This Adorable Roommate Craft Is the Ultimate Bonding Activity (It’s So Easy!)

The summer before my first year of college, my roommate and I spent months searching for and coordinating our (very pink) dorm decor. One of my favorite wall accents, which I actually ended up using all four years of college, were spray-painted initials my roomie’s mom made for us. When I saw creator Shannon Nelson (@theshannykate_style on Instagram) share an adorable, personalized DIY, it reminded me of the letters we had, but with a creative twist.

I love how customizable this decor is, and how quick and easy it is to make. To make the letters like Shannon did with the pearl border, it costs about $30 for all of the materials. However, you can use any letter size or patterned paper to make the perfect decoration for your room. 

To make these letters at home, you’ll need: 

• Mod Podge
• White Wood Letter
• Flat Paint Brushes
• Patterned Paper Napkin
• Pearl Strips

In the video, Shannon shows you how to cut out the paper for the letter shape. The first step is to coat the letter with Mod Podge (a glue and sealer) on one side using a flat paintbrush. You can then lay the unfolded napkin over the letter, cut it following the letter’s shape, and then stick down the excess paper on the back of the letter with Mod Podge. Then, coat the entire front with another layer of Mod Podge to seal it. (You could also trace the letter on the napkin and cut out the shape before coating it with Mod Podge if you don’t want to mess up the placement.)

To finish it off, Shannon uses individual pearl accents to outline the border of the letter, which you can also do, or take a shortcut and use adhesive pearl strips. 

This craft is extremely dorm-friendly, but I recommend covering your floor or desk with a plastic tablecloth or paper covering for an easy cleanup. It would be such a fun roommate bonding activity to make a new piece of decor for your shared space. Plus, you can customize the materials to your room’s color scheme. 

If crafts aren’t your style but you’re still looking for a decorative letter, here are some fun and colorful options.