Decorating Guides

Decorating Guides

Top Ideabooks

See also

Art Accessories Budget Decorating Color Decorating 101 Decorating Styles DIY Projects Entertaining Furniture Green Decorating Working With an Interior Designer Holidays Houseplants Lighting Pattern Organizing Room of the Day Small Spaces Tastemakers Wall Treatments

Give This Style the Old College Try

10 ways to evoke the collegiate aesthetic at home, from subtle to seriously fanatical

Becky Harris October 6, 2013

Houzz Contributor. Hi there! I live in a 1940s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe as "collected." I got into design via Landscape Architecture, which I studied at the University of Virginia.

Houzz Contributor. Hi there! I live in a 1940s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe... More

Click "Embed" to display an article on your own website or blog.

There's a crispness in the air, the leaves are starting to change, football season is in full swing and college students are well into their semesters, looking forward to fall break. I'm so jealous of them! I think my own ideas about classic collegiate style stem from a romantic ideal of brick Ivy League dorm rooms of the 1950s and '60s, The Official Preppy Handbook and the movie Animal House.

The reality at age 18 for me was moving into an un-air-conditioned characterless building that was so bad it's since been torn down. (Oh, and I'm not kidding, the dorm was called Balz. Yup, pronounced like you think.) However, the Balz experience did not dash my collegiate style dreams. I bedecked that depressing room in Laura Ashley (give me a break, it was the '90s) and still think of blue blazers, leather-bound books, leather club chairs, fireplaces and plaid blankets when I think of collegiate aesthetic.

If you're yearning for a little fall semester style, here are a few ways to bring it to your home.

Eclectic Living Room Eclectic Living Room

Go for classic tartan patterns. The ideal collegiate style mixes lots of plaids. We're talking blankets, upholstery, kilts and even pants.

Get the lowdown on the difference between "tartan" and "plaid"

Beach Style Bedroom by Patrick Sutton

Channel your inner Winklevoss. I know these oars aren't really the type used by today's crew teams, but the technologically superior, high-performance oars of today just aren't as charming. Crossing two of them over a bed or a fireplace still gives a nod to Head of the Charles style. By the way, Head of the Charles is a really fun thing to attend during fall break — ahem, I mean, October Reading Days.

Traditional Family Room by Stonewood, LLC

Go for a final club/secret society/faculty lounge vibe. Speaking of the Winklevae, The Social Network is another one of those movies that gave us an inside look at how the elite within the elite live college life. Well-worn leather upholstery, club chairs, brass tacks, dark wood paneling, built-in shelves, Oriental rugs and a roaring fire complete the look of how we imagine an exclusive club or faculty lounge. In other words, have many leather-bound books and an apartment that smells of rich mahogany.

By the way, Harvard doesn't allow movies to be filmed on campus so we were actually looking at a few prep schools and Wheelock College when we were watching The Social Network.

Eclectic Kids by Adrianne Drazin Interior Design

Adrianne Drazin Interior Design

Hang a college banner with pride. Vintage wool felt banners and blankets have a classic look that lets you show off your school pride. Also, they may help subliminally prep your Little Einstein for all of those application essays in his or her future.

Eclectic Kids by Adrianne Drazin Interior Design

Adrianne Drazin Interior Design

Don't fret, this parent doesn't seem to be insisting upon Harvard. Junior's options are open thanks to this plethora of university T-shirts turned throw pillows.

Eclectic Home Office by Sarah Greenman

Create a study carrell atmosphere. Sometimes in school you have to sequester yourself into an isolated nook in the stacks with a smuggled-in coffee and no distractions.

This kind of environment can also force you to get down to business at home. Keep everything you need to get your work done within reach, turn off your phone and hunker down in a cozy library corner.

Eclectic by Sweet William

Hang academic charts and posters. Botanical charts, large-scale rolled maps, anatomical drawings and other scholastic posters have been popular for several years, reflected by the prices you'll see when you try to find them online.

They make for interesting lessons, conversations and artwork, and remind us of a time when you weren't looking at all this stuff on a laptop.

Traditional Living Room Living Room

Display vintage trophies. Watching steeplechase races while wearing big hats was one of those classic collegiate experiences I had that actually jibed with my old-fashioned ideas about college.

No winner's cup ever made it to my dorm room (like I said, I only watched), but the idea of vintage trophies and Jefferson cups is very old-school college. These vintage items are enjoying a resurgence lately (spy them here; it's hilarious), adding traditional flair to libraries, bedrooms, foyers and even bathrooms.

