Check Out How This Florida Gulf Coast University Freshman Made Her “Princess Room” Feel Like Home

In Trinity Rutledge’s (@trinitystarr.rutledge on Instagram, @trinitystarr.rutledge on TikTok) dorm, every detail and decoration has a story, she says. Trinity’s setup seems like the best of both worlds when you share your room with another student: the freshman at Florida Gulf Coast University lives in a double, but she and her roommate each have their own separate rooms. Trinity says “vintage princess rooms” inspired her to style her dream space that evokes a coquette vibe.

How’d you end up in this space? We picked out my room on the portal! We picked a room that was easy to walk up and down the stairs, and with a view of the nature walk! 

Now that you’ve made the space your own, what specifically do you love about it? I love how it feels like me. I was afraid that it would feel weird and I wouldn’t feel comfortable rooming by myself, but this room feels like home. 

What’s your space best known for? My space is very calm, and people usually come in here when they wanna chat or just debrief about anything that’s been happening!

Define your personal home style: I would say my style is more of a girly, coquette kind of vibe. I’ve always loved the vintage princess rooms, and took a lot of inspo from those — especially when pertaining to my decor. After not being able to really decorate my rooms at home, I wanted to have this room really showcase me!

What’s your favorite element of your space? My bed. It’s so comfy, and I love the princess covers and pillows. I also think the picture frame above ties it all together!

What’s your proudest DIY or product hack? My friend just gave me these mattress sheet strips you put under your mattress, and it keeps your mattress topper from sliding around. I think it comes in packs of eight and was super easy to put on and use! I fell off my bed once because the mattress topper was half off the bed, but it doesn’t do that anymore.

In an effort to remove the stigma associated with talking about money in college, we’re asking students to share how they plan and budget for their space.

How much does your housing cost per semester? $3,339.

Do you have anyone helping to fund your housing? FGCU gives amazing scholarships so I’m here on a full ride.

Do you pay for your living expenses? No.

How do you earn your income? Part-time job.

Do you have anyone helping to fund your decor? My parents.

What was your best budget find for this space? I wouldn’t say it’s my best budget find, but my best budget tip would be to start shopping for your dorm on Black Friday! You’d be surprised what’s on sale and how cheap it gets.

What was your biggest splurge for this space? The biggest splurge was definitely the fridge; it was $249.

What was your biggest challenge in decorating your space? The biggest challenge was probably putting up the curtain. We tried using this rod holder that you tape to the wall, but it kept falling down and hitting me when I slept. I had to try three different rods, and ended up just buying a tension rod and using that instead! 

Another challenge I faced was putting up my frames. Living in a dorm, you can’t really put any holes in the wall so keeping frames up is difficult. The adhesion stickers wouldn’t stick to the wall, and it took a lot of time and effort to keep them up there.

What’s your best tip for optimizing a small space? The number-one thing I would say is get lots of things for storage! Lift your bed as high as you can so you can place dressers and other storage bins underneath. I would suggest getting a shelf on your desk too if you have lots of stationery or books!

I got a locker that goes over my fridge, and it has lots of space inside and also storage on top. You’re going to want lots of storage for anything you bring, and anything you end up buying in college! Another tip is that if you eat in your dorm, immediately throw it away outside — because if not, it will definitely smell or you may forget about it and attract bugs! 

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

Share your style: Dorm Tour Submission Form