Moving into a dorm room is one of those experiences where you quickly realize just how much a blank beige wall can affect your mood. The space is small, the lighting is usually not great, and you share it with someone you may have only met via a Google Form.

Fortunately, custom poster frames happen to be one of the quickest and most inexpensive ways to make your dorm feel like home. Here are seven ways to do that successfully.

1. Frame Your Posters Instead of Taping Them

Tape is the standard dorm wall solution and also the reason so many posters end up curled, torn, and sad-looking by October. Custom poster frames keep your prints flat, protected, and looking intentional rather than temporary. It is a small upgrade that changes the whole feel of a wall.

2. Maximize Your Space Vertically Using One Narrow Wall 

College dorm rooms are small spaces where vertical space should be utilized as much as possible. By creating a column of two to three poster frames vertically on one narrow wall, one achieves height, personality, and good design aesthetics in an otherwise bland space.

3. Mix Poster Sizes for Visual Interest

Not every frame has to be the same size. A large custom poster frame anchoring the center with two smaller ones flanking it creates a simple arrangement that looks more considered than a row of identical frames. Art to Frames' picture frames are available in a range of sizes so you can mix without hunting across multiple stores for matching finishes.

4. Use Frames to Define a Study Zone

With a roommate and living in the same room, zoning can make the room appear larger and create a useful atmosphere. Zoning is done by putting up two or more poster frames above where one is studying. One can use posters such as a motivational poster, a map, or any other piece of art that they like.

5. Coordinate Your Frame Finishes

Matching things in a dorm room is not necessary, but choosing one finish for all of your poster frames will make your room more coordinated and visually pleasing. This is especially useful if your room is small and cramped. Black is by far the easiest to match since it will complement almost any other color combination.

6. Frame a Piece of Home

There are many individuals who put pictures of their family members and friends on their desks. You should try framing that particular photo and hanging it up on the wall. It will be more visible to you if it is hung up on the wall at eye level within a frame.

A collage frame is a great option here if you want multiple people or memories in one piece without covering the whole wall in separate frames.

7. Take It All With You When You Leave

One of the best things about custom poster frames is that they travel. Unlike decals, painted accents, or anything that requires a drill, frames come down cleanly and go with you to your next space. Whatever you put together this year can move into your apartment next year and still look great.

Make the Small Space Work for You

You cannot change the dorm room. You can change how it feels to be in it.

Art to Frames has custom poster frames in the sizes and finishes you need to make the most of the space you have. If you want help figuring out sizing or layout, reach out through our contact page before you order.

Your walls deserve better than tape. Give them something worth looking at.