2020 Small Space Reno: Wall-Inspiration from 5 Etsy Shops

February is a beast of a month. The weather is brutal, the holiday season is over, and classes are in full swing. And as I trudged to lectures this week - first in a snow storm, then in a downpour, and lastly in thick fog - I realized how easy it would be to succumb to the winter doldrums. After all, it’s too cold to be outside for long, coursework is piling up, and the sun is increasingly a stranger.

As such, while I battled my way through the wind and rain this evening, I couldn’t help planning ahead for my apartment next year: the colors, the furniture, “the theme.” And I realized that, while living plans are still undetermined for most of us, there’s no reason why we can’t renovate our current homes right now.

My hope for the following list is to provide an escape from Chicago - to encourage momentary wanderlust, future planning, and a brief respite from the obligations of every day life. So pour yourself a cup of tea, find a warm blanket, and start brainstorming; a brief renovation might just be the key to warding off the February blues.

1. Dick Vincent from Manchester, UK

2. Papio Press from Penzance, UK

3. Wall Arty from Istanbul, Turkey

4. Eye Poetry Photography from Montreal, Canada

5. Pink Palm Decor from Gdansk, Poland

Featured Image via

Brands to Know: Society6

On the market for some cheap, eye-catching prints to decorate your dorm room, apartment or cushy Vue53 living space? Society6 offers a seemingly endless array of colorful and unique prints designed by their community of online-based artists. Check out the galleries below for some of our favorite products and shop their site here for even more options!

They also offer an assortment of throw pillows, tapestries, t-shirts, coffee mugs, iPhone cases and throw blankets for any of your other decorating or accessorizing needs, with most items falling under $50. Happy shopping!

Feature image via

DIY Decor: Cheap Ways to Personalize Your Living Space

Bleak and boring, dreary and dull, our dorm rooms and apartments suffer an aesthetic nightmare as we trade decor funds for Trader Joe's grocery staples. To add some much needed inspiration and charm to the sixth week sorrow, here are some DIY decor projects and ideas to spruce up your living space without breaking the bank. 

Yarn Wall Hangings

With the new Michaels making crafting a reality for Hyde Park, this project is quick, cheap, and easy to access. Simply pick a color scheme, trim and loop some yarn, and hoorah you have a cozy piece of decor that looks like it sprung straight from an Anthropologie catalog. 

Get a detailed DIY for this project here. 

Images via here, here, and here. 

Clothing Rack

Cheaply purchasable on Amazon, achieve a Tumblr/Pinterest room decor staple by adding a clothing rack to your room and showcasing your favorite pieces. As an added bonus, getting dressed in the morning gets a little more glam and fancy-feeling when you can flip through pretty clothes that double as decor. 

Feeling extra crafty? DIY a copper pipe clothing rack from this project here!

Images via here, here, here, and here. 

Printed Wall Art and Found Objects

For a super easy wall decor idea, embrace your inner Pinterest and Tumblr goddess and source inspiration to print and adorn your walls. Print an image per page for an organized grid or channel some chaos in an artistic collage. Pro tip: print on card stock paper to avoid wrinkling or curling edges when hung. Add some extra flair by hanging up found objects - display your hats, your ticket stubs and original artwork, or even dried roses you bought for yourself on a rough day (have been there many times - feel no shame!). 

Images via here, here, and here. 

Plants

Perk up your mood and surroundings with some bits of nature. Succulents and cacti are known to be dorm friendly (you still need to water them slightly and give them sunlight though!) but large palms and potted plants can add a lot to a room if you have the space to donate.  

To not kill your potted pal, check out this helpful care guide here. 

Images via here, here, and here.

Featured image via Kathryn Hicks.