Student accommodation isn’t renowned for being the height of interior excellence and that’s for good reason: students, after all, don’t have a great deal of money to spend, and the amount they do have is usually kept aside for more important priorities. However, it is important to spend your time in pleasant and cheerful surroundings for your own wellbeing. Therefore, simple but effective student budget decor should be the top of your priority list!

With that said, if you’re canny, you can transform your student house, even with very limited resources and very inexpensive student budget decor. But how? Let’s take a look at what you can do to help improve your student digs!

Wall Decorations

Bare walls are certain to make you feel like you’re a guest rather than a resident. But many student lodgings will come with strict rules about banging nails through walls and even sticking blu-tack up. Fortunately, you’ll still be able to get away with a few hanging decorations, even if you’re not allowed to stick them up with blu-tack. Adhesive hooks and white-tack will do a job, as will double-sided tape – provided that the items you’re hanging are appropriately lightweight. Although, be warned this might not be acceptable in every student halls of residence so it is best to check first.

See what you can get for free…

You’d be amazed at what some people throw away. But the reality is that many of those further up the income ladder are investing in expensive furniture, and there’s limited resale value in the old stuff. Have a look through local swap and giveaway pages, and trawl for bargains at your local charity shops. Find something that suits your taste, and you’ll be contributing to a good cause as well as perking up your interior. And if it is free, then why not?

Get the Right Lighting!

If you can’t see quite so much of your student digs, then the roughness around the edges will be totally ignorable. That’s why mood lighting is so powerful. You can pick up old Christmas lights (provided that they’re warm-white) and use them throughout the year. As a side benefit, this will make it easier to unwind during those evenings in. Similarly, for studying, a daylight lamp is the way forward; it not only helps with the midday slum of overwhelming tiredness but also does cost an absolute fortune. Besides, those cold and dark winter nights are just around the corner!

Window-Dressing

There’s nothing worse than a dingy little living space. If you want your accommodation to look as spacious and pleasant as possible, you’ll need to go for minimal window dressing. A set of day-and-night blinds from Swift Direct Blinds will do the job nicely. Alternatively, if you are in student halls then maybe pop some temporary blinds up or a chiffon curtain.

Plants

The presence of plants in your home has long been linked with lower levels of stress. We’re adapted to associate green things instinctively with abundance and prosperity. You don’t need to go overboard with the greenery – get something that’s low-maintenance and good to look at. Some potted mint or coriander will last for ages in the kitchen, provided that you care for it properly. Although, succulents are perfect for student halls as they cope well with being abandoned over the Christmas holidays!

What student budget decor do you recommend?