Making Your Student House Feel Like Home

Student houses or rooms are generally pretty standard and impersonal, which can make you feel like a visitor… for months. Thankfully, it doesn’t take much to give your student house a different atmosphere, and to keep the homesickness at bay – just a few simple touches and your accommodation will feel just like a home from home.

So here are some quick, creative, low-cost ideas to help you get the most out of your student house.

Rearrange the furniture

While you definitely can’t get rid of any of the pre-existing furniture, you can rearrange it to suit your taste and needs. Get some of your new friends to help you and move your bed and desk around, until you find a layout that feels right for you – just remember to put everything back to its original place at the end of the year.

Lighting

There’s nothing quite as depressing as cold, harsh, fluorescent lights – which, unfortunately, are very popular in student accommodation. To create a cosier atmosphere, get yourself a nice bedside lamp, or, for a cheaper (and jazzier) alternative, some fairy lights. Hang them on the wall or lay them on a shelf – you will not believe the difference they can make. Next time you have people over for a movie night, you will all feel a bit more at home.

Photos

This is probably the most popular ‘student hack’ to transform a bland room into a space that feels just like home. There are lots of websites that will print and deliver your photos to you for a very inexpensive price, so pick your favourites and get creative arranging them.  You could even hang them on your fairy lights with some clips…

Washi tape

… or you could frame them with some washi tape. If you’ve never heard of washi tape, go look for it in a stationary shop, and be prepared – this will be your new best friend. Forget blue-tac, white-tac, and paint peeling off the walls – washi tape won’t leave any marks. And it comes in all sorts of patterns and colours, so you’ll be spoilt for choice. You could also use it to line the edges of books, shelves, doors… it will add that extra bit of colour your student house was missing.

Door stop

A door stop is something you simply can’t miss out on. First of all, leaving your door open will send a positive message to your housemates, making you appear friendly and approachable. But at the same time, it can add a personal touch to your room. You can find really cheap ones in any homeware shop, or, if you’re feeling like some DIY, you can easily make one yourself. The options are endless – some rice in a fabric pouch, a decorated rock, a jar, a piece of wood…

Cushions and blankets

Do your bed and sofa look uninviting? This is an easy fix – all you’ll need is some soft cushions, throws and blankets, and your cosy evenings will be even cosier. You can find budget-friendly ones in any high street home store, and they will add some personality to your room, creating a more homely atmosphere.

Plants

Feel like your student house is still missing something, but you just can’t tell what? Here’s a secret – it's probably plants. It’s incredible how a bit of greenery can transform a space, making it brighter, more welcoming and aesthetically pleasing. No green fingers? No problem. Get yourself a cactus or another low maintenance plant, such as Aloe Vera, or even some faux flowers to get the best of both worlds. A splash of colour and your student house will soon feel like home.