When applying for university, one of the most important parts to consider is student accommodation. Many students begin their university life by moving out of their home. Sometimes far away from their family and friends and this can be daunting and nerve-wracking for many students. Something that they commonly do is search up pictures of their accommodation. And start planning out what they want their room to look like months before even moving in! Where will my plants go? What cushions should I buy? Where should I put my books?

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Finding your uni style

Moving into a new flat, whether with other flatmates or by yourself, can be overwhelming. As a student, I remember how scary this was. I was always nervous about the transition from living at home to living in student accommodation. Whilst I was excited to live more independently and have my own space, I had a feeling of restlessness. But this is a normal feeling that many other students will feel. However, I was reassured by the thought of being able to decorate my room with my own style. With pictures of loved ones on the pinboards, cushions in my favourite colour and so much more. This helped me to familiarise myself with the space. All of this can impact your student experience so much and so positively.

When photographing a student room, it’s important to keep all of these factors in mind. And ensure the rooms do not look unwelcoming or cold and this is where styling comes in. Oftentimes, student accommodation is photographed without any additional set dressing props put in. Ultimately, this can make the rooms seem like an empty shell. But with some simple set styling, the space can be completely transformed.

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Greenery and space

I worked alongside a photographer to style a One-Bed Flat of Host’s with the aim to make it look as homely and inviting as possible and throughout the experience, I had to keep asking myself: “Does the styling within this flat reflect student life?” as well as “would this make me feel at home if I was moving to accommodation for the first time?”.

One thing that was featured throughout the styling was plants. Within styling, plants are important and immensely popular and this is because of how plants make a person feel within the home.
Plants are visually appealing and can enhance a space to give it that key homely feel that an interior would need but they also have psychological benefits too. Plants have been said to boost your
mood, reduce stress and encourage more creativity which is why so many are featured within styling a place of residence. They make you feel at home and this, as previously mentioned, is the goal of styling student accommodation.

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The small touches

Books are another element that was considered due to the nature of the space. Taking into account that the space is made for students, it’s safe to assume that many books will be on the shelves, on the coffee table and placed on the desks. This is another way to make the space feel habitable to the directed target audience but also a way to draw attention to the features the flat has on offer, this being a great amount of storage room and a generous amount of space for something a large majority of students will be bringing with them to university, books.

Styling the flat didn’t just mean throwing a pillow on the sofa. It was choices like placing a throw on the end of the bed with a book on top, having a salt lamp next to the bed, placing plants in different spots. All of these styling choices were made with the goal of making the space look natural and like somewhere a student would feel relaxed and at home. Familiarising yourself with where you’ll be spending such an important time of your life is scary, but with a bit of styling to conceptualise the interior possibilities of your choice of student accommodation, it doesn’t have to be.

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Want some inspiration for what to buy first? Shop some of my favourite homeware items here:

Sass&Belle Frida Vase
Sass&Belle Frida Cup and Flower Saucer Set
IKEA FEJKA Artificial Potted Plant
IKEA ODDRUN Throw Blanket

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Katie Warren is a 3rd year Interior Design student at Plymouth College of Art. She is living with Host at Frobisher House. You can check out her blog here.