American Made Dorm & Home

We’ve Moved!

You can now follow the My Dorm Decor Blog and check out our new bedding designs on our website here.

Great Blog on Sorority Rush

We’ve become a fan of “Prep in Your Step”, a blog written by Dorothy, a Sophomore at Furman University.  She’s doing a review of some of our monogrammed items for college, so be on the lookout for that!

We just read her blog on sorority rush and liked it so much that we want to pass the link along. As many of you are preparing for rush, we think you will love this article!  Check out Dorothy’s…

Decorate Your Walls With This Free App!

We’ve just discovered a cool new app for wall artwork, and it’s free! Anybody who’s lived in a dorm room knows how bare the stark walls can be. What do you put on your wall? Once you’ve spent the money on wall art, who wants to change it and spend more money? We found this new free Android and iOS app, Artkick, that has a surprisingly fabulous solution to bare walls. Artkick allows you to stream…

We’re Connecting Our Blog To Twitter

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Share! Communicate with your roommate before hand in order to find out who’s bringing what. There is no point in both of you bringing a fridge, TV or a microwave, and even if there was you wouldn’t have enough room to do so! I already had a small TV at home, and luckily my roommate had a mini fridge so it worked out perfectly. Talk to your roommate and figure out who should bring what in order to save on costs and space. I also found that when buying items for both of you to use, whether it’s a microwave or storage cubes, it is best for each of you to buy one item rather than splitting the total cost. That way when it is time to move out, you won’t have to deal with figuring out who gets what.

Coordinate! Even if you aren’t into the idea of buying the exact bedding as your roommate (you are likely to have different tastes in décor) try to coordinate your colors and bedding. By doing so your room will feel much more homey and even a little bigger because it won’t seem as if there are two completely different sides! I didn’t move in with my roommate until later, so we had two different comforters. However, since mine was all white and hers was white, yellow and gray I was able to buy throw pillows for my bedding that tied our room décor together. Not only do pillows add a ton of personality to your room, they are great to have when you are studying all night in your dorm room. You won’t want to lean up against a bare cinder block wall all night! We have a variety of accent pillows to choose from at http://www.amdorm.com, as well as some pretty euro shams that are great for monogramming! #gallery-0-5 { margin: auto; } #gallery-0-5 .gallery-item { float: left; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 25%; } #gallery-0-5 img { border: 2px solid #cfcfcf; } #gallery-0-5 .gallery-caption { margin-left: 0; } /* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */

Monogramming by American Made Dorm

White Euro Sham with Aqua Piping

Elephant Pillow by American Made Dorm

Gray Chevron Pillow by American Made Dorm

Hot Pink Pillow American Made Dorm

Navy Chevron Pillow American Made Dorm

Menagerie by American Made Dorm

Tiffany Blue Stripe by American Made Dorm

Wide Turquoise Chevron by American Made Dorm

Yellow Metro by American Made Dorm

We also have rugs and curtains (think CLOSET CURTAINS to hide the mess) to choose from, which are two items I would strongly suggest to help bring your whole dorm room together (not to mention keeping your feet warm…cold floors are awful in the fall and winter months).

Decorate! You are going to be living in this room for at least a year, so you might as well make it enjoyable! Most dorm room walls are made of cinder blocks and I’m not sure it can get any more boring than that. After you’re settled in, have a craft night with your roommate and make DIY projects to cover those bland walls.There are tons and tons of tutorials and guidelines on Pinterest and various other websites so I am sure you can find something you want to make for your room. Even if you don’t consider yourself “crafty,” give it a try! You will be surprised at how much you can do on your own if you just follow the steps. Another plus of painting your own canvases or building your own jewelry holder is that it is much cheaper than buying them from a store. Make the best of it and have fun decorating your room. After all, it will be your home for the next 9 months. Have fun with it!

Adjusting: College Study Habits

By Alex Hutchinson, Marketing Intern for American Made Dorm & Home.

One of the most difficult adjustments as a college freshman has to do with what we all actually go to college for. You likely guessed it:  Education! Things like going to class, creating good study habits, and prepping for tests. For most, this will be the hardest adjustment.

