7 minute read
Dorm Room Makeover
DECORATING YOUR DORM
BY JESSICA FARTHING
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TRENDS THAT HELP PERSONALIZE THE COLLEGE EXPERIENCE
Dorm rooms have improved from the cramped, smelly versions of the past. Students want their rooms to suit their personal style.
College is a major step. A well-thought-out dorm environment is helpful as students move into a different life stage.
Here are some decorating options that are trending.
FOCUS ON LIGHTING Dorm lighting is usually terrible, dimmer than a student needs for studying. Studies have found that good lighting not only increases focus and concentration but helps regulate melatonin and cortisol for a good night’s sleep.
Correct lighting also helps regulates mood. It’s essential to use lamps to bring the light down from the ceiling, but teens have been loving to add string lights for a little extra illumination. They are new and improved on Amazon, in colors or twinkling, operating from remotes and even syncing to music.
Neon lights are popular. New versions can be shaped into any word and are less expensive than the lights of the past. Wayfair offers options that are battery operated.
POST UP Students love to mash up collections of posters on their walls. Parents love that motivational posters are part of 2021’s dorm trends. Looking at a cheerful, uplifting saying is almost as good as mom being there cheering you on. Society 6 is a great website that sells original designs by artists and designers printed on posters, phone covers and even furniture. Remember the Command Strips to hang on the wall. Most dorms have rules about tacks or picture hangers and require something that doesn’t cause damage.
STORAGE SMARTS It’s a must to stay organized in a dorm room. The Container Store offers rolling carts with drawers, bedside storage caddies that tuck into the mattress and storage bins. One overlooked area is the dorm desk. You can add more space with a small shelf (options featured at dormco.com) that fits the desk’s dimensions.
TECH ESSENTIALS Noise-cancelling headphones are a great alternative to help with focus or drown out a loud roommate. Personal speakers are fantastic for playing favorite music. Students recommend getting in touch with the school to find out the types of internet and cable available to prepare for the right setup for gaming and streaming. Don’t forget the surge protectors, extension cords and chargers. Bed risers can add room for storage under dorm beds and provide USB plug-ins and electrical outlets near the bed.
BRING NATURE INSIDE Houseplants are in vogue, so adding a plant to a dorm room is a great option. Succulents are small and easy to grow. For those who don’t want the responsibility, but appreciate the look, botanical prints are a popular choice.
DESIGN IN STYLE This year’s top styles vary. Animal print is popular, especially mixed with bright colors. There are many options for a more bohemian look, with room tapestries, wall hangings and draped curtains. Students may choose to have a minimalist look with pops of color or just bring all the hues in one bright burst. They may even reflect their favorite hobby or their favorite sports team with pillows, posters, colors and fan gear.
Dormify, an online store specializing in dorm goods, offers virtual styling appointments for families that don’t live near their pop-up stores. Roommates can virtually meet for their appointment or mom can come along for the ride.
FEEL LIKE HOME Each dorm room should be comfortable, usable and a reflection of the person who will live in it. When a student relaxes in their room, they can get a break from all the new events they are experiencing and focus on what they need. An item Bluffton resident Meg Engler, whose son attended Clemson, found necessary is the mattress topper. “That was key because the dorm mattresses are not super comfortable. Mason got a nice memory-foam topper that made a huge difference,” she said.
Engler has advice for parents.
LOWCOUNTRY MARKET SIZZLES DURING THE SUMMER
BY MARK E. LETT
The superheated market for Lowcountry home sales sizzled into summer, with no sign of significant slowing.
Scarce inventory, low interest rates and a pandemic-inspired trend to work from home are driving sales and pushing prices for homes on Hilton Head and Bluffton.“Those conditions have not dissipated,” said Jean Beck, chief executive of the 1,500-member Hilton Head Area Realtors. A handful of numbers compiled by the association tells the story:
INVENTORY Compared with a year earlier, homes for sale in June in the overall market — covering Hilton Head, Bluffton and much of Beaufort and Jasper counties — declined nearly 66 percent, to 654 from 1,910. Bluffton inventory fell 76 percent, to 174, compared with 727. Available single-family homes (excluding condos and villas) in Hilton Head slipped 67.3 percent, to 150 from 459.
MEDIAN PRICES Demand in the overall market generated a 12.7 percent increase in median prices, to $400,000 from $355,000, compared with June 2020. Hilton Head median prices jumped 39.9 percent, to $850,000 from $607,500. Bluffton median prices increased 11.1 percent, to $356,555.
PRICES RECEIVED For the overall market, selling prices fetched 100.2 percent of asking prices. The percent of list price received was 99.8 percent in Hilton Head and 100.7 percent in Bluffton.
Real estate sales veterans said supply-and-demand forces are encouraging multiple offers and swift sales.
Charles Sampson, of the Charles Sampson Group of Charter One Realty, said the Hilton Head and Bluffton markets remain popular with out-of-state buyers seeking “a vacation atmosphere.”
Added Shaun McTernan, president of the Realtors association: “We live in a paradise.”
Sampson, a real estate professional since 1985 and a Hilton Head resident for nearly 50 years, said the area appeals to urban dwellers from around the nation who want to work from home, especially as they near retirement.
Potential buyers need to move quickly in today’s competitive sales market, he said. One Oregon couple talked by FaceTime with Sampson in the morning, reviewed available properties by computer during the day and made an offer by evening, Sampson said.
“You have to be ready. You have to be prepared,” he said.
Real estate professionals said current market conditions underscore the importance of three “Cs” — Cash, Closing and Contingencies.
CASH The ability to pay cash for a property provides a competitive advantage over buyers who must line up financing, adding potential delays and uncertainty to a deal.
CLOSING It’s a tight market. Sellers caught short with the surprisingly quick sale of their home, may seek to delay, rent or lease back their property while looking to relocate. Adding such an option to an offer can encourage agreement.
CONTINGENCIES To make an offer more appealing to sellers fielding multiple offers, buyers are urged to work with their agent to include creative sweeteners. Among those: going above the asking price; waiving an appraisal contingency; taking care to sweat the details to make an offer free of potential snags that can slow the deal.
Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the National Association of Realtors, said the national home sales recovery that has followed last year’s pandemic lockdown will be “sustainable for many months ahead as long as mortgage rates remain low and job gains continue.”
Locally, Hilton Head’s Beck said “the economy we are seeing is likely through the balance of the year, with rates remaining low and buyer interest remaining high.”
