A cute, simple way to make a room your own.

I’ve redone my room half a dozen times. I tried bohemian, girly and even minimalist. None of them lasted long- the bohemian patterns were overwhelming, the pink duvet got old and the white walls got boring. I realized once I went to college that my redecorations were not quite as easy when my parents weren’t funding them (and when my RA ticketed me whenever I tried to nail something into the wall). I finally settled on shabby chic, which luckily happened to be the easiest. To me, shabby chic means simple but not boring, creative but not overdone, and cute but not cutesy. The look can be done with a few splurges and a lot of Pinterest activities.

There are three things I don’t recommend being cheap with: a headboard, a dresser, and a desk. Go basic with all three, and you can have them for years. I prefer white, but darker mahogany also goes with just about anything. After you have these essentials, you can be a little more creative with the rest of the room. My walls are adorned with pictures, letters from family and friends, and paintings. I like to add picture frames to my desk and dresser, but pictures look just as good bare on the wall. You can print them in different sizes and put them up with Washi tape. Some great sites to get cheap, original art is Michelle Armas, Minted and Leif Shop. The rest of a shabby chic room is made up of trinkets. Things such as a ceramic bowl for your pens, a book found at an antique shop or a jewelry stand from your mom spruce the room up without a lot of effort. Have fun and add as many as you like!