How about some movable decals on one wall? Also, the curtains and bedding you choose will really set the tone. The carpet looks pretty dark and if you wanted to brighten it up you could add a small sheepskin or sisal rug.

#1 - Dont think of it as a "Dorm Room", but "Mini Semi-Furnished Studio Apartment"
#2 - The local "Big Box" store and the campus bookstore are NOT your friends.

Do as you would with any other first place: Scan Craigslist, Fleamarkets and Garage Sales for a large rug, framed prints, a cozy upholstered chair and table lamps...
...and dress up the bed w/ a bedskirt, a fluffy duvet, lots of pillows, a thick blanket and a throw.

Generally what made my own dorm rooms personalized were things like rugs, decent lamps of varying sizes (fluorescent dorm lights are gross), and covering up walls with tapestries or fabric (I had one closet-sized single with two brick walls and one scratchy gray cloth/pinboard). Plants are always good, too!

Based on those photos, I'd say you could easily make a slip cover for the chair that comes with the room, or see if the building will take it away by request so you can replace it with an actual chair -- armchair or similar. If you're planning to do hosting, additional seating will be a good idea, even if it's just a Lovesac-type beanbag (please, no vinyl ones). Cloth pinned up over those curtains (if you can't remove them) would go a long way, too.

I think an ornate frame would be really cool-looking around the bathroom mirror. And you could hang a pendant lamp or even a light chandelier using a couple of those sticky-backed plastic hooks.

Do you have a color scheme or general feel you're going for?

Nice bed linens and blankets, and definitely a bed skirt or dust ruffle to hang down. It will disguise the metal frame and hide whatever you are storing under there. Plants help a lot, too.

I agree with the comments so far - plants, rugs and some curtains will go a long way. I lived in a dorm for year that had awful speckled tile and cinderblock walls, textiles go a long way to covering up the ugly bits and softening the space. I also had a couple big vases that I kept filled with fresh flowers from the farmer's market.

Command strips will be your best friends if you want to hang things on the walls. My old roommate and I had a 7(ish) pound piece of art hung on the wall with Command strips, although it did take several, to be sure, and they didn't pull the paint off with them. Flea markets are great places to look for cool art that's affordable (and won't look make it look like another postered dorm room).

Make sure and get a few lamps you love also. Most dorm rooms have awful fluorescent lights that will drive you crazy, a few cozy lamps can make all the difference.

The main thing is to fill the space with things you love to make it more your own and less a dorm room.

It sounds crazy because you need the storage, but getting rid of the bed frame and simply putting your mattress on the floor can make a difference. On the opposite side of things, building a loft to set your mattress on gives alot more floor real estate to work with. Either way, minimalism (or the illusion thereof) really is a big part of having a decent looking dorm room. Use storage boxes with a throw over them as side tables can help with this.

As a fairly recent graduate from dorm living, let me share my tips:

- Dorms tend to be very dark, which does not help the space feel bigger. Mirrors and bright lighting are your friends, especially if you have a north-facing window (I did). Get your own lights. It looks like the rooms come with a fluorescent tube, which is crappy light. 100 watt equivalent CFLs are not expensive and will make a BIG BIG difference.

- Loft your bed, at least a little, for storage's sake. If you take it close to the ceiling, you can put your desk or some other furniture underneath. This depends on ceiling height.

- 3m poster stickers (I forget the official name) are great. Unless you're hanging something heavy, cut them vertically into thirds. They work just as well and you don't spend a ton. I use them for EVERYTHING, because they hold tight and don't leave a mark.

- If you only loft your bed a little, treat it as a daybed and get oodles of pillows to make it into a couch.

- Don't invest too much time or effort into a space you won't be in for long. That said, if a place is dark and makes you miserable, you need to fix that.

- For storage: back-of-the-door shoe holders. Tack them on the inside of your closet door(s), and cut them down to size to tack on the inside of bathroom cabinets. You don't seem to have much bathroom storage space. Look high, and put up shelves 1ft from the ceiling. Infrequently used items in baskets or boxes would do well there.

