Sep 4, 2026 - Education Brief

Virginia parents spend thousands on kids' college dorms

Josephine Walker

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Illustration of Benjamin Franklin tied up dorm-style fairy lights. — Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios. Stock: Getty Images

Dorm rooms are tiny. The dorm decor economy is not.

The big picture: College dorms are increasingly becoming customized, social-media-ready micro-apartments, fueled by viral TikTok tours and hauls.

Some parents are even hiring designers for makeovers that include remote-controlled chandeliers and cost up to $20,000.

Between the lines: TikTok-savvy DIYers also want the look — without the five-figure bill.

Henley Bedwell, a JMU freshman, has been documenting her dorm room finds on TikTok.
She used a room-design app and JMU's virtual tour to map the space.
Bedwell and her roommate spent roughly $2,500 total.

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