.

Get an Amazon student discount.

3. Erasable chalk markers

Funcils chalkboard blackboard window pens. Amazon — £12.95

Hear us out…This is a super fun way to get you and your housemates to bond! By drawing silly things and writing quotes on your window, you can wake up, look out of your window and smile.

While it doesn’t fully fall under student bedroom essentials, it’s a great way to bond with your housemates and could form part of your student bedroom ideas. Plus, it’s a fun way to add a pop of colour to your room.

Get an Amazon student discount.

4. Diffuser

Serene house ranger aroma diffuser. Urban Outfitters — £20

Not only will a diffuser make your room smell nice, but they act as a nice little bit of decor. This Urban Outfitters one adds a touch of colour and is powered with a USB.

Get an Urban Outfitters student discount.

5. Fake plants

Homcom artificial palm tree. Robert Dyas — £71.99

Fake plants (or real, if you know you’ll look after them), are one of the easiest ways to add a touch of colour to a student room. Consider adding fake plants like this artificial palm tree from Robert Dyas in the corner of your room for a pop of green.

Get a Robert Dyas student discount.

6. Hangers

Mint green velvet hanger. Amazon — £24.97

Another for your uni room essentials list is some decent hangers. If you have an open wardrobe, or just want your clothes to hang on some cool-looking hangers, these mint green hangers from Amazon are hella cute.

Get an Amazon student discount.

7. Bedside storage caddy

Anti-slip bedside organiser. Amazon — £10.99

Some student rooms don’t have enough room for a bedside table. But don’t worry, a bedside storage caddy is just as useful and can fit a surprising amount of items. Plus, it can act as a little decorative feature too.

This anti-slip bedside organiser not only looks decent, but it’s practical and comes in different colours to suit the vibe of however you decorate your student bedroom.

Get an Amazon student discount.

8. A rug

Checkerboard rug. Urban Outfitters — £29

Rugs are perfect pieces for student room decor. Student dorm rooms aren’t the most exciting, so a rug is a very easy way to spruce up the look and feel of it. This checkerboard one from Urban Outfiters can suit almost any student dorm despite the aesthetic. 

Get an Urban Outfitters student discount.

9. Laundry basket

Woven blue bamboo round laundry basket. Oliver Bonas — £55

While laundry baskets serve one purpose, why not make it serve two? We love the colour of this bamboo laundry basket from Oliver Bonas, It’s an easy way to add some colour to your room without having to do any DIY.

Get an Oliver Bonas student discount.

10. Shower caddy

Plastic portable organiser for bathroom. Amazon — £9.99

While a shower caddy’s purpose is to hold your toiletries and shower products, it can also serve as a decor feature in say an ensuite bedroom or a place on your shelf. We like this plastic portable shower caddy from Amazon, especially as it comes in various colours to suit different tastes. Works great as a space-saving idea too.

Get an Amazon student discount.

11. Laptop stand

Zimoon stand universal lightweight laptop stand. Amazon — £12.99

We love function and beauty. A laptop stand can not only help you type, but it just looks good. It gives your student room work desk more of an enticing feel to come and study in,. Plus, this Amazon universal laptop stand also has another function to hold your folded-down laptop to make more space on your desk when you’re done with it.

Get an Amazon student discount.

12. Framed photos

Gold glass double photo frame. Paperchase — £14.99

You’re gonna want framed photos in your dorm room. This gold double glass frame from Paperchase is incredibly chic, and can fit anywhere from your desk to your windowsill.

Paperchase student discount.

13. Over-door hooks

Gold metal velvet multi-colour over the door hook. Oliver Bonas — £45

Over-door hooks are an opportunity to add some storage solutions to your bedroom, but also some decoration too, These multi-coloured pom hooks from Oliver Bonas are beautiful and can add a pop of colour to an otherwise plain-looking student bedroom.

Get an Oliver Bonas student discount.

14. Fairy lights 

Fairy light curtain. Urban Outfitters — £25

Fairy lights look fantastic anywhere. In fact, this fairy light curtain from Urban Outfitters is the perfect set of lights to pop behind your desk, bedroom or a plain wall. You can even get some mini hooks to add some photos on to it too.

Get an Urban Outfitters student discount.

