Peek Inside This Dartmouth Freshman’s “Barbie Dreamhouse” Dorm

When Addison Willis (@_addisonwillis on Instagram and @_addisonpreppy on TikTok) arrived at Dartmouth College, she quickly got to work turning her own room in a two-room double into her dream setup. The freshman economics major was immediately taken by the high ceilings, making the space feel larger than a typical dorm. Addison leaned in to that openness by filling the room with layered color, preppy patterns, and details that reflect her personality and where she comes from.

Her friends refer to the finished space as their collective “home base,”  and, thanks to all the fun pink details, a “Barbie Dreamhouse.”

How did you end up in this space? My dorm was randomly assigned to me to fit my needs, where I required at least a private sleeping space. While I do not have a single, my school accommodated me by giving me a two-room double. When I first found out my dorm assignment, I was very pleased because I got one of the newest buildings on my campus, and it is also a quiet dorm. When I first arrived, I immediately fell in love with the high ceilings that make my room feel so much bigger, and it’s one of the first things people notice when they come in. They also rave about how nicely decorated it is, which I intentionally put a lot of effort into, ensuring my room reflected me, my background, and my home.

What do you love about your space now that you’ve made it your own? As a girl from Texas at a New England school, I am used to many of my home friends going above and beyond when decorating their dorms, and I did not want to miss out on that just because fewer people did so at my school. Many things in my room show my Southern roots, especially the abundance of monogrammed decorations. I also love my pinboard that is covered in photos of everyone back home who holds significance in my life, kind letters and notes I have received that are reminders of my success and the people who love me, and memorabilia from some of my favorite experiences, like my train ticket from my trip to Tokyo.

What is your space best known for? My room is known as my friend group’s “home base” or “second home.” We always reconvene after long weeks here to chat and have snacks and refreshments. It’s where we always hang out before events, get ready while listening to music, or throughout the week, my friends may just stop in, and we sit and chat for hours. People also call my room a “Barbie Dreamhouse,” which I love.

What is your personal style? I would say it really is just a reflection of me, and I like to call it “addisonpreppy-core.” The wall decor are things that I like (The Plaza Hotel and The Wall Street Journal). It has elements that are Southern preppy, coastal grandmother, eclectic, and LoveShackFancy style.

What’s your favorite element of your space? My favorite element is my bed area when it’s made. Every pillow I chose was chosen thoughtfully, considering how the colors and patterns would come together to create the core of my bedroom. The framed Hermès scarf was also a stylistic choice, bringing more color to the bed area and adding an eclectic, fun piece to the room. The print of The Plaza makes my bed corner feel more comforting, a reminder of one of my favorite hotels in the world, where I am always treated like a princess. My pillows, art, and bedding were all thoughtfully curated to create my dream comfort place somewhere far away from home.

What’s your favorite personal touch of your space? I love my pinboard that is covered in photos of everyone back home who holds significance in my life, letters and notes I have received that are reminders of my success and the people who love me, and memorabilia from some of my favorite experiences, like my train ticket from my trip to Tokyo.

Do you pay for your living expenses? No.

What was your biggest challenge in decorating your space? One challenge I faced in the process of decorating before I arrived was the limited amount of information I was given about the room. We were not given any dimensions, which made it difficult to plan where things would go and what sizes to order so everything would be proportional and fit well. Alongside this, moving in was difficult because we were given essentially six hours, and then our parents had to leave as we began welcome events, but unpacking everything and getting my room to my standards within 6 hours was a challenge. 

What’s your proudest DIY hack? The skirt around my bed would not stay in place with Command strips or any other adhesive we tried. My mom, being the resourceful woman she is, saw that I had some pink clips for chip bags, and she used them to clip the skirt around the metal bed frame. The clips are invisible as long as my bedding is on, and my bed skirt stays up. When it does fall, it’s a two-second fix to clip it back on.

What items do you swear by? Make sure to get your own mini fridge if possible. I also bought an additional nightstand that is not only cute but also, since my room didn’t come with one, great for extra storage.

What are your best small-space tips? I also keep all my cleaning supplies, extra toiletries/bathroom items, and a hand vacuum in plastic drawers under my bed. The shelves on my desk are really helpful: They not only let me showcase a few things but also hold a lot of my items, like my Bible, camera, and headphones.

Share your style: Dorm Tour Submission Form

This submission’s responses were edited for length and clarity.

Share your style: Dorm Tour Submission Form