A mirror from Peru hangs beside one from Morocco. Another came from Chile, and another from Colombia. Displayed around Noa Shefler’s bedroom are reminders of places she has visited, people she loves and memories she wants to keep close.
For Shefler, decorating her college room isn’t about following a particular trend. It’s about creating a space that feels like home.
Everything in my room reminds me of, like, a really fun, awesome time I had. So I can, like, reminisce daily on my explorations,” Shefler said.
Her room is filled with paintings, vases, hamsas, trinkets and mirrors, each carrying a connection to a place or person important to Shefler.
Along with her mirrors, other trinkets, like a jewelry dish, remind her of her travels. She also has hamsas that she and her mother have picked up over the years. Above her bed hang paintings of flowers by her grandmother, while two vases with intricate blue and orange details belonged to her parents in their first apartment.
The items in her room come from different places and people, but Shefler brings them together through a calm, earthy color palette. It’s one of the first things she considers when decorating a new room.
“I think about the color schemes because I like everything to be super like earthy and natural and not bright,” Shefler said.
The muted colors contribute to the overall coziness Shefler wants to achieve in her room. She avoids using the overhead light, instead relying on two lamps and the window to provide the right amount of light. Shefler said when her room is too bright, it can feel “hostile” and create a “hospital vibe.”
Two carpets also cover the hardwood floor in her small bedroom, adding another layer of mellow comfort.
I want to feel homey. Nothing’s screaming at you,” Shefler said.
Although this is her fourth bedroom in Athens, it is one of the first spaces she has been able to decorate for herself. During her first year, Shefler lived in a dormitory with another student. She then lived in the Delta Delta Delta sorority house the following year, again sharing a room.
She’s now living in an apartment with three friends, and her room feels more suited to the way she likes to decorate.
“I think the room here is like the perfect room size. I like how small it is,” Shefler said. “I like how all my things are like set out. There’s a lot of space, but like not too much space where it feels like it’s empty.”
The room is compact, with nearly every wall serving a purpose, but the space doesn’t feel crowded.
Most of the items in Shefler’s room are either thrifted, bought from stores like HomeGoods or picked up during her travels. Her biggest splurge for the room was her mattress topper. When she does spend more on decor, it’s usually while traveling, when she knows she may never have another chance to buy something.
“I normally don’t regret buying expensive things on my trip because I’m, like, I’m never gonna be here ever again,” Shefler said. “I might as well buy it, or I’m gonna be thinking about it for the rest of my life.”
Shefler expects her collection of decor to grow as she continues to travel. Each new piece will add another memory to a room that already reflects her family, her travels and the places that have become important to her.
“I think the more I travel and the more I go places, the more I’ll collect and it’ll all, like, become one collection,” Shefler said.
