Student’s older sister transforms her dorm room as other students show off their lavish rooms
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College freshman are kicking off the school year by turning their drab dorm rooms into luxurious residences and one student’s sister got to decorating and left social media users in awe with her interior decorating skills.
Althea Johnson, 29, from New York, has always thought of interior design as a hobby, but when her sister Athena, who is attending Montclair State University, was preparing to embark on her first year of college, Althea decided to turn her hobby into a business and took to TikTok to flaunt her renovation skills.
Proudly showing off the transformation, the 29-year-old posted before and after shots of her sister’s room, proving that Athena would kick off the school with a real bang by gaining the envy of others with her luxurious room.
In a viral video, which has racked up over 10.2 million views, Althea began by showing the gloomy room before she got to work.
Althea Johnson, 29, from New York, turned her sister Athena’s, who is attending Montclair State University, room into a luxurious residence with her DIY makeover
Proudly showing off the transformation, the 29-year-old posted before and after shots of her sister’s room, proving that Athena would kick off the school with a real bang with her room that was fit for a queen
In an interview with Buzzfeed, the 29-year-old shared she achieved the stunning transformation for just $300 by DIY-ing the frames and sticking to one theme
Athena is ready to kick of her freshman year of college at Montclair State University with the help of her older sister, who decorated her room to fit her perfectly
Althea stuck to a crystal theme and DIY-ed all of the frames to help make the room look more elegant, even adding mini jeweled frames to match the large framed photos on the wall
Using stick on wallpaper, many shades of grey and DIY jeweled frames, Althea turned her sister’s room into a space fit for a queen.
She instantly transformed her room with framed pictures of Athena and even added spotlights to the ceilings to give the room an even more elegant feel.
In an interview with Buzzfeed, the 29-year-old shared she achieved the stunning transformation for just $300 by DIY-ing the frames and sticking to one theme.
She added: ‘I’ve always had the craving to design any room I walked in. When I think about someone’s space, a ton of images flutter through my mind.
‘I spend a lot of time researching, aspiring, creating, and taking notes on different designs I would like to attempt, make different, put a spin on, or bring to life.
‘When I get an empty space, I start to self-edit which ideas I can use, and which one of them apply to the personality, spirit, and energy of my particular client.
‘I combine all to come up with [the] finished aesthetic, and it’s always a piece of myself and a piece of my client.’
Althea (left) and Athena (right) made the trip to MSU with their parents to drop the college freshman off at her new school and of course, transform her dorm room from drab to fab
She instantly transformed her room with framed pictures of Athena and even added spotlights to the ceilings to give the room an even more elegant feel
Before Althea transformed her sister’s dorm room, it had bare walls and no personality to it and was only filled the with essential school-issued furniture
In another video Althea shared how she created the jeweled frames for around $100 by printing her own photos at Walgreens and gluing jewels to the frame
Her stunning transformation comes as other college students share their jaw-dropping makeovers.
From custom neon signs to lavish furniture, this year’s group of dorm room DIYers are proving that there is no upgrade too big – or too expensive – for them, with several even going as far as to hire an interior designer to deck out their rooms in ultimate luxury.
One college student who showed off her dramatic transformation was University of Florida student, who goes by Amandaeliza on TikTok and who added many different shades of pink to make her room warm and welcoming and take away from the once drab interior.
The University of Florida student shared a before shot of the room with dull carpet flooring and bare walls.
She then showed the HGTV-level transformation, which was complete with bright paintings that filled the walls, pink and yellow decor and an elegant white bed skirt to cover up the boring wooden furniture.
Although she didn’t reveal the name of her client, interior designer known as essentialswithEden on TikTok was hired to transform a dorm room (pictured left before); the once tiny dark room was transformed into a stylish space (shown right after)
The dorm room was complete with massive headboards and elegant furniture making it the perfect space for the new college student and the most sought after place for the average joe
The next college student who showed off her dramatic transformation was University of Florida student, who goes by Amandaeliza on TikTok, and began by showing users her dull room (pictured before transformation)
She then showed the HGTV-level transformation, which was complete with bright paintings that filled the walls, pink and yellow decor and an elegant white bed skirt to cover up the boring wooden furniture
And if users thought the University of Florida student was over the top, they were utterly shocked when they heard one college student even went as far as hiring a professional.
