Transform your dorm
Most college dorm rooms come with a basic set of furniture: a twin XL dorm bed, desk, chair, and some closet space that may include a small dresser. They’re practically a blank slate for you to insert your own personality, and to do that, you’ll want to add some key items when you move in, like:
- Extra storage and shelving to organize all your school supplies and books
- Art, plants, and other accents to make it feel like home
- A throw rug to keep it cozy
- Task lighting and desk organizers to make study time easy
And with IKEA Kreativ, you can plan ahead and decide what to bring with you to school and what you can buy later — crucial decisions when car space is limited. Start with one of our new dorm rooms, or scan your own, and bring your style to life before move-in day.
Don’t forget: Be sure to check with your residence hall before hanging anything on the walls!
1. Select a dorm room to start (or scan your own room*).
If you’re on a computer, try styling one of the rooms below. If you’re on a phone or tablet, download and open the IKEA app, select the profile icon in the top left corner, and select IKEA Kreativ in the menu that appears. You’ll find dorm rooms in the “Showrooms” tab at the top of the following page.
*If you’ve already moved into your new home for the school year — whether it’s a dorm room or a room in an apartment or house — you can scan it with IKEA Kreativ in the IKEA mobile app to see how IKEA furniture and decor would look in your own space.
Standard dorm rooms
Unique dorm rooms
When the room opens, you’ll see we’ve added some starter furniture representing the items you might find in your own dorm room on move-in day.
2. Add storage, lighting, and accessories.
From here, search or browse the catalog. Then add extra storage, comfy furniture, and fun decor to make the space your own.
3. Move or swap items to find the perfect fit.
Try moving pieces around to see how they work together. If something doesn’t suit your taste, easily swap it with something else.
4. Share and collaborate with your roommates, friends, or family.
Once you’ve created the dorm room of your dreams, you can save your design, share it, and even remix it with everyone’s input.
5. Buy the items you want. Or maybe encourage your parents to buy them for you.
Right from your design, you can select any item and add it to your favorites or to your shopping bag. Or you can select “Summary” to see a list of all the items used in your design, and from there, add everything to your bag in one click.
We always love to see your creations! Share them using the hashtags #IKEAKreativ #IKEAdormtransformation or #collegewithIKEA so we can check them out.
Need more inspiration?
See what we’ve done to this Single Dorm Room below.
In this room, we used our MACKAPÄR storage unit at the end of the bed, which is great for storing everything from shoes to snacks. It’s even sturdy enough to use as a bench for extra seating when you’re hosting friends. We added a couple NOLMYRA chairs for lounge time along with a white VINDUM rug for a cozy, modern feel. When you need to study, we brought in a KALLAX shelf unit between the desk and the bed for quick and easy access to books. Capping off our design, we added stylish and functional accessories, like a RANARP desk lamp, some LACK wall shelves, a GRANVÅG mirror, and wall prints. Try starting with a VINDUM rug in IKEA Kreativ and see what kind of space you can create.