15. Noticeboard

Black mesh wire noticeboard. Not On The Highstreet — £65.60

A noticeboard is a fantastic place to add photos, important notes, postcards, letters from home and pretty much anything you want in the display. This black wire mesh noticebaord from Not On The Highstreet is incredibly chic and can hold a decent amount of things with a handful of clips.

Get a Not On The Highstreet student discount.

16. Doormat

Goose hello there doormat. Not On The Highstreet — £24.50

There’s nothing like the greeting of a doormat. They help add a homely feel to your room and can be customised with pretty much anything you want,. This Goose doormat from Not On The Highstreet is super adorable and is bound to make you and everyone else who sees it laugh.

Get a Not On The Highstreet student discount.

17. Lamps

Lexon mina pink LED mood lamp. Urban Outfitters — £30

Sometimes your ceiling lights might be a bit harsh. Add some chill vibes with this LED mood lamp from Urban Outfitters. Plus, you can alternative between cool and warm settings to suit the vibe of your room.

Get an Urban Outfitters student discount.

How to decorate uni room

When it comes to buying student bedroom essentials, decorating should be up there to make the space your own too. Alongside your student bedroom essentials, here are some easy and cheap ways to decorate a student room.

1. Get decorative bedding

Dreamscene shapes geometric duvet set. Online Home Shop — from £7

Want to spruce up your student room fast? A cheap way to decorate your student room is by getting a decorative bedding set. We love this geometric set from Online Home Shop. It adds a pop of colour and looks super chic.

Get an Online Home Shop student discount.

2. Get decorative cushions

Zebra print linen cushions. Not On The Highstreet — £25

Adding a touch of decoration can be as simple as adding some coloured or patterned cushions. We love this zebra linen set from Not On The Highstreet, as its colours go with pretty much any style of decor.

Get a Not On The Highstreet student discount.

3. Get ambient light

The Child desktop light. Urban Outfitters — £20

Not quite feeling the ceiling light or lamp? This cute Baby Yoda lamp from Urban Outfitters might be all you need to have a little ambient light at night while chilling in your room or watching a film.

Get an Urban Outfitters student discount.

4. Add some fairy lights with vine leaves

Kikkerland ivy string lights. Urban Outfitters — £15

Fairy lights with vine leaves have a double purpose. The vine leaves are a super-easy way to add some colour and personality to a bedroom, then at night, they light up your room with some ambience that isn’t overpowering. You can even add photos with some clips to hold them too. Especially if you don’t want to add photos to your wall.

Get an Urban Outfitters student discount.

5. Hang up photos and prints

Umbra hang it photo display clothespin. Amazon — £19.96

Hanging up photos and art prints is one of the go-to ways to decorate a student room. Dedicate a space in your room to where you’ll hang them, or put them up in various places to create different points of interest.

Get an Amazon student discount.

6. Decorate with washi tape

Bold washi tape. Paperchase — £8

When it comes to cool things for bedrooms and decorating them, washi tape should be on top of your list. They can be used to frame photos or to create patterns on a wall for some decorative wall art.

Get a Paperchase student discount.

7. Invest in a wall tapestry hanging

Moonlight tapestry. Urban Outfitters — £32

Like photos, a wall tapestry is also a go-to for adding your own decor and personality to a room. Add this moonlight tapestry from Urban Outfitters above your desk, bed or on a dedicated art wall.

Get an Urban Outfitters student discount.

8. Get some mini plants

Succulent artificial plants. Amazon — £9.19

Adding mini plants to any shelving or windowsills in your room can add a spot of colour without too much effort. These succulent plants from Amazon are artificial, meaning you won’t have to take care of them (though you can get real plants if you want to!).

Get an Amazon student discount.

9. Get a comfy throw

Geometric cotton pom-pom throw. Not On The Highstreet — £20.30

A throw can make all the difference, especially if you don’t want to go through the trouble of changing your bedding. This geometric cotton pom-pom throw from Not On The Highstreet would look fantastic over plain bedding.

Get a Not On The Highstreet student discount.

How to make your room aesthetic

1. Make a mood board

Apps like Pinterest are a great way to collect inspiration for your room. A simple search of ‘uni bedroom ideas’, plus other keywords of styles you like are a sure way to retrieve some stunning images. Or you can go old-school and cut out images from magazines or print photos to stick on a board!

You’ll naturally gravitate towards a certain aesthetic, and in the end, have a reference for your uni room inspo.