- If you can't make the built-in shelving pretty to look at, simply get a small dowel, cute cloth, and sew some curtains for it.

Good luck!

"Most dorm rooms have awful fluorescent lights that will drive you crazy..."

Ahh, Yes, the dreaded overhead lights.
Best to just leave them "Off" - Permanently.

There are so many options, but do it on the cheap. Things in dorms get wrecked. I'd suggest going to a fabric store and getting a few yards of cheap but cute fabrics to toss over chairs and tables to hide them. Also, a nice thing to have in a dorm are a few nice super sized pillows. You can prop them behind yourself in the bed to use it more like a couch, and can even be tossed on the floor for a comfy spot to sit. You can also hang art on the wall without nails. Get those command removable hooks. Or hang an unframed poster or print with double sided tape (which can also be used to secure the fabric so it doesn't slip).

Again, keep it cheap and easy. School is enough stress.

I agree with most of the posts. I had to share my dorm rooms with a roomate, and everytime, we lofted our beds, put our desks/work areas under the beds, creating a "common" space between us for a small futon, very small coffee table, and TV. One roomate put a curtain up for her side of the room, and had it closed when she was sleeping, doing homework, etc. It was a bit impersonal, but did the trick for getting some privacy.
I loved the Command Strips! They didn't rip off the paint, and held almost anything you can think of.

The first thing you'll learn is that you probably won't spend as much time in this room as you think. There will be plenty of other places you discover for socializing, studying, and relaxing. So your best bet is to make it a comfortable bedroom and bathroom first - meet your personal needs before you try enhancing the space for visitors.

My second word of caution is to hold off on purchasing a bunch of new things until you've seen your specific room. Each room will have its own unique quirks - once you've discovered them, it will be much easier to look for that "what's missing" type of item. Best not to immediately invest a bunch of money into a temporary situation - just focus on making yourself comfortable first and let the rest come over time.

1) hang curtains on either side of the window, at the ceiling to the floor. It will cover the cinder block and make the windwo feel bigger... as if it goes on behind the drapes.
2) Across from the window, hang or prop a big mirror.
3) don't fight the fact that this is a bedroom. Get a great head and foot board from craigslist, paint it a fabulous color, and make your bed a focal point.
4) liquid starch is your friend. You can cover any wall or bookcase with fabric using liquid starch as an adherent. peels right off when you are moving out.
5) if you like rugs, layer them
6) get a cool, great chair to sit in with a foot stool -- something comfortable
7) ditto on what was said about lights. Get table lamps, a cool over the shoulder reading lamp for the chair
8) minimize what you are bringing to school . You probably dont need as much storage as you think.

CANOPY BED! :D

As for the walls, I resorted to a Dollar Store! I bought some Foam Shapes (they had hearts and flowers in packs of 20 or so) and my bff 'Sticky-Tack' from Wal-Mart and created a wall full of colorful hearts :) The coolest thing about it is you can use a permanent marker to write on them as well! Besides that, you can add some sticky-tack to pictures and add them on to a foam heart as well!

It's a really easy, simple, and creative design idea :) And it looks really cute!

Another great idea would be to buy colorful sheer curtains from Big Lots (or where ever they are sold) and tack them to the wall! It'll give the illusion that your wall is painted, AND it'll make it look sophisticated :) PLUS: you can change it when ever you want! =D And if you want to add smoe detail instead of plain colors, just tack on fabric :)
Good luck! I'm dealing with the same thing at an apartment!

Since those rooms look really small, I agree you should loft the bed if you have the option. In my dorm you could raise the beds to be about chest height or get a loft kit (the dorm/school supplied them, but you had to check them out) and build it up all the way. That way you could create a sitting area underneath to hang w/ friends or relax. Just put a bunch of cushions and pillows and lighting down there. Also, agree with rugs and lotsa lamps.

