Decorating inspiration

While online advertisements for back to school shopping give tips on coordinating your color scheme with your roommate and show pictures of laughing teenagers lounging on a shag rug that matches the lamp that matches the curtains (curtains?!), the truth is that the decor from most students’ rooms comes half from home, half from the dumpster. Hardly anyone has the time, interest or design sense to decorate their room past a few Beatles posters and a string of tibetan prayer flags. Here, a string of christmas lights is the epitome of style, and a row of empty Bawls bottles is a great piece de resistance.

For those of us who need a little inspiration, take a look at this room.

Nice, right? It looks like someone went a little crazy at Pier 1.

But take a closer look. Everything in this room except for the furniture came from a pet supply store. The glass balls? Fishbowls. Sculpture on the side table? Dog bones. Classy decorative pillows on the couch? Hamster balls. The “candles” on the coffee table? Rodent hide-aways. And best of all: See that shag carpet? IT’S BEDDING.

This room was designed by David Bromstad, a competitor on HGTV Design Star, which Holly has been watching nonstop, apparently. (Holly adds: no, seriously, it’s been on all day. David graduated from Ringling, which explains a lot, but still, come on. He made a fucking sculpture out of god damn raw hides.) It’s like Project Runway, but with interior design, and without basket hats.

Be awestruck, children. There’s an IKEA in New Haven; get to it!