Although she didn’t reveal the name of her client, interior designer known as essentialswithEden on TikTok revealed one college student at the University of Mississippi hired her to transform a dorm room.
The once tiny dark room was transformed into a stylish space complete with massive headboards and elegant furniture making it the perfect space for the new college student and the most sought after place for the average joe.
Mississippi State University students Maggie Claire and Anne Journey also hired an interior designer to take their room to the next level.
After Five Designs, an interior design company based in Mississippi, specializes in transforming dorm rooms and they sure didn’t disappoint when it came time to decorate the incoming freshman’s rooms.
The dorm room featured matching white and pink bedding, two gold tables, a couch, pink velvet ottomans and matching gold lamps.
Maggie and Claire were ready to take on the school year with their newly transformed dorm room, complete with elegant furniture and decor.
Mississippi State University students Maggie Claire and Anne Journey also hired an interior designer to take their room to the next level, complete with matching bedding and customized neon signs with their names
And the interior design company didn’t stop there, they also decorated Mississippi State University students room’s Maddie Mabry and Annaleigh Penter
For this stunning space, After Five Designs kept the theme of matching decor and bedding on either sides of the room, this time adding silver metallic blankets, pillows and wall art to the once plain room
Mary Rae and Laura Lane were the next Mississippi State student’s to receive a room makeover; their elegant rooms rooms came complete with pink metallic blankets, pillows, wall art and matching lamps
Abigail and Grace, University of Alabama students, had their room transformed by the interior design company with matching white bedding, red pillows, a red carpet, luxurious drapes and of course, their names in neon lights
And the interior design company didn’t stop there, they also decorated Mississippi State University students room’s Maddie Mabry and Annaleigh Penter.
For this stunning space, After Five Designs kept the theme of matching decor and bedding on either sides of the room, adding silver metallic blankets, pillows and wall art to the once plain room.
The girl’s matching beds come complete with massive headboards and identical white comforters.
They even have their very own couch and gold accent table to give them a taste of luxury while in the school-issued room.
Atop their beds, they even have their very own customized neon lights with their names, which seems to be a specialty for the dorm room designers.
Mary Rae and Laura Lane were the next Mississippi State student’s to receive a room makeover.
Their elegant rooms rooms came complete with pink metallic blankets, pillows, wall art and matching lamps.
They too had their very onw couch in the dorm room which was filled with pink pillows and of course, atop their beds they had their names in neon lights.
After Five Designs then went to University of Alabama to decorate their dorm rooms.
Abigail and Grace, University of Alabama students, had their room transformed by the interior design company.
The newly transformed room was complete with matching white bedding, red pillows, a red carpet, luxurious drapes and of course, their names in neon lights.
Next up were University of Alabama students Olivia and Ellie who hired the dorm designing company to transform their room with matching blue metallic bedding, white ottomans, gold lamps and their names in faded blue neon lights
And it didn’t seem like the college students were too worried about homework as they turned their desk to makeup vanities complete with massive mirrors surrounded in lights
Similarly to other University of Alabama students, Sheridan and Reagan opted for matching silver metallic bedding and elegant white furniture pieces, including two white ottomans and a white nightstand in the middle of the beds
Gracie Branham, an Auburn University student, took to TikTok to share her dorm room transformation and began by showing her dorm room prior to decorating which featured a plain bed; Gracie then showed her pile of decorations she brought
Next up were University of Alabama students Olivia and Ellie who hired the dorm designing company to transform their room.
The new and improved room came complete with matching blue metallic bedding, white ottomans, gold lamps and their names in faded blue neon lights.
And it didn’t seem like the college students were too worried about homework as they turned their desk to makeup vanities complete with massive mirrors surrounded in lights.
Similarly to other University of Alabama students, Sheridan and Reagan opted for matching silver metallic bedding and elegant white furniture pieces, including two white ottomans and a white nightstand in the middle of the beds.
Gracie Branham, an Auburn University student, took to TikTok to share her dorm room transformation.
In the beginning of her ‘move in vlog,’ Gracie showed a before shot of her dorm room, which featured a plain twin bed and are white walls.
Gracie then showed the room filled with her decorations, bedding and more before revealing the luxury transformation.
