Dorm rooms are tiny. The dorm decor economy is not.

Dorm rooms are small spaces, yet the market for customizing them has exploded, regardless of whether the campus is on the East or West Coast. For college students and their families, a well-designed dorm can make the transition to university life more comfortable. Shelly Gates, founder of Mary Margaret Designs, remembers her LSU dorm as cramped and impersonal.

Today, she charges about $20,000 for a four-year investment in dorm decor, treating each room as a long-term living space rather than just a temporary assignment. Her work ranges from monogrammed desk canopies to custom art that students can cherish after graduation. Meanwhile, in the Northeast, dorm decor can be about convenience over customization.

Kelly Mahoney, co-founder of Boston-based Dorm Essentials Co., helps families avoid the hassle of moving and finding essentials in cramped city apartments, often opting for clever storage solutions like vertical shelving. While some college students like Henley Bedwell rely on budget-friendly DIY hacks and virtual planning tools to create their ideal dorm layout, others are willing to invest heavily, even if it means spending over $2,500 on bedding, storage, and decor.

Male students are also joining in on the trend, though the design language may differ. Ultimately, whether it's a personal DIY project or a professional installation, the goal is the same: to make students feel at home during their critical college years.