In high school, you had a schedule set for you. In…

Bring storage crates and storage solutions. Storage crates and bins will become your new best friend! I didn’t bring nearly enough with me, and ended up having to search for more once I got to school, which is harder than you think in a college town where everyone is buying the exact same things. Be sure to get all shapes and sizes in order to fill every space possible, as some are bigger than others. There’s a company we work with at American Made Dorm called Dorm Cubby, and they make these great storage units for either over the bed or over the desk. #gallery-0-7 { margin: auto; } #gallery-0-7 .gallery-item { float: left; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 33%; } #gallery-0-7 img { border: 2px solid #cfcfcf; } #gallery-0-7 .gallery-caption { margin-left: 0; } /* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */

Put a Dorm Cubby over Your Desk!

See How Much Storage You Can Get?

Utilize your space.  My roommate and I decided bunking our beds was the best way to go. This still gave us some underbed storage, as well an entire wall to store everything else. It also made the room feel a bit bigger, which we really liked. Your closet is a great place to store things as well. Try a closet organizer for extra pockets! Also use a curtain like these made by American Made Dorm and Home to cover your closet! It allows you to hide all the clutter while adding a touch or personality to your room. They come in tons of fabrics and colors made to coordinate with their dorm bedding (comforters and duvets).

Only bring the necessities. Chances are you will go home at least once before the end of the semester so you should be able to get by with only that season’s clothes until then. I would highly suggest this if at all possible. Of course, bring a few things that aren’t in season just in case, because you never know what Mother Nature might decide to do!

Bring dual purpose items. Try to get items that can be used for multiple things. For example, they make storage ottomans that are perfect for storing your scarfs, or even jeans, but also double as extra seating or maybe even a nightstand. The more you can do with less in a dorm room, the better.

Don’t forget a message board!  One of the peel and stick message boards (or wall calendar) for the wall was a must. I kept notes and reminders on it every day.  They come with a dry erase pen that can hang from a hook so you don’t lose it. These are great and come in lots of colors that match up with your room decor. They can be moved so if you change your room layout, the message board or calendars just peel off the wall and can be postioned on another wall.  You can get those along with your dorm bedding at American Made Dorm & Home. #gallery-0-8 { margin: auto; } #gallery-0-8 .gallery-item { float: left; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 33%; } #gallery-0-8 img { border: 2px solid #cfcfcf; } #gallery-0-8 .gallery-caption { margin-left: 0; } /* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */

Aqua or Teal Peel and Stick Dots with Dry Erase Pen

Black and White Message Board (Peel n Stick)

Peel and Stick Wall Calendar

Written by Alex Hutchison, Marketing Intern for American Made Dorm

Nobody really knows what to expect going into college as a freshman. One thing is for sure:  it is full of surprises!  No matter how much advice you get or how many articles you read, there will still be unexpected things thrown your way.  I know for me one of the biggest adjustments was attempting to be somewhat healthy and fit…

Dorm Decor Inspirations and DIY

Written by Alex Hutchison, recent college graduate and marketing intern for American Made Dorm. What great ideas!

Dorms can be a bit bland. Okay, let’s be honest, they are extremely bland! It’s hard to make a tiny cinder block room feel cozy and homey, especially if you are moving in with a complete stranger.  On top of all that, most incoming freshmen are on a fairly tight budget.  Trust me,…

As a recent college graduate, and by recent, I mean less than two weeks ago, I find myself reminiscing on my time in college quite often.  As a Western Kentucky Hilltopper, I experienced many new and unforgettable things; but, as crazy as this may sound, I think living in the dorm is one of my fondest memories.  Most people hear the word “dorm” and automatically give it a negative connotation. I won’t lie, I probably had a negative attitude towards it coming in. Having a sister who is only 17 months younger than you means you share everything growing up when you have a family of six. From clothes to dolls to Barbie jeeps, and even a room with reversible bedding so we could mix and match.  There were times we loved it, and of course times we wanted to kill each other.  Needless to say, you can imagine our excitement when our parents decided to build a house where everyone would have their own room. I would finally have my own space and all the freedom in the world to decorate it and arrange it however I pleased, which is something I have always had a passion for. I made that room my home for about six years until it was time to move away to college, which meant the “dreaded” dorm I had always heard about.  How was I supposed to move from my own private sanctuary at home to what seemed like a 2×4 box with a girl I would never be as close to as my own sister?!  Well, it was a major adjustment to say the least.  For starters, I’m girl with lots of things- clothes, shoes, pillows, nick nacks, you name it.  I’m also the girl that wanted my dorm room to look like it came straight off of Pinterest.  I wanted it to be picture perfect, cozy and quaint, and a place my roommates and I could call home for the next year. Just as everything in life goes, it didn’t turn out exactly how I had thought! I’ve put together a list that might help your transition.