The Auburn University student covered her room in neon pink lights and her once plain wooden floors in a massive pink rug and covered her bed in a white comforter, complete with various throw pills and a massive pink velvet headboard
Gracie made sure to add an elegant white nightstand with gold finishes and vibrant wall art to complete her transformation; she even added her very own gold clothing rack inside her room to fit even more clothes
Gracyn Edmondson, a University of Alabama student, also took to TikTok to reveal her impressive transformation; in the before shot, Gracyn showed the drab dorm room filled with her suitcases, which she was more than ready to unpack
In the after shot, the University of Alabama student documented how she took her room from drab to fab white and pink bedding complete with giant headboards and plenty of throw pillows and white curtains
Gracyn even added purple neon lights to her bathroom to add a vibrant touch to her school-issued walls; she then kept her walls more simple, showing off her school spirit with plenty of ‘Roll Tide’ signs
The Auburn University student covered her once plain wooden floors in a massive pink rug and covered her bed in a white comforter, complete with various throw pills and a massive pink velvet headboard.
She made sure to cover the once plain walls with vibrant wall art, added a gold clothing rack in her room to fit even more clothes in her room and even swapped out the school provided desk chair for her very own hot pink chair.
Gracyn Edmondson, a University of Alabama student, also took to TikTok to reveal her impressive transformation.
In the before shot, Gracyn showed the drab dorm room filled with her suitcases, which she was more than ready to unpack.
In the after shot, the University of Alabama student documented how she took her room from drab to fab with purple neon lights atop her bathroom sink, white and pink bedding complete with giant headboards and plenty of throw pillows and white curtains.
She even added an elegant white nightstand in between the beds and a white rug to cover the plain wooden floors.
She kept her wall art simple, showing off her school spirit with various ‘Roll Tide’ signs.
Mackenzie Sanschagrin, a freshman at the University of Alabama, documented her dorm room transformation (pictured left before) in a video and showed how she turned a dull room into a pink-filled swanky bedroom (shown right after)
The University of Alabama student filled the room with rose-colored curtains, blankets and pillows, while adding white furniture pieces in the previously dark room
Mackenzie even transformed her plain bathroom into a Pinterest-level space (pictured left before transformation), complete with a pink shower curtain, matching towels, a pink bath mat and white furniture for added storage space (shown right after)
Mackenzie Sanschagrin, a freshman at the University of Alabama, documented her dorm room transformation to her followers in a video, which racked over 14,000 views, and showed how she turned a dull room into a pink-filled swanky bedroom.
The college student transformed everything from the floor – now taken over by a large pink carpet, to the previously plain walls, which she gave a touch of color with various pink framed decorations.
She filled the room with rose-colored curtains, blankets and pillows, while adding white furniture pieces in the previously dark room.
The college student left users in shock as she showed her bedroom complete with neon lights on her walls, white and gold furniture and previously lifeless walls filled with bright picture frames.
Mackenzie even transformed her plain bathroom into a Pinterest-level space, complete with a pink shower curtain, matching towels, a pink bath mat that reads ‘sweet cheeks,’ and white furniture for added storage space.
Jess Kowa, University of Alabama student, shared a video, which racked up nearly 2,000 views, and showed how she leveled-up her space.
Jess documented her amazing transformation showing how big of an impact neon lights and the right bedding can make.
She showed her new and improved room now filled with hot pink lights, a large TV, white and pink bedding and an accent wall covered in artificial vines and fairy lights.
Sam Carlson, Charleston Southern University student, showed how tricky transforming stark white walls and plain wood flooring could be with her transformation that took her ’24 hours.’
Her after shot showed how she turned a school-issued dorm room into a charming space, proving home is where the decorations are.
Sam’s room had a common theme of plants and she filled both her walls, desk and other storage areas with artificial plants.
Sam turned her boring space into a picture-perfect room, complete with polaroid photos, artificial vines and plants and touches of gray and pink to make the room extra homey.
Jess Kowa, University of Alabama student, shared a video, which racked up nearly 2,000 views, and showed how she leveled-up her space with neon lights, polaroid pictures and artificial vines, showing how big of an impact decorations can make
Sam Carlson, Charleston Southern University student, showed how tricky transforming stark white walls and plain wood flooring could be (pictured left before); she added touches of pink to her room to make it extra homey (shown right after)
Grace Karner, another student at the University of Alabama, shared her bedroom transformation (pictured left before) and revealed her new homey space, which was filled with white and blue furniture, decorations and bedding (shown right after)
Grace Karner, another student at the University of Alabama, shared her stunning bedroom transformation.
