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Go dorm shopping with your roommate, or spend the year in a beige abyss. Photo via <a href="http://www.shutterstock.com/index-in.mhtml">Shutterstock</a>.
Go dorm shopping with your roommate, or spend the year in a beige abyss. Photo via Shutterstock.

12 Bay Area Dorm-Shopping Spots You Need to Know Now

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Go dorm shopping with your roommate, or spend the year in a beige abyss. Photo via Shutterstock.

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Selecting dorm decor is oh-so-exciting because it's often the first opportunity you have to express your home design aesthetic. It can also be stressful. What do you do when you arrive at school and realize that your roomie's ruffles and unicorns clash with your modern minimalism? Go shopping for a compromise, that's what. We've assembled a group of home furnishings options from Palo Alto to Berkeley where you can shop for dorm decor without maxing out your parents' credit card. Consider it a back to school present, from us to you.


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CB2 Berkeley

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East Bay roomies can head to this Crate & Barrel sister store's outpost in Berkeley for matching bedding and whimsical home goods.
The most convenient Ikea to for both Berkeley kids and SF collegians, this is your go-to place for futons and storage solutions.

Crate & Barrel Outlet

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Discover home linens and small furniture items like bookshelves and chairs at the furniture retailer's Berkeley clearance center.

West Elm

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A step up from neighboring Ikea, this is a great spot for bedding, window treatments, and lamps.

CB2 Union Square

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Located near the Powell Station Muni and BART lines, this budget-friendly modern mecca is a fantastic stop for duvets, curtains, and rugs.

Leftovers

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Want to class up your room? Check out Leftovers for fantastic chairs and sofas that won't break your meager college student budget.

Therapy Furniture

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We hesitated to include this Mission furniture shop on the list since it's losing its home on Valencia at the end of August, but we love this spot for reasonably-priced furniture. Post-August, head across the Bay Bridge to the new location in Alameda.

Past Perfect - Stanyan

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A stone's throw away from the University of San Francisco, you'll find vintage paintings, prints, mirrors, oversized letters and other objets d'arts for your room at this Cole Valley shop.

Furniture Innovation

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This Dogpatch furniture store is a tad disorganized, but it's a great place to find affordable, mid-century replicas. If you want a non-folding chair for your room, go here.

MUJI 無印良品

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West Elm

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Cheaper and hipper than Pottery Barn, this is a great spot for decor items like pillow and vases; the things that make a dorm feel like home.

Ikea Palo Alto

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You might need an IPA after battling your peers in the Ikea PA, but this is still your best bet for bookcases and futons.

CB2 Berkeley

East Bay roomies can head to this Crate & Barrel sister store's outpost in Berkeley for matching bedding and whimsical home goods.

IKEA

The most convenient Ikea to for both Berkeley kids and SF collegians, this is your go-to place for futons and storage solutions.

Crate & Barrel Outlet

Discover home linens and small furniture items like bookshelves and chairs at the furniture retailer's Berkeley clearance center.

West Elm

A step up from neighboring Ikea, this is a great spot for bedding, window treatments, and lamps.

CB2 Union Square

Located near the Powell Station Muni and BART lines, this budget-friendly modern mecca is a fantastic stop for duvets, curtains, and rugs.

Leftovers

Want to class up your room? Check out Leftovers for fantastic chairs and sofas that won't break your meager college student budget.

Therapy Furniture

We hesitated to include this Mission furniture shop on the list since it's losing its home on Valencia at the end of August, but we love this spot for reasonably-priced furniture. Post-August, head across the Bay Bridge to the new location in Alameda.

Past Perfect - Stanyan

A stone's throw away from the University of San Francisco, you'll find vintage paintings, prints, mirrors, oversized letters and other objets d'arts for your room at this Cole Valley shop.

Furniture Innovation

This Dogpatch furniture store is a tad disorganized, but it's a great place to find affordable, mid-century replicas. If you want a non-folding chair for your room, go here.

MUJI 無印良品

West Elm

Cheaper and hipper than Pottery Barn, this is a great spot for decor items like pillow and vases; the things that make a dorm feel like home.

Ikea Palo Alto

You might need an IPA after battling your peers in the Ikea PA, but this is still your best bet for bookcases and futons.