How to decorate your student room with memories of home

Moving into student accommodation is an exciting milestone for many young people. With new friends to make & new things to learn, there is so much to soak in. Decorating your room in your own personal style will offer your peers a window into who you are & what you like. And it makes your room look cool!

To personalise your space even more, add customised wall art like a collage poster or framed photo print. Choose favourite photos from a recent trip with friends or family holiday to make your new space feel just like home.

Uni survival kit

Calling all Parents: Send them off with sturdy new backpack full of fresher essentials. They will thank you for it later.

1. Photo mug / travel mug with instant coffee sachets. (Tip – use fun embellishment stickers to create conversational ice breakers.)
2. Water bottles – losing their voice is inevitable at college! And drinking water is so important.
3. Photo keyring – Make it that much easier to keep track of their room key.
4. Notebook – For all that furious note-taking and staying on top of it all!
5. Personalised stationery/postcards (plus stamps) – When they write home (to ask for additional financial assistance!).
6. Photo memory book – Create a book of family moments so they can cheer themselves up if they get homesick. (Tip: write something personal next to each photo and leave space for them to record their initial thoughts about leaving home for Uni.)
7. Custom blankets and cushions – Extra comfort during long hours of study.
8. Lots and lots of prints from home…

Colorful mood board
Snapfish has a wide range of Student embellishment stickers you can apply to prints, posters, canvas, photo books and more. You can find our favourite stickers under “Best Year Ever”; “Family & Friends > Best Friends”; “Phrases . Family & Friends” and some others can be found under “School”

Next, help them decorate their new room with these handy tips and ideas:

Students: Celebrate moment to moment

Print out photos for your noticeboard – Choose a selection of prints that celebrate family and friendship. Remember you can refresh them every month (for free) when you download the free Snapfish Photo App!

Corkboard with photos
Prints

Frame it

Personalise your room with a large photo board. Fasten string or wire across a picture frame, then clip your favourite snapshots throughout. Picture boards allow you to take photos off of your computer, tablet or phone and proudly display them on your walls. These boards can bring your top memories to life, and you’ll end up with decor that’s both beautiful and meaningful. No matter your style, we have a photo print size & layout option to match. Hang your photos with small pegs, and add extra visual impact by displaying photos of varying sizes.

Framed prints on string
Prints

*Tip: Buy retro prints. You could then caption each photo with the date and location so your special moments are captured and preserved. Line them perfectly in a frame, leaving ample white space for easy viewing.

 retro prints on a board
Retro prints

You could create a twinkly effect, by attaching photos to your fairy lights. This is guaranteed to make even the messiest room look neat and cosy!

Wall with cards on string
Prints

Fasten strings of lights across the wall or around a mirror or board. Making the pattern seasonal is an easy way to decorate for the winter season, and re-shaping the lights afterwards is simple. For the all-important final touch, hang photos on your twinkling lights with small pegs or hooks.

Magnetic look

Create a magnetic memory board that is easy to design and adjust. Simply choose a metal board as your background and decorate it with customised photo magnets that match your personality and style. A magnetic board gives you the option to replace photos whenever you want – a bonus when you have an active social life and want to swap in (and out) your favourite party moments. Our photo magnets come as 3×2″ and 6×4″ sizes so you can mix and match them with photo prints on your board

Magnetic board with photos behind desk
Customised Photo Magnets, Prints

Create an eclectic photo wall

Use your monthly free print allowance to print your favourite photos in a range of styles and sizes, then secure them to the wall with low-tack tape. The diversity of your display, which may include a calendar or photo collage, will add texture to your wall.

Wall covered in prints
Prints, Photo Calendar

Arrange photos in the shape of a heart for DIY room decor that bursts with love and warmth. Choose candids from summer outings with friends or skiing in the winter with family. Build contrast by using different types of photos, from landscapes to family portraits.

Wall covered in prints in shape of heart
Prints

Create your home from home

Get personal:

Keep it cosy by layering your favourite blankets, fuzzy fleeces and colourful cushions. Personalise everything from your smartphone to coffee mug to spruce up your space. Not only are they sweet reminders of your loved ones but they also make your room look unique and inviting.

Cozy couch with blankets and pillows
Photo Cushions, Personalised Mugs

Motivational messaging

Sometimes we all need a push; when you are living away from home, it is easy to become disheartened. Print motivational or meaningful messages onto mugs, cushions and notebooks, e.g. a favourite saying from a wise family member.

Variety of custom photo products
Notebooks, Personalised Mugs

On the grid

Create a photo grid using our photo slim canvases. Create a collage of family and treasured moments from home. Mix up photos of your home city with favourite faces to give your room a lift.

Grid of photos on wall
Slim Canvases

Break the ice

Create ice breakers by adding embellishment stickers to your custom products. Think posters, blankets, cushions, and mugs. Add emoji stickers to share your mood, YOLO stickers to highlight your most fun times and family stickers to highlight your fave peeps.

Re-usable water bottles and mugs will help you keep your germs to themselves (and protect you from the germs of others!). Plus they help save the environment.

Customise a beach towel to motivate you to hit the gym and enjoy the outdoors.

Towel, mug, water bottle
Beach Towel, Personalised Mugs, Personalised Water Bottle

Monochromatic monograms

Create simple artwork and cosy cushions with their initials for that perfect accent to any chilling space. Or create a photo collage poster of fun times together.

Cozy bed and side tables with pillows and poster
Photo Collage Poster, Photo Cushions

Get super creative and have fun with (personalised) mugs.

Succulents are easy to take care of (perfect for the busy student lifestyle) and don’t require much light (or water), making them the ideal plant for a student room. Place a succulent in a photo mug with your initials.

Plant in a mug
Personalised Mugs

Wall and desk calendars will help you keep track of the class schedule and social events. Snapfish wall calendars can start at any month, so it is easy to create a personal academic year calendar. Or create a desk calendar if you want to keep your walls free for prints and art.

Customise your calendars with photos from family gatherings, meaningful quotes or fun photos of them and your best mates.

Customized wall and desk calendar
Wall and desk calendars

Matching the student room look to your personality is important, especially when you first move in. Choose unique colour schemes, photos and cushions to create a vibe that will help you feel relaxed and happy.

For the final touch, customise a fleece blanket that can lay on your bed. This will come in handy during those (inevitable) late nights studying or watching films with friends.

customise a fleece blanket
Fleece Blanket

What would you create in your personal space? Please share your custom home decor ideas with us. We love seeing what you create. Remember to tag us with @snapfishUK or #snapfishUK when you share on FacebookInstagram and Pinterest.

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