In the video, which racked up over 16,000 views, Grace showed off her now cozy room.
Grace went for a more relaxed transformation, showing her followers how she ‘balled on a budget.’
The University of Alabama student revealed her new homey space, which was now filled with white and blue furniture, decorations and bedding.
Grace even put drawers under her bed to give it some extra height and went for minimalist wall decor, making it the perfect place to relax after a long day of class.
Hidy Kirkpatrick, a University of Alabama student showed off her vibrant dorm room in a ‘highly requested dorm tour’ video, which racked up over 170,000 views.
She showed off her colorful room filled with pink themed wall decor, a neon pink light that reads ‘hello gorgeous’ and her white bed that was covered in various pink pillows.
She even covered the once bland flooring in a pink multi-colored carpet and added touches of gold decorations to make her school-issued room feel luxurious.
The average college student no longer focuses on the basics of back to school shopping, instead they focus on competing with other students as to who can to turn their dorm room into the most luxurious suite.
Students are spending an average of $969.88 on furnishing their dorms, according to a report by the National Retail Federation.
Extreme dorm decorating is a relatively new phenomena spurred by college students desperately trying to impressive each other and obsessed parents.
Hidy Kirkpatrick, a University of Alabama student showed off her vibrant dorm room in a ‘highly requested dorm tour’ video, which racked up over 170,000 views
She showed off her vibrant wall decor which included a bright pink neon sign that reads ‘hello gorgeous’; Grace also decorated her room with gold frames and photos to add a luxurious feel to her school-issued room
Some brands are even transforming dorm rooms with their own decorations like boho brand Natural Life (pictured left before transformation), which created the most cozy dorm room, filled with colorful crochet blankets and pillows (shown right after)
The lifestyle brand added floral and butterfly tapestries, numerous rugs and curtains to make it the perfect place to relax after a long day of classes
The dorm room went from to drab to cheerful in seconds and the lifestyle brand made sure to cover up any empty space with pillows, artificial plants and colored floor cushions
The study noted that in all, American families often spend 5.6 billon on dorm decorating alone and $83.6 billion on back to school shopping.
According to the NRF, families of college-bound students spent a combined $5.9 billion on decorating dorms and $12.8 billion on electronics.
On average, when preparing to send their child off to college, each family spent $134.20 on food, $81.38 on shoes and $142.90 on clothing.
Store deals skyrocket during back to school season, with Bed, Bath & Beyond offering an entire dorm registry for those going back to school and stores like Target and Home Goods offering heavy promotions.
Some brands are even transforming dorms themselves to advertise their back to school dorm essentials.
Natural Life is a boho brand that focuses on a ‘free spirit style.’
The brand took to TikTok to show how they used their boho decor to transform a dorm room into a hippie’s dream.
Natural Life created the most cozy dorm room, filled with colorful crochet blankets, pillows, floral and butterfly tapestries and numerous rugs.
The dorm room went from to drab to cheerful in seconds and the lifestyle brand made sure to cover up any empty space with pillows, artificial plants and colored floor cushions.
And as more and more students share their dorm transformations on social media, incoming freshman are inspired by Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok, creating higher expectations for what their school-issued rooms should look like.
Despite the rise and fall of the economy in the past few years, the NRF reports dorm spending is immune to the economy highs and lows and will continue to grow.
And as virtual learning is on the retreat, many are predicting the highest levels of spending in back to school shopping in several years.
The college students impressed TikTok users with their HGTV-level of transformations and many were shocked at how the students got their ‘prison’ like school-issued rooms looking better then some of the user’s homes
The college students impressed TikTok users with their HGTV-level of transformations and many were shocked at how the students got their ‘prison’ like school-issued rooms looking better then some of the user’s homes.
One user said: ‘Love love love!!!’
Another user added: ‘From prison to palace!!
‘You somehow turned a prison cell into a cute bedroom and I’m absolutely all for it,’ added another user.
One user commented: Literal dorm goals.’
‘Yes adorable,’ added another user.
One user wrote: ‘It’s so cute.’