Making your bedroom feel like home will be one of the first things you’ll do after moving into a new student house. Those four walls will be where you go to escape, to study and hopefully get some proper sleep. But what about the living space? Assuming you’ve decided to move in and engage in a bit of student bill splitting with friends, then the lounge will be where you chill and party together.
Make decorating a project for the first weekend in the house because working together will help you re-connect with mates after a long summer. If there are any new people to the group, then it’s a great way to get to know them. So turn the music up, crack open a beer and get creative.
Also, and let’s face it, promising to decorate the living room is something that you will all do ‘tomorrow’ or ‘next week’ but by agreeing beforehand people can come up with colour schemes and themes. Everyone in the house should lend a hand with wallpaper stripping and painting. It’s a fun thing to do.
Shop for stuff
If Glide is your utility provider then we’ll have your student broadband up and running ASAP, then it’s shopping time! Look at IKEA for the cheap furniture bits and pieces needed for the living room … they sell little side tables and stools pretty cheap.
On the high street, Primark has a surprisingly good quality range of housey bits and if someone has a car then head to Dunelm and The Range for cushions, lighting and pictures. The project means you will have to work together and there should be no shirking of responsibilities since everyone – and their friends and family – will get to enjoy the cosyness of your home. Hopefully.
All the Lights
Artfully arranged lighting is going to make a massive difference to the feel of a living room. Sitting under a ‘big light’ with lots of people in the room, watching a movie is just weird. Place a few smaller lamps round the living room to give enough light to find your phone and make a cup of tea but not so much you can all see each other’s dark eye circles from the three nights on the lash at the weekend.
Cushions, rugs and throws
Search interior design websites for inspiration on the internet with the excellent Glide internet offering in your student house. Pinterest is great too and you could use this site for inspiration.
Colourful cushions and patterned throws will brighten up and personalise a room with a typical neutral palette. Chuck a giant rag rug on the floor to protect the carpet and keep the landlord sweet.
Keep to the same types of colour when choosing. Jewel shades like emerald, turquoise, orange and purple will look fantastic together but avoid patterns if that’s your plan otherwise your cosy den will just give everyone a headache. Choose one or two colours and a single big statement patterned piece as an alternative.
Pictures and posters
It’s important to check with the landlord about their rules for wall hangings. Screwing massive Rawlplugs into the plaster to hang a heavy framed painting might not go down well – since the plugs will need to be removed and the hole filled in. Mind you Blu Tack, Sellotape and pin marks on freshly painted walls might have the same reaction from the landlord or agent. Tread carefully or your deposit is at risk.
If a particular poster will complete a room then think about buying a cheap clip frame and leaning it against the wall in a corner or up on a table. The impact and statement will be the same and no trouble will be caused by damage to walls.
Plants
Buy a selection of house plants in colourful pots from places like Wilkos. Check they are robust and hard to kill and these little beauties can be dotted around the house to make it look friendly, cosy and happy. Each housemate can take responsibility for watering a particular plant and if it dies under their care they have to pay to replace it. Harsh but fair.
If you would like more information about a great bill sharing service that will help you budget effectively while living in a student house – and help pay for the living room decorating project – then get in touch with one of our friendly Gliders.