Although we’re in the throes of vacations, cookouts, and pool days, the school year is already looming (sorry). But if you’re moving into a dorm this fall, you have a lot to look forward to—including decorating a space of your own. And what better place to look for inspiration than Pinterest?
The pinning platform just revealed the most popular dorm room trends of 2024, along with search terms that cover the staples you’ll need to get started on creating your perfect dorm room aesthetic. Here’s what you need to know about all of the trending styles, from coquette to “baddie.”
Patrick Biller
Coastal Granddaughter
You’ve probably already heard of the coastal grandma aesthetic, which is centered around embracing beachy, light, clean decor in a very classic, or even slightly vintage style. Coastal granddaughter is, of course, the coastal grandma aesthetic’s closest relative. Coastal granddaughter typically leans more modern and trendy (and sometimes more casual) than its predecessor.
Color palettes within the coastal granddaughter aesthetic usually involve pastel blue and white, although some beachy themes incorporate light pinks and blushes into a few statement pieces. Also listed under this aesthetic is the Pinterest search for jute rope mirrors, which add a touch of nautical style.
Luxe
The “old money” trend has cemented itself as a social media-loved staple, so it’s no surprise that this is one of Pinterest’s top dorm room aesthetics for students this year. “Luxury dorm rooms,” “luxe hotel aesthetic,” and “old money decor” are some of the most popular search terms popping up.
According to Pinterest, you can expect to see plenty of black and gold accessories under the luxe aesthetic. Try to keep things relatively minimalist with a few essential statement pieces (usually focused on the bed or even a small seating area). Naturally, you’ll also need warm ambient lighting. If your goal for the academic year is to make your dorm totally unrecognizable from its traditional, bland shoebox-esque look, get luxurious with it.
John Bessler
Artsy
Will artsy dorm decor ever die out? Of course not. If you’re a fan of the artsy aesthetic, you already know you’re going to need a ton of posters, prints, and artwork to deck out your walls and make your space feel lived in and personal.
Pinterest also notes that miniature photo frames and mosaic art are trendy ways to redecorate your dorm if this is your chosen style. Artsy dorm rooms typically invest in bright, varied colors, funky decor pieces, and a curated collection of art pieces, records or CDs, and books. It’s long been reigning over college students’ Pinterest feeds, so you can expect to find plenty more inspiration on the app.
Coquette
Gen Z continues to obsess over all things coquette (which you might already know if you’ve visited Michael’s lately), so you can expect to see some perfectly-pink college dorms on campus soon. Pinterest said that the search for coquette often involves looking up pink palettes, vintage decor items, and floral elements.
Whether you’re hoping to incorporate floral posters and comfy ruffled bedding or want an aesthetic that just screams “cute,” coquette is the inspiration you need.
Nicolas Gourguechon
Earthy
Who doesn’t want to bring nature indoors these days? Whether you’re on the botanical side of things or just enjoy neutral, muted colors to calm your space, the earthy style is like a comfortable blanket you can throw over everything in your room.
You’ll need plants (and hopefully a way to keep them alive during winter break), botanical posters, ambient lighting, simple bedding, layered rugs, and rustic decor. Incorporate natural wood grain and earthy materials into your bigger pieces as much as you can. Pinterest also notes that the two most popular colors that fall under this aesthetic are, of course, green and brown.
Baddie
If the goal for your dorm is to make it as on-trend and influencer-inspired as possible, you’re going to want to go for the “baddie” aesthetic. It’s definitely not a minimalist design style, but it can vary in terms of color and style: You’ll typically see plenty of LED strip lighting—usually bordering both the tops and bottoms of each wall, under the bed, and around the bed headboard. Fluffy textures, Y2K decor, and blush or hot pink are other staples.
Pinterest also recommends neon signs, with searches for this term rising by 160%. String lights, mirror walls, and the infamous high heel-shaped chair are a few other popular terms the platform categorizes under this aesthetic to get you started.
Gothic
As the name implies, gothic dorms go all in with the moody color palettes and dark decor. They often have a bold, feminine feel—Pinterest says luxury candles and gothic flower arrangements both fall under this aesthetic—and are typically most defined by the color of the room itself.
To incorporate it into your dorm design, you’ll want to opt for consistently dark, vampy color palettes across all of your dorm essentials. Low, warm lighting and intricate decor also add to the aesthetic. And if you’re into astrology, you may want to add vintage or witchy items—think moon posters or thrifted statues.
Ready to get pinning? If you’re trying to figure out where to start, you should know Pinterest and Urban Outfitters are launching a Back to College Contest, offering college students the chance to win a $5,000 gift card to Urban Outfitters to make over their dorm or apartment. To enter, create a Board on Pinterest titled “Back to College Contest” and save at least five Urban Outfitters pins.
Whatever aesthetic you choose, we just hope your roommate goes along with it.
