College Dorm-Room Picks to Achieve a Truly Chic Setup

Talk about feng shui—the light from a lantern is perfect for that meditative-study-mode your student will hopefully be into. It looks like a piece of art more than a piece of lighting, which will instantly up the style vibe.

With space at a premium, unless she's really lucky, a full-size armchair will likely not be a great fit in a first-year dorm room. Instead, go for this flexible floor chair that will add some color and quickly become her favorite place to cozy up with a movie.

Coffee will inevitably be a thing this year, but you can help ward off those sad cafeteria-style coffee mugs with an artful cup-and-saucer combination. Go for a pastel color for a feminine appeal or a neutral earth tone for something more understated.

If the design you're going for is youthful-contemporary, this acrylic end table will go the distance. Its slim silhouette makes it ideal next to that extra-long twin bed.

No matter how much Chinese food takeout they plan on eating, teach them that what you eat off is as important as what you actually eat. Sturdy but designer-worthy dinnerware is easy to store and will take their study meals up a level. The mixed color palette feels particularly of-the-moment.

A gold-rimmed standing floor mirror makes any space feel just a bit more elegant. The rounded top adds an aesthetic softness for an extra touch of warmth.

Calling all '50s deco fans! This mini fridge feels like an expensive throwback brand—at a fraction of the price. The soft pink is decidedly feminine, while the bold blue is unapologetically loud.

Depending on the particular dorm room, floor space may be hard to come by. The floating shelf, then, is your best bet. With a soft hue and a wooden appeal, these are particularly dreamy for any small space.

Like a bar cart for the younger set, this adorable pushcart is giving poppy vibes without feeling kitschy. Plus, it'll get a ton of use, with easy-to-roll wheels and three levels of storage for books, keepsakes, and gear.

Even without a formal vanity, storing makeup and makeup brushes can still be a chic moment. Even better, this set carries easily to and from the shared bathroom.