Get Nice Curtains! and keep the original ones stored away so you can put them back after you are done with this dorm room.
Having slip covers on those chairs will make a big diffirence, if you chose a nuetral slip cover, then you can add really neat throw pillows.
and getting a white board & a bulletin board can make this space more enjoyable

From the pictures, it looks as though these are the sort of beds that can't be lofted. If you want more storage under the bed, you can buy a set of bed risers (often $20-25) that will raise the bed about 6 inches. For more height or less money, cinder blocks are the classic solution. I knew guys in college who stacked them on end to get a fully lofted bed. I don't recommend this; pretty sure it was a violation of the fire code and very unsafe. But one or two blocks (stacked on their sides) can give you enough height to mimic a captain's bed with lots of space for storage. A sheet in a coordinating color or print can be used to create an extra-long bed skirt to cover the blocks and storage boxes or drawers. Or if you like a more open look, spray paint the cinder blocks and choose opaque storage containers in a color you like

Another common trick was to cover unsightly formica with contact paper. It's not a great permanent solution, but if you get a more water-resistant vinyl one and wipe up any spills quickly it will last about 12 months.

I did a few things every year and had a great place each time:
1. Lay your bed against the wall on the long side and use bolster pillows to create a daybed lounge atmosphere.
2. 3M mounting tape will preserve your art. First put scotch tape on the back of any art, then use mounting tape in those places.
3. Use fishing line and a sari or tapestry to create a relaxing canopy. Saris are the perfect length and width to create a lightly billowing canopy just the size of your bed.. I'd tie the fishing line to two pushpins and pop those on the ceiling and repeat in parallel horizontal lines across the ceiling the length of the bed and then drape the fabric between the line and the ceiling.
4. Rack Raisers. Buy them used. Use your bed for precious storage space.
5. Mount a wire wall rack/grid (like from the Container Store) above youre microfridge and put your coffee pot atop the microfridge. This will help create a mini-kitchen feel.
6. Get a rug.
7. Balance organization, utility, and visual impact. A disorganized bookshelf makes your room feel more like a dormroom than an apartment.
8. Dear god don't ever use pushpins. Nothing will instantly make your apartment look like a dorm than pushpins.

There are so many great comments here that I second! Layered rugs, comfy pillows and lux bed linens, plants, LIGHTING, etc. all will do wonders. With all of this great advice you are getting I would chime in with a reminder to edit. When you have it all "just right" take one thing OUT. (And be sure to send in "after" pictures- I can't wait to see what you do with the place!)

My suggestions are a white slipcover + throw pillows from Etsy, a rug, some fun lamps, mirror, and a wall decal.

Are you allowed to use tacky stuff or those easy-off hooks or tacks? You might be able to hang fabric from the walls, like wallpaper.

If you have money to blow, there's always removable wallpaper.

White poster board, tiled on the walls, allows you to change the color of the room if you really want. I always created elaborate murals on my walls, because I liked to procrastinate, and painting was much more fun than working on homework.

The very first thing that I did was take down the awful blinds! Our dorms had vertical blinds, which can easily be (temporarily) removed by unclipping them at the top. Then you can hang new curtains by sewing button holes at the top and reinserting into the clips. One year, when I had a window not looking into another building, I used suction cup hooks on the window to hang a shorter curtain three-quarters of the way up the window, which allowed light to stream into the room while still maintaining privacy. Modern curtains make a HUGE difference in the feel of the room.

Art posters. The bigger, the better. Create focal points on the wall. Big art pieces cover the blank and perhaps unsightly walls without creating visual clutter.

Go bold with your bedding. It’s something that you can change in the room - and it is not just your bed, it’s your living room and dinning room.

Pick up after yourself. In a room that small, piles of paper and dirty laundry make a difference. Get a hamper and files. Make your bed.

Cover up that ugly wall!

Using metal 3-M command hooks and ribbon to hang artwork is a nice way to avoid putting holes in the wall. Using poster putty on the back of the frame will help keep the picture level.

I would also consider bringing your own curtains and slip-covering the chair.