1) Expect the unexpected. Things won’t go as planned. Whether you get stuck with a random roommate at first who could care less what your new “home” looks like or you forgot you’d need a mattress pad to make the bed more comfy , more than likely something will go wrong. Just breathe and remember you’re about to have the best four years of your life! Things will work out, they did for me and they will for you too!

2) Plan ahead. One thing I found is that once I got to school, I didn’t want to spend my time going to thrift stores to find the perfect lamp or to a craft store for canvases to paint for those bland walls.  Talk to your roommate ahead of time to see where she stands and make sure you have all necessary grounds covered!

3) Have fun! For most of you it’s probably the first time you’ll be living on your own. Use unexpected items for everyday purposes. For example, my roommate and I used curtains to cover our closets! Not only does it hide your clothes, but it adds some personality to your new home. Bunk your beds, or rearrange your room after the first semester for a fresh perspective! Coordinate your bedding with fun throw pillows and blankets. Trust me, it makes living in that tiny box much more enjoyable to come home to. Plus it makes the room seem bigger rather than two separate sides.

Hopefully, with these tips your transition to dorm life will go much smoother. Enjoy it while you can because in four years from now, you’ll wish you were moving into that 2×4 box and starting all over!

Alex Hutchison

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Navy Chevron Dorm Bedding With A Nautical Look

Traditional, Timeless Damask in Black and White

Gray Quatrefoil Dorm Bedding by American Made Dorm

Sky Blue Quatrefoil Dorm Bedding

Gray Chevron College Comforters

Black and White Vine Bedding

Navy, turquoise, and lavender dorm bedding

Closet Curtains for Your Dorm Room

Closet Curtains Hide the Mess!

Chevron Rug with Hot Pink Border

Aqua Greek Key Dorm Bedding

White Euro Sham with Aqua Piping

Look to Pinterest for Great Dorm Decor Ideas

We’re sure you love Pinterest as much as we do, and we find it’s a great source for dorm decorating ideas. Our own boards can be found at American Dorm on Pinterest. We’ve broken down dorm decor by colors, themes, accessories and DIY projects.

Check out our color boards for decorating ideas by the color you choose for your room, from aqua to gray to black and white to pink!  We’ve gathered the…

Dorm Headboards – Make Your Dorm The Envy Of Your Hall!

Dorm Headboards – Make Your Dorm The Envy Of Your Hall!.

You may want to wait and coordinate with your roommate, but in actuality, most incoming freshmen don’t wait for roommate assignments, which often come in late July or early August. Plus, you can usually get great deals on dorm bedding and college comforters earlier rather than later.  The extra long twin mattress that most college campuses have in their dorms is a size that sells out pretty quickly in the big box stores and in online specialty stores like American Made Dorm. 

Need help? Call on our team at American Made Dorm and they’ll help walk you through all the options and answer all your questions. But first, take a look at the 2014 dorm bedding designs from the experts in dorm life at American Made Dorm!

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Navy Chevron Dorm Bedding With A Nautical Look

Traditional, Timeless Damask in Black and White

Paloma Gray Quatrefoil Dorm Bedding

Sky Blue Quatrefoil Dorm Bedding

Navy, turquoise, and lavender dorm bedding

Gray Chevron College Comforters

Black and White Vine Bedding

Orange and Aqua!

Add a rug for those cold, bare floors

Black and White Vine Bedding with Black and White Chevron Rug

Aqua Greek Key Dorm Bedding

Caribbean Blue Ikat Dots Dorm Bedding

Shower Curtains Can be Monogrammed

Shower Curtains Double as Closest Curtains!

Yellow Metro Bedding with Chevron and Poppy Accent Pillows

Preppy Pink and Green Damask “Maddie”

Designer Duvet Sets

Designer Dorm Bedding

You’ll want sheets, towels, a mattress pad, a foam topper, wall calendars and message boards. You can get it all and get it shipped DIRECTLY to school with a “dorm bundle” by American Made Dorm. Check it out!