Updated Room Tour with PB Dorm

After finally sharing our living room on the blog earlier last month, I thought about how other areas of our apartment have changed since I last shared them with y’all. I am attempting to move past the fact that a room has to look “perfect” before sharing it so that instead y’all can see that it is a process. When I was originally decorating my room, I knew that I wanted white furniture and silver hardware accents. I also knew that I wanted to incorporate many of the same pieces that I had used in college for my post grad bedroom. With the same blue and white bedding and a few new pillows, the canvas was set for my room. With the changes made to my bedroom since last sharing them here I feel like my room is at the point where it looks as complete as it is going to be right now. It’s amazing what a few new pieces can do to pull together a space and make it seem a bit more cohesive.

I was thrilled to be able to team up with PB Dorm again to answer some questions and share a more updated look at my bedroom with y’all. If you’ve been around for a while you may remember me sharing how PB Dorm helped to complete my desk space and that’s one of the few areas in my room that has gone pretty much unchanged since the first time I shared my full room tour (aside from a few more pictures and mementos on my pin board). Additionally, after teaming up with PB Dorm to share how I maximize all of the space I have in my apartment bedroom, the organization I have discussed for the back of the doors in my room have continued to work perfectly as well.

The area of my room that has undergone the most changes over time has been the corner between my large window and dresser. Purchasing furniture outside of the essentials was something I was hesitant about which was why deciding on a chair for that corner proved to be especially challenging. I know that I may not always have space for a chair in my bedroom so I had to be conscious about picking something that would match with what I already had in the living room as well as fill the space in a strategic way. I finally settled for a tall cream-colored chair that needed some brightening up with a fun pillow and blanket. Next to the chair are two of my most used storage spaces, my leaning bookshelf and window bench. With new curtains above my window bench that lighten up the room during the day and keep it dark at night (thank goodness for great blackout curtains) the room really feels complete.

  

I have friends who walk into my room for the first time and comment that it’s “so Dorothy” or even better “the epitome of Prep In Your Step.” Decorating your room is the perfect way to reflect your personal style and it seems as though I’ve done just that with these updates to tie everything together. Whether you’re decorating your first dorm room or apartment or even giving the bedroom you’ve lived in for years an update, finding pieces you love that reflect your own style will help to make your space feel more like home.

The PB Dorm team asked me a few questions that will be shared on their blog, but I couldn’t help but share my responses here as well since it may answer some questions you have about my space. On their blog you’ll also find additional picture of my homey space.

1.   How would you describe your style?

I think that for the most part my style tends to be more classic with modern touches thrown in. I love the idea of purchasing high quality, timeless pieces that I know I’ll be able to have for years to come that can easily be freshened up with more modern pieces. My mom is definitely who I should be thanking for my love of blue and white and much of the inspiration behind my room. The way in which we choose to put together our blue and white pieces is different but she has certainly influenced my personal decorating style. I’m definitely not afraid to mix many shades of blue and patterns in my space to give it a more modern feel while she would be much more likely to stick to one particular pattern in a single blue shade. In that way, modern touches allow my space to be more youthful and showcase my personality while still being classic enough to use these pieces for years to come.

2.   How long have you lived in your apartment?

I moved into my apartment about a year ago. It didn’t take long for me to figure out that getting it to look the way I wanted was going to be a process. My room was my main priority since I knew with roommates it would serve as my own space to retreat. Once I felt settled with the way my room looked I was able to focus on the communal living areas more. Even after a year, there are still things I’d love to add to our space. However, since we are in an apartment I am trying to be conscious about the pieces I purchase and how they may be able to be used in future spaces since at this stage in my life living arrangements are not permanent.

3.   What’s one favorite way to instantly update your room?

If you asked any of my friends, they would tell you in a heartbeat that I am indecisive. Because of that, I am going to skirt the rules when it comes to this question since I can’t choose just one way and instead have three different ways that I love to instantly update my room. Hopefully you’ll forgive me for my lack of decisiveness since I think in this case it works in your favor!

Cute throw pillows are definitely one of my favorite way to instantly update my room. I used many of the pieces in my room in college and was able to make this space feel fresh by changing up some of the pillows. For a while, the chair in the corner of my room looked kind of boring since I kept the pillow that came with it. After finding the Fringe Border Monogram Pillow on PB Dorm’s site the space immediately felt finished and more cohesive.

Another way that I have recently updated my room is by changing out the curtains I have. The window in my room faces to the East which means that without blackout curtains I am up when the sun is up. It didn’t take me long to invest in some blackout curtains but since I was desperate to sleep past six I didn’t put much thought in the way they looked. When I discovered PB Dorm’s Pom Pom Blackout Curtains with navy pom poms I knew I had settled. The quality of these curtains far surpasses the ones I had previously and are definitely more stylish with the fun pom pom accents.