When I was in college a few things that really made my room great:

1. The rug is the most important element. I invested in a wonderful green 9x12 shag rug that was big enough to look almost like wall to wall carpeting and dark enough to conceal spilt cokes, not having vacuumed in awhile, etc...

2. I bought a canvas stretcher and mounted up some interesting, colorful fabric for an instant "painting." Better than the cheap art prints from the college store.

3. Definitely putting your bed on the floor adds to the cool factor and makes the room look bigger. Get an extra mattress to make it into a "double."

4. The last thing you really can't live without is a good chair--for reading, hanging out in, etc. I used a butterfly chair, but if you can score a funky old upholstered chair, all the better.

5. Get a BIG plant. Adds instant panache, and a bigger plant will be hardier and more resistant to dying off.

I mostly skimmed through these but I didn't see a suggestion about adding those plastic lifters for your bed to highten it a few inches. I had this in my room and it allowed for storage under the bed and again, the bedskirt was a good idea. 3m also has some really strong hooks that you could easily hang framed art on the walls and leave nothing behind. Paper lanters hanging from the ceiling can also add some fun and color to the space and with a white cord and again 3m hook to keep it draped against the ceiling and wall. I had this and I hung a tapestry to cover the cord down to the outlet. Use bright happy colors to make the room look bigger and rugs make a place feel really homey! :)

Make your bed!!! Honestly, the number of dorm rooms I've seen in my past with unmade beds looking sloppy still gives me chills! (OK, no, not really -- still, for one room living, staying tidy is more than half the battle. Sleeping bags just look ridiculous.)

I'd invest in sheets, a blanket, and a bedspread (preferably NOT a fluffy duvet or comforter) so you can have a nice, crisp, tucked in looking bed. (You might want to get these things after you see what colors you have to live with in the exact room, though -- I recommend trying to harmonize, even if you don't match.) Under-bed storage should be pretty (rectangular baskets) or hidden (bedskirt.)

I'd find an inexpensive small area rug (Home Goods??) If you can't store the provided furniture somewhere -- my old dorm had a storeroom for that stuff, if you didn't want to use it -- you might as well live with the provided chairs. Add a toss pillow as suggested above.

I would also, if allowed, buy or rent a dorm fridge -- I have seen them for $99 at Home Depot and other places, not bad for snacks and beverages.

I support the suggestion of Command hooks. Wonderful inventions, you can hang light-weight but large things for a sophisticated look. Like a couple of beautiful art posters (NOT "rock band", maybe striking photography or something) mounted on fomecore so they are light weight but "serious", hung side by side at the same level (NOT at a diagonal) over the bed... Or a beautiful textile (Ikat, kimono, even just a very great scarf...)

But grad school is usually more intense than undergrad, so plan to make studying comfortable, and don't take a ton of stuff you don't really need. Be organized, have the desk storage containers you really need, have the clothes and accessories you really need, but don't haul much extra. And stay tidy! (It's only a year!)

I think I only saw one person mention 3M strips. It is important that you know these ARE COMPLETE LIFE SAVERS. I just moved into my first apartment after dorm living, and they were so helpful in keeping photos and things on the walls. There is such a variety, too, that you can find something so suit whatever you're trying to hang.

Also, if you don't have cinderblock walls, don't be too afraid to use a nail or two if you need to--I used to be an RA and if the charges didn't amount to more than $25, we couldn't bill the student for the damage. To be sure, check with whoever supervises your area to see if they have a similar policy.

Rasterbations are great for maximizing the use of a wall.

Don't skimp on your bedding, either. For me, it was always the piece in the room that would dictate the personality. You use it to, not only sleep, but to study, eat, and as seating for guests. I always made sure that I had plenty of pillows to lean against the wall for myself or guests who were using the bed as a seating area.

Stay organized and neat, since it's such a small space.

Never hang anything from fire sprinklers, I saw a resident who did that once with a paper lamp. Bad idea.

Rugs are a nice way to spruce up the floor, and pillows for any of those, often, hideous forms of seating.

