For Arianna Clay, a fourth-year in finance, decorating is equal parts deliberate and spontaneous.
“If I like a page in a magazine, I’ll rip it out,” Clay said.
Still, making off-campus housing feel homey rather than haggard can be a challenge. Clay — along with her roommate Helena Michalski, a fourth-year in dance — said repurposing pre-owned furniture and everyday “scrap” materials are the best ways to get started. Hannah Baker, a third-year in communications, also credited her eclectic interior design to thrifting.
“With my apartment, my whole goal is to have a space where I can make memories, and bring people and celebrate everyone’s accomplishments,” Baker said. “Secondhand shopping is the only reason I’m able to do all of this. It’s the most affordable way to decorate a space.”
Even if renters are strapped for extra cash, Clay and Michalski said low-budget apartment accessories are often close at hand. Notes from loved ones, movie ticket stubs, vinyl records, postcards and spare fabric pieces can all be thoughtfully arranged in a gallery-wall format, they said.
“I see things and I’m like, ‘OK, well this is beautiful. How can we make this a decoration?’” Michalski said. “Now, I’ll collect tags that I think are cute.”
Clay said photographs are similarly easy to elevate, whether they are framed or simply confined to one cohesive color palette. Plus, most CVS Pharmacy storefronts — including those located at 2160 N. High St. and 1634 Neil Ave. — currently sell 4-by-6-inch prints starting at 25 cents each.
“Personally, I can only have pictures on the wall if I like the colors,” Clay said. “But if you really like a picture still, just put them all in black and white.”
When it comes to wood furnishings, Baker said the St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store and Donation Center at 5969 E. Main St. is her go-to spot. One of her all-time favorite finds, a nine-drawer oak dresser with partial rattan lining, was purchased there.
While this dresser took nearly a week to revamp, Baker said enhancing its vintage charm was its own reward. Moreover, she acquired a piece she can treasure and restyle for years down the line.
“I got it for $50, $45,” Baker said. “We resanded the entire thing, restained it, polished all the hardware on it. So there’s a lot of love in that piece.”
Students looking to thrift wood furniture should keep an eye out for dovetail joints, Baker said. These woodworking joints, visually identifiable due to their interlocking shape, are reminiscent of puzzle pieces fitting together.
“It’s one of the most secure ways to build dressers,” Baker said. “If you can see [dovetail joints] in any wooden drawers, you know that dresser is very good quality and will probably last you a long time.”
Another decorative strategy is creating “dupes” of more costly items. Baker said her self-assembled coffee table — which consists of a wooden circle fastened to a spray-painted pot, both sourced from Lowe’s — was modeled after high-end tables she scoped out online.
“I always like things that are expensive, and it never works out well for me,” Baker said. “I always have to find a way around it.”
If a DIY project sounds too daunting, Michalski said one cannot go wrong with exhibiting comfort objects.
“We’re huge stuffed animal people,” Michalski said. “A stuffed animal can tie a room together and make it really cozy. And then on my corkboard, I display my pins and buttons. I know people usually put them on their backpacks, but I want to see them all the time.”
Baker said adding sentimental touches, no matter how simple they may be, is always worthwhile. Showcasing her matchbook collection and keeping a scrapbook on the coffee table helps the apartment feel warmer, she said.
“It definitely adds a lot of personalization to your space and doesn’t make it look like it’s just a showroom,” Baker said. “You’ll want to have some character and see yourself in your space. I would 100% recommend incorporating little things here and there when you can.”
Clay and Michalski ultimately said students should build their dream residence one piece at a time. Though secondhand shopping affords buyers more environmental consciousness, excessive thrifting can still lead to overconsumption.
“Just treat it like normal shopping,” Clay said. “Only buy what you resonate with.”
Baker agreed.
“Don’t be afraid to go to the thrift store and find nothing,” Baker said. “I do it all the time, and it is disappointing, but I wouldn’t say buy something just to buy it. Make sure you love it because it’ll end up helping your space come together in the end.”
