When it comes to university real estate, students often find that the list of available properties leaves much to be desired. With their standard issue bunk beds and drab cinder block walls, most dorm rooms look about as inviting as a Sing Sing cell block.
And off-campus apartments are almost always a bit worse for the wear after housing several consecutive college-age tenants, especially if said tenants spent more time "livin' la vida loca" than hitting the books in the library.
But in an age when home-improvement shows like TLC's "Trading Spaces" and "While You Were Out" are earning top ratings, ordering a cable connection can be as good as hiring an interior designer.
The shows have built a solid fan base among young hipsters for their thrifty home decorating "how-to" tips that demonstrate easy ways to add bright colors and funky accessories to any space, and all on a shoestring budget.
So there's no reason why even the barest of dorm rooms or most tattered of apartments can't be converted into a comfy-cozy, bright and inviting, funky and fabulous living space that would leave even MTV's "Real World" roommates turning green, preferably lime-green, with envy.
Once armed with the renovating know-how, most students report there are two names in retail guaranteed to offer youthful pieces at bargain prices: Target and IKEA, with Pier 1 and craft stores like Michael's and JoAnn Fabrics also recommended.
Click here to read the rest of the article at YoungMoney.com.