Contemporary Family Room by Daniel M Martin, Architect LLC

Daniel M Martin, Architect LLC

Show your colors in an original way. This very academic family made nautical flag-like paintings with the school colors from all of the universities they attended. The white one is holding a place for wherever their son decides to go to graduate school.

See the rest of this basement

Traditional Kids by MacMurrayDesigns

MacMurrayDesigns

Pay homage to your favorite college team, tradition or event with jerseys or a mural. This one is in honor of The Beanpot, an annual tournament between the hockey teams from Boston College, Boston University, Harvard and Northeastern University.

Traditional Home Gym by Mural Art - Wall Murals and Custom Paintings

Mural Art - Wall Murals and Custom Paintings

This idea is for serious fans only and works best in a playroom, kid's room, home gym or basement.

Beach Style Bedroom by SV Design

Use a vintage trunk as furniture. Do kids still use trunks to pack for college today? I have no idea, but we did. When you don't have much furniture, they make great nightstands, coffee tables and even extra seating in the dorm, and they do at home now, too.

Check out some great steamer trunks

Show your colors: Do you have anything around the house that honors the university you attended or was inspired by collegiate style? Let us know in the Comments section.

Sponsored

C. David Johnson

Designing Beautiful, Sustainable Homes in Columbus

David Johnson has over 25 years of experience in residential and light commercial design and projects. Read More

Sponsored

Elk European Mount

Elk European Mount

$354

Nourison Celestial 7

Nourison Celestial 7'10" x 10'6" Sealife Modern Indoor Area Rug

$259

Nourison Karma Rug, Blue, 5

Nourison Karma Rug, Blue, 5'3"x7'4"

$203

Tufa Wall Mirror

Tufa Wall Mirror

$289

Grey Skies Throw Pillow

Grey Skies Throw Pillow

$58

Nourison Aloha 5

Nourison Aloha 5'3" x 7'5" Green Tropical Area Rug

$81

Comments (9)

See 6 more comments

Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo

PRO

Sage Lane Realty

I found my The Official Preppy Handbook and rotated it to the powder room for light reading material. Inside was a note from my Mom which she must have enclosed when she sent hand-me-downs I'd requested. The note tells how pleased Grandpa would be that we were getting every penny's worth of quality clothes by continuing to wear them. Part of being preppy (or, in Grandpa's case, frugal) is valuing timeless pieces.

2 Likes October 7, 2013 at 12:40PM

Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo

stephsteinman

Loving the boy's room. Very creative.

2 Likes October 7, 2013 at 5:01PM

Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo

Buffy Fos

Fun ideabook! Our 4 year-old's room is decorated with vintage sports memorabilia, including old felt penants and a football photo from 1902 from a local college. (They wore the coolest turtleneck sweaters!?!) Love the collegiate vibe...

3 Likes October 9, 2013 at 3:21AM

Related Stories

Organizing How to Create a Joyful, Clutter-Free Home Office

By Laura Gaskill

Follow these steps to get rid of the paper piles and make room for beauty and better organization

Full Story

Remodeling Guides 15 Ways to Create Separation in an Open Floor Plan

By tidgboutique

Use these pro tips to minimize noise, delineate space and establish personal boundaries in an open layout

Full Story

White Design Pros Share 10 Favorite Creamy White Paints

By Becky Harris

These off-white color choices include versatile tones, warming hues and pleasingly soft shades

Full Story

Entryways 4 Designer Tips for a Fashionable Entry

By tidgboutique

A pro shows how adding color, statement pieces and more to a foyer can set the right tone for the rest of the home

Full Story

Most Popular 7 Major Decorating Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

By tidgboutique

Gain confidence to start your interior design project with this advice from a professional designer

Full Story

Living Rooms 4 Must-Have Features for a Small Living Room

By tidgboutique

A designer shares important ways to live large in a tight space and make it look stylish

Full Story

Most Popular 7 Common Decorating Mistakes to Avoid

By Georgia Madden

Pros share solutions to design problems they often find in people’s living spaces

Full Story

Most Popular How to Decorate a Living Room

By tidgboutique

A designer offers tips for creating a comfortable space that reflects your style

Full Story

Budget Decorating Where to Splurge and Where to Save When Decorating

By tidgboutique

See where it makes sense to invest in durable essentials and focal pieces, and where to economize on other things

Full Story

Lighting Pro Tips for Lighting 10 Rooms and Outdoor Areas

By Bryan Anthony

Get professional advice for lighting your kitchen, bathroom, living room, office, patio and more

Full Story