LacyBones had a great post, and I agree with everything she says. cdburger has a great point about lighting. I never used the lighting that comes with the room--I felt like I was in an asylum. I always use CFLs that give off a nice warm glow.

Don't use tacks in the walls.

If you get posters, get some frames from Target for them--they instantly look ten times better. I had two, usually, against the long side of my bed on the wall. Both were vintage prints of Audrey Hepburn and the Rat Pack. They were/are wonderful.

-Use the bed as a daybed - it'll take up less space. Don't be afraid to have get some under the bed sized totes - you will need the storage. I can't tell if the chair is meant to be the desk chair but if you have the money, I'd try to find another chair for a desk chair and use this one as an alternate place to sit besides the bed.
-Nice quality bedding is the first thing I have to mention - you don't have to buy the most expensive, but don't settle for the cheapest. You deserve a nice place to sleep - and even if you stay here only a few years it'll be money well spent. If you can change the curtains, go for it but don't waste money - get ones that will efficiently block out light when you don't want it and let light in when you do.
-Find a nice flea market/thrift store/whatever. It'll be your best friend. A nice tapestry or two will be perfect art (at a fair price), see if you can score a deal on at least enough fabric to cover the bottom of the chair (just pin it to the bottom), a rug, and plenty of throw pillows to go around. You might be able to score a footstool than can just be pushed under the chair when not in use.
-Personally, I always had a few personal photos of loved ones - sometimes just being able to see a loved one's face can make your place feel like home like nothing else.
-This cannot be stressed enough - use lamps for light. Florescent light sucks! Get enough lamps that you won't ever need to use it.

Resist the urge to bring a lot of stuff. A few really great accessories/pieces of art or posters/lamps will go a long way. I had waaaaaay too much stuff in my own doorm rooms and they felt cramped and became a pain to move.

Otherwise, ditto to just about everything else that's been said.

recruit another hand! offer yours in return. Hanging curtains is a pain by yourself.

Read this blog:

http://www.lovelyundergrad.com/

Luckily, the rooms look pretty straightforward, and even the furniture looks decent. Anything that is fabric can be your own decorating decision - curtains, bedding, you can even make velcro slipcovers for chairs. A large, flat weave rug can go over the carpeting. And you could even splurge and do a wall in removable wallpaper (Urban Outfitters and Sherwin Williams have some.) You might also consider some bolsters for the twin bed so that it can serve as a sofa when needed. And lighting plus a plant or two - you're golden!

I asked a similar question of AT for my furnished apartment in my first year of graduate school:

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/boston/good-questions/question-answered-solutions-for-prefurnished-space-087455

And some things I learned:

Buy bedding that you love. Not hand-me-downs, not the cheapest stuff; something you can take with you and enjoy for awhile to come.

I love the framing the mirror idea, as I am also cursed with the crappy-colored wood cabinet problem.

Buy a non-ruffly grown up bed skirt.

Get a plant if you get enough light (pothos is a good bet)

Don't ever use your fluorescent lighting (but perhaps wait to see which space you'll be living in before you decide how your space is set up and therefore what ratio of floor lamps to desk lamps you'll need)

"Don't invest too much time or effort into a space you won't be in for long. That said, if a place is dark and makes you miserable, you need to fix that" So true!

A general rule that applies to this time after grad school where you're building your life bit by bit: be patient, and surround yourself with things you love.

I lived in grad student housing for four years and my friends always raved about my place, how "homey" it was compared to their rooms. I disassembled the dorm's ugly provided bed and desk and stuck it under my own, I bought slipcovers for the provided couch that I couldn't disassemble, and used cafe and regular curtains instead of blinds. I hung art from the wall... spackle works great for tiny holes just before you move out. In multiple apartments, I've never had a problem with this. And finally, I had a huge expanse of cheap, ugly cabinetry in the kitchen. So I cut out silhouettes of birds from regular paper, then used Elmer's stick glue to attach them on in a pattern. When I moved, I just ripped them off and used a wet sponge to remove the last bits and glue - it was super easy. Have fun!