2. Create a wall collage

Wall collages, either with your own photos or pieces of art you like, is an easy way to make your uni room more aesthetic. Try and keep things relatively cohesive with your collage wall (whether that be colours or subject matter), so it doesn’t go out of control or look chaotic. Unless that’s what you like…

3. Have an exposed wardrobe

Having an exposed wardrobe is a super-easy way to add a pop of colour to any uni room, especially if you’re someone with a set style or colour scheme. You can use it to show off your jacket collection, a little bit of character, or simply as space-saving storage.

4. Add cosy things to your room

Cosy things will always add a homely feel to your uni bedroom. Try adding blankets, cushions, bolsters and get them in warmer colour palettes to add warmth to a cold-looking room.

5. Lean a large  mirror against the wall

Big mirrors create the illusion of space, which is super important when decorating your student room. Plus, they just look great! Decorate the perimeter of your full-length mirror with tiny photos, fairy lights or fake ivy (or all three!).

6. Get some LED lights

Nanoleaf LED triangles. Amazon — £71.99

LED strip lights or panels make any room look super cool. These Nanoleaf triangles are super in right now and can even light up when there’s sound. Control the colours with your phone too to change the ambience of your student decor. Pop them on your wall, around your mirror, your headboard or along the walls.

Get an Amazon student discount.

7. Add some wall vinyl

Eucalyptus wall vinyl. Amazon — £10.99

Wall vinyl is a fantastic way to decorate your student room without causing any damage to the walls. They’re easy to remove and come in all shapes and sizes. We love these eucalyptus removable wall decals you can pop in your bathroom or bedroom to add an aesthetic feel to your student room.

Get an Amazon student discount.

And those are all the student bedroom essentials and uni bedroom decor ideas! No matter if you’re jetting off to uni for the first time or looking to spruce up your existing uni roo, we hope these ideas will come in handy.

What to buy for university 

As you’ll be away from home, you’ll need some of the best student bedroom essentials to make your space as homely and comfy as possible. This means linens, towels, clothing, laundry detergent…you’re gonna have to get self-sufficient.

When it comes to uni room essentials, have a think and make a list of all the things that are essential to you. These can be things that make you happy, as well as the obvious necessities. If you need lots of light, get some lamps (sorry, but some dorm rooms simply don’t have the best natural light!), or if comfort is a big thing, then throws, cushions and rugs are going to be your friend.

Let’s not forget your studies either. Will you need a student laptop? (we recommend one of these 2-in-1 student laptops). Let’s not forget stationery too.

And since we’ve been talking about uni room decor ideas, you’ll want to envision what your uni room is going to look like. Make note of all the cheap ways to decorate your student room from our recommendations above. But also, Our what to take to university guide should have you covered on all the things to pack. 

 Here’s a summary of what to buy for university so you’re in the know.

Bedroom

1. Duvet, duvet cover, sheets, mattress sheet (get a few sets)
2. Pillows and pillowcases
3. A few cushions for your bed and/or chair
4. Clothing and shoes
5. Things that you like to decorate with e.g. fairy lights, photos, plants etc
6. Electronics like your laptop, phone, chargers, and camera.
7. Stationery like pens, pencils, scissors, tape
8. Reading books for downtime
9. Essential documents like your passport/ID, Student Finance letter etc
10. A clothes horse to dry your clothes (in case you can’t get to the tumble dryer)
11. Laundry basket
12. A first aid kit and any medicines you require.

Bathroom

1. Toiletries like shampoo, conditioner etc
2. Toothbrush, toothpaste and floss (flossing is important!)
3. Toothbrush/paste holder (a cup works)
4. Towels
5. Hand soap
6. Loo roll.

Kitchen 

Some halls of residence provide a kettle and toaster. But if they don’t, you’ll have to get your own. Check out all of our uni kitchen essentials you’ll need to take with you. But for now, here’s a list of kitchen items to bring to uni.

1. Cups and mugs
2. Frying pans and saucepans
3. Cutlery
4. Plates and bowls
5. Chopping boards
6. Chopping knives
7. Cling film and foil
8. Tea towels
9. Kitchen utensils
10. Food storage
11. Bin bags
12. Teas and coffees (you’ll absolutely need these!).

Don’t forget to sign up to Student Beans to redeem home student discounts, fashion student deals and much more during your studies.