You close your laptop, feeling the weight slip off you. You’ve been accepted to your dream college, and now you’ve sealed the deal by putting down your enrollment deposit. It was hefty, but worth it. The summer has just begun, but the excitement bubbling within you makes you wish that it would just blip by in a matter of seconds so you can step on campus for the first time as a member of its newest graduating class and start a life for yourself in your new dorm…but wait a minute, doesn’t that mean…?
Your hand falls upon your pocket where your wallet rests. It already had its workout when you submitted your deposit, but the thought of spending even more money makes your hand tighten around it. In your mind flashes a barrage of necessities you know you’ll need for your new space on campus—bedsheets, storage, cleaning supplies, and of course you’ll want to decorate…but how much more money will it cost?
According to a recent article from the New York Times, many students are setting aside even more money than was customary a decade ago to have their college rooms decorated by professional designers. The article states that “this year, according to the National Retail Federation, college students spent about $87 billion, a drop from the high of $94 billion last year, but significantly more than the $48 billion they spent in 2014. This equates to an average of $1,365 per student, the group reports.”
The article goes on to highlight the work done by Essentials with Eden, “an interior design company focused on dorm rooms.”
The company creates custom furniture, draperies, wallpapers, and almost everything else in between to ensure their clients can live in a comfortable college dorm that they can look forward to returning to at the end of a long day. However, they charge upwards of $10,000 per room—$5,000 per student, assuming the room accommodates two students—for these makeovers, which begs the question: are they worth the weighty investment?
It seems that Stevenson’s residents are quick to answer in the negative. Second-year Graphic Design major Erin McRoy was eager to share her strong opinion on the matter. “To me, honestly, paying [$5,000] on a dorm room makeover is astounding and crazy,” she said. “Emphasis on ‘dorm,’ this room is yours to a degree and for only one school year. It’s not forever. Paying that amount every school year, maybe even more, is not worth it in the end, but that is up to the parents and the student.”
An overwhelming number of students agreed with McRoy’s standpoint. Even setting aside the large factor of money, many simply appreciate the creativity that comes with decorating on their own and leaning into their own stylized flair—something that Essentials with Eden cannot provide.
“The convenience is not worth the price,” fourth-year Alyssa O’Kelley said. “The cost of these makeovers is not worth it because I had such a good time setting up my room…Getting a makeover like this sounds fun, and it would be lovely to get design help to match the style you are trying to achieve. However, it’s too expensive to justify the cost. $5,000 could be a portion of someone’s tuition.”
Third-year August Jackson showed an interest in Essentials with Eden’s idea of a makeover outside of college living.
“Personally, I wouldn’t even put that much money into my dorm room because I don’t live here permanently,” Jackson said. “As far as my room at my house, I would probably invest in that only because if they provide custom things, I know that costs more money than already-made things.”
In addition to providing their viewpoints on the substantial costs of custom dorm decor, a few of Stevenson’s residents also provided windows into their living spaces on campus to show what a fraction of the cost of these services can still supply. It just goes to show that money can’t always buy creativity.
