This King’s College Junior’s Apartment Is a Love Letter to Bows and Ruffles

When King’s College junior Jillian Rogish was assigned her on-campus apartment through the school’s housing lottery, she was not super overjoyed. The apartment wasn’t her first choice on paper, but the south-facing windows, natural light, and view quickly won Jillian over.

After living in the apartment for three semesters, Jillian has layered in color, crafts, and secondhand finds to transform it into a cozy, cottagecore-inspired home. From pink curtains hung throughout the space to handmade ribbon garlands and plants tucked into every corner, the apartment reflects Jillian’s love of creativity, flowers (she even has a business making floral arrangements!), and gathering with friends.

How did you end up in this space?

My roommates and I got this space through the apartment lottery process at our school. Students entered a lottery to choose which on-campus apartment they would live in. We originally did not get our first-choice apartment, but we chose our current apartment because we wanted to live on this specific floor and liked the view and the south-facing windows (good for sunlight!). We moved into this apartment in the fall of 2024 and decided to live here again this year for our junior year.

How did you personalize your space? 

Throughout the three semesters I have lived here so far, my roommates and I have increasingly made the space our own. For our junior year, I incorporated a lot of new decor to make the space feel more colorful and homey! One piece that’s made a significant change are the pink curtains I hung in my bedroom, kitchen, and living room. We also added many crafts and DIY projects to our decor, including a ribbon chain garland and some rhinestone paintings. We also filled the fridge with little mementos and pictures to make the space feel like home!

What is your favorite part of your space?

My favorite element in my apartment is the curtains. Over the summer, I found a picture on Pinterest of pink curtains hanging in an archway, and thought it looked so pretty! I decided to buy curtains for all of the windows in our living room and kitchen, and also for the archway between our hallway and kitchen. I feel like it makes the apartment feel so cozy and whimsical, and it is the thing that we receive the most compliments on.

What is your space best known for?

Our space is best known as a place to relax and hang out. We love watching TV together, most recently Dancing with the Stars every Tuesday night. We are also well known for our over-the-top holiday decorations, especially for Halloween and Christmas.

How would you describe your personal style?

I would describe my personal home style as warm, inviting, comfortable, and curated. I love to include colorful pieces, handmade and secondhand items, and lots of plants, flowers, and greenery! I often look to Pinterest for inspiration, but mostly I try to decorate with items that feel like reflections of who I am.

What’s your proudest DIY project or hack? 

My favorite DIYs for my apartment are the ribbon garland and the name pennant flags on our doors. I made name pennants for myself and my freshman year roommate, and have made more for my other roommates every year since. I made the ribbon garland at the beginning of this semester to hang in between our kitchen and living rooms, and hung one outside of my doorway as well. I made another garland in November in Christmas colors for our holiday decor!

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?

$5,600.

Do you have help funding your housing?

Yes, my parents help fund my college housing, paying for the interest on my loans. 

How much did it cost to decorate your space?

I don’t have a total cost. Many of the things in my space are thrifted, gifts, DIY, or acquired over the years. I always try to decorate my space using secondhand things or DIYs, as it makes my space more unique and homey!

Do you have help funding your decor?

No, other than gifts that I use in my decor, I fund the bulk of my decorating!

Do you pay for your living expenses?

Partially.

How do you earn your income?

I work multiple part-time jobs, have two on-campus jobs, and run my own small floral business.

What was your biggest splurge?

My bedding — I got my comforter from Pottery Barn, and it cost $229 before tax.

What was your best budget find?

All of my plants! Plants are a great, inexpensive way to enhance your space. Most plants can be bought cheap at garden stores, and you can also get many cheap pots from thrift stores or places like T.J. Maxx and Marshalls!

What are your best organization tips? 

One of the best organizing tips I have is using many wicker baskets to store things out of sight. For example, we have a wicker basket in our living room storing blankets, and wicker baskets on top of the fridge storing cereal, breakfast items, and snacks. I also try to use spaces like windowsills and the tops of cabinets to display plants and other knickknacks. By doing this, I can add a pop of color to otherwise neglected areas without taking up valuable space on tables and counters.

What was your biggest challenge in decorating your space?

The biggest challenge I had decorating my space was hanging things in a damage-free way. For example, I hung the curtains with adhesive curtain hooks, but they did come unstuck a few times at the beginning of the semester. I also had some struggles with Command hooks holding up hanging plants, and my ribbon garland falling down.

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

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