Lastly, my Scallop Statement Pinboard has become a focal point for my room since it draws the eye in almost instantly when you walk into my room. One easy way to update my room has been to change some of the pictures and items on the pinboard. Quotes, photos, and items that inspire me hanging in front of me while I study can be motivating and make working a bit more fun while adding a new element of décor to my overall space.

4.   What do you like better about grad school vs. undergrad?

Unlike some people, I opted to get my master’s degree at the same school, Furman University, where I went to undergrad. Because of that, sometimes it feels like nothing really changed when in reality there are definitely some differences.

Furman is unique in that all students live on campus all four years of college. I loved this about undergrad, and I think that it really allowed me to ground myself in what I was doing in college and the people I was surrounded by. Having classes within walking distance, friends around constantly, and access to a meal plan at all times was so convenient.

When I graduated last May, I moved to an apartment off campus and closer to downtown Greenville with a few friends which definitely contributed to feeling more independent while taking a step toward the real world. While I do miss having all my friends close by and the convenience of living on campus, I have been able to branch out more now that I am in graduate school which has given me a new taste of Greenville. There are certainly pros to both stages which is why I think you have to close one chapter to fully appreciate all that you had at that time while learning to appreciate your new stage as well.

5.   What is currently your favorite thing in your room?

Although I have already admitted that I am indecisive, there is one piece that stands up above the rest when it comes to my favorite thing in my room, my window bench. With such a large window giving me a lot of natural light I knew I wanted to find a functional way to embrace it despite the awkward amount of space beneath it. I didn’t want to block any of the window but couldn’t leave all that space empty so the storage benches (I put two together to fill the space) became the perfect practical space filler. I covered the tan cushion with fabric from the headboard I used in college and have been able to store miscellaneous items in the bins below.

6.   Any tips on mixing and matching décor? How do you make sure that everything pairs well together? 

With a love of mixing patterns and shades of blue, finding some commonalities in areas of my room helps to make sure that it doesn’t look to mismatched. When purchasing furniture, lamps, and even accessories, sticking to the same either gold or silver accent has helped things to look a bit more cohesive. I decided to stick to silver accents to help tie together the different areas I’ve created. With silver accents on my bedside table and desk, silver lamps and a silver frame above my dresser I felt more comfortable mixing and matching other things throughout my room. I recently incorporated some Shimmer Stripe Bins on to my bookshelf which helped that area to finally feel like it fit in a bit better in my room. I also tried to make sure most of my big furniture pieces were white since that created a blank canvas for me to add in cute blue and white pieces around my room without the mixing and matching feeling too overdone. By making these choices ahead of time and keeping them relatively simple yet practical, the items I have added in overtime appear to pair better together since they aren’t competing with items already in the space.

7.   What is your piece of advice for someone thinking about getting their masters?

For any of you considering graduate school, I’d highly recommend trying to start soon after you’ve finished college. By doing this, I hadn’t lost the time management and study skills that I had throughout undergrad, and I was already in the mindset of being a student. My situation is a bit unique since the program I am in has us getting our master’s degree while also teaching full time in a school. Because of this, balancing being a student while also having a full-time job and trying to keep up my blog has time management at the forefront of my mind and makes a work/life balance essential. If at all possible, choose a day of the week where you don’t worry about getting work done at all. For me, that is Saturday however in order for that to be possible, I often treat Friday night as a work-night instead of part of the weekend. There is a lot of trial and error that comes with creating this type of balance but I can assure you it is possible!

8.   What is your favorite decorating hack?

When it comes to decorating, especially in a smaller place I love being able to utilize often overlooked spaces in my room. As I talked about recently in this post, finding organizers for the back of my doors has been a real game changer both for organization and décor. The Behind the Door Jewelry Hanger is the perfect way to display and store some of my favorite jewelry pieces while also giving me more mirror space too! If you haven’t started using the back of your door for both storage and décor that is one decorating hack I’ve learned I can’t live without.

I hope that y’all loved getting to see an updated look at my room décor and hear more about the process behind decorating it. Walking into my room, I immediately feel more relaxed knowing that it is a space all my own that reflects my personal style while being functional for my lifestyle! In case you’re looking to update your space, I’ve included some of my favorite PB Dorm pieces for you to shop below.

Thank you to PB Dorm for collaborating with me on this post. As always, all opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting the brands that make Prep In Your Step possible.

Other Posts I've Done With PB Dorm:
Room Redo 2015
Gearing Up for Grad School
Updating My Desk Decor
How To Maximize Space in College

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