This Freshman Used “Fun Lighting” to Create an Inviting Hangout in His Dorm (It’s So Cozy!)

Joey Porter’s (@joey.porterr on TikTok; @joey.porterr on IG) dorm is always prepped and ready for a cozy movie night in or a spontaneous hangout. The door to his room is always open, and Joey always makes sure he is stocked up on snacks and drinks for friends. The keys to this Rutgers University freshman nursing student creating an inviting space for socializing was “fun lighting” and plenty of wall art. 

How’d you end up in this space? I could only control the request for which campus I would live on, not for the specific building. Once I received my housing assignment, I was thrilled. 

Now that you’ve made the space your own, what specifically do you love about it? I have done a good job organizing and decorating my dorm. I wanted to have enough room to make my room cozy and ensure it could be a fun place for all of my friends to hang out in.

What’s your space best known for? My space is the hangout space for all my friends. We have hosted movie nights together, where we set up a bedsheet and projector and made popcorn to watch Wicked. I have an open-door policy, so anyone can come in anytime for anything.

Define your personal home style: I decorate based on vibes and use Pinterest to create a vision and creative direction. For this dorm, I wanted to do something simple and timeless that could easily come together and create a cozy place to relax in.

What’s your favorite element of your space? My favorite part of the space is the lighting or the wall decor. I focused on finding fun lighting that could complement the space and make it feel comfortable. I have seen dorms with hardly any decorations on the walls, which makes it feel sterile and cold, and I did not want that. 

What’s your proudest DIY or product hack? Invest in bed risers. After purchasing those, I could add a good amount of storage underneath for all of my snacks, extra clothing, suitcases, etc.

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? $4,483.

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

Do you pay for your living expenses? No.

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

How much did it cost to decorate your space? Around $800.

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

What was your best budget find for this space? Multipack of posters for my walls ($12).

What was your biggest splurge for this space? Mattress topper ($182).

What was your biggest challenge in decorating your space? Some protruding walls in odd places made it hard to put the furniture exactly where we wanted it. Finding the perfect decorations was a challenge — especially when trying to navigate strict rules that RAs enforce. 

What’s your best tip for optimizing a small space? If your dorm is not carpeted, I would invest in carpeting. Investing in a good rug is crucial to adding comfort to your space. I would also recommend investing in a high-quality push vacuum to keep that carpet clean. I recommend investing in storage to keep your belongings in order and reduce overall clutter in your space. 

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

Share your style: Dorm Tour Submission Form