This Sophomore Created a Nature-Inspired Dorm with Earthy Hues and Dried Flowers (It’s So Inviting!)

In his single dorm at Western Carolina University, Mason Lyon (@mason.lyon on TikTok, @masonlyon on Instagram) has curated an aesthetic rooted in nature. You can see the hues of green, brown, and gold running from his bedding to his wall art to his bathroom, and even has dried flowers in his room.

Mason says his room is also known for its signature scent that evokes the fragrance of being by a campfire (plus, it’s dorm-approved!). Here’s how he transformed his standard dorm room into an earthy escape. 

How’d you end up in this space? We’re required to live on campus for our first two years! We get to rank our top choices for buildings, but you are ultimately assigned a building by the university. I actually got one of my top choices, which is amazing!  In my building, the rooms have several outlets, most rooms have a bathroom you share with one other person, and the natural light (which is very important to me) is fantastic. I also love how it’s very close to a dining hall, and since our campus is on a hill, it’s at the top so I get to walk down to most everything.

Now that you’ve made the space your own, what specifically do you love about it? What I love about my room is that most of my wall decor is thrifted or has some funny story about it so when I have people over we always have a long debrief about the posters and pictures on my wall and where they’re from, which is so cool!

What’s your space best known for? My space is definitely best known for its smell! I have an (RA & DORM APPROVED!) air freshener that smells so good. It’s a Febreeze Small Spaces Air Freshener in the scent “Cozy Campfire.” It doesn’t use any heat, and it’s strong enough for a dorm so it’s perfect!

Define your personal home style: Vintage, eclectic, mid-century modern with a twist, cozy, greens, gold, and wood tones, natural, and fun.

What’s your favorite element of your space? My favorite part of my space is the hanging dried flowers I have next to my windows! They were given to me after a performance. I wanted to preserve them for as long as I could, and they turned out beautiful.

What’s your proudest DIY or product hack? I made the pennant of my name that hangs above my head! It was a very easy DIY that cost me less than $5. All you need are two large sheets of felt in different colors and a way to attach them (I used hot glue). You cut out the triangle pennant first, then cut out the letters of your name while making sure they fit within the triangle, then attach the letters and you’re done!

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? $3,900

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

Do you pay for your living expenses? Partially.

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

How much did it cost to decorate your space? Around $300. Most of my decor was thrifted.

Do you have anyone helping to fund your decor? No.

What was your best budget find for this space? The photos I have on my wall! They’re from FreePrints, which is an app that gives you 85 free photos printed per month. You just have to pay for shipping. To print 35 photos I paid $4.

What was your biggest splurge for this space? I was on a budget so I really didn’t have any big splurges.

What was your biggest challenge in decorating your space? The biggest challenge of decorating a dorm is definitely working through all the rules and guidelines while making a space practical and comfortable. You want to make a space you love and feel at home in while also following all the rules for dorms your university has in place. For me, finding ways to hang things without damaging the walls is always a challenge. Also finding enough practical storage is a challenge as well. 

What’s your best tip for optimizing a small space? Put as much as you can below your bed and out of sight! Lofting your bed and stacking things on top of each other is also a huge help for storage. 

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

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