Decked-Out Dorms: Geneve Lau (COM’21)

New BU Today series showcases sharp student rooms

Decked-Out Dorms Geneve Lau (COM’21) New BU Today series showcases sharp student rooms

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Boston University student Geneve Lau sits crosslegged on her dorm room bed laughing.

A bunch of sunflowers in a mason jar rest on a white windowsill.

Mason jar Lau regularly stocks this mason jar with fresh flowers.

An Edison bulb lit and hanging from a pendant attached to the celing.

Edison bulb on pendant “There’s not a lot of light in the room because we’re facing the interior courtyard, so I had to add my own,” Lau says.

Illustrated maps of three different locations--Boise, ID; Boston, MA; Guangzhou, China--hang on a faux brick wall.

Map of three different locations Illustrations of Lau’s three different “homes”—Boise, her hometown; Boston, her college town; and Guangzhou, China, where her parents are from.

A black pillow painted with the shape of the state of Idaho and the word 'IDAHO' inside it sits on a multi-colored couch.

Pillow Lau displays hometown pride with her Boise, Idaho, pillow.

A blue pennant flag that says 'RAVENCLAW' (from the Harry Potter books and movies) lies on a blue grey shag rug

Harry Potter Ravenclaw flag Lau’s Harry Potter fandom is on display in three spots in her room: this Ravenclaw flag, a Harry Potter pillow, and a Marauder’s Map.

A black felt message board standing on a desk displays the message, 'DO MORE THINGS THAT MAKE YOU FORGET TO CHECK YOUR PHONE'

Message board This grid message board was an $8 find from Primark. Lau finds inspirational sayings online, like this one, and writes them out on the board.

A neon sign that says 'HUSTLE' hanging on a wall.

Lit sign This $25 “HUSTLE” sign from Bed Bath & Beyond gives Lau more light above her desk.

A brown wooden desk with drawers and tabletop covered with removable white marble contact paper.

Desk Lau applied this marble-print removable contact paper to her BU-issued desk after seeing a friend at another school do something similar. It cost her about $8 from home improvement and appliance store Lowe’s.

Click on the circles above to see more of what Geneve Lau displays in her dorm room.

October 23, 2018

Amy Laskowski

Cydney Scott

In “Decked-Out Dorms,” BU Today’s new series, students show off their stylish and unique dorm rooms and apartments, dish on where they found their bedding and decor, and talk about the trinkets that remind them of home. Is your room worth sharing? Email orourkej@bu.edu.

Name: Geneve Lau (COM’21)

Address: A four-person suite in newly renovated Myles Standish Hall; she shares a double with roommate Chloe Qin (CAS’21)

Short bio: The PR major is a first-generation college student whose family is from Guangzhou, China. She was raised in Boise, Idaho. A College of Communication marketing and digital communication intern, Lau is an undergrad office assistant and a COM ambassador, among her other campus roles.

Fashion credentials: In high school, Lau worked at her local Marshalls, and she says the job taught her a lot about fashion. She shadowed the store’s staging team, learning from them as they dressed mannequins, created displays, and set up endcaps.

Where she finds inspiration: Arriving at BU freshman year, Lau was excited about decorating her room, as she had been in the same bedroom at home for years. She gets decorating ideas from YouTube stars like Danielle Carolan, Kenzie Elizabeth, and Aspyn Ovard. And Pinterest “is a rabbit hole,” she says.

Where she shops: Amazon, Five Below (“the best thing for hidden gems”), Primark, Marshalls, and more. “You have to know how to shop,” she says. “You don’t have to spend a ton of money.”

How much did all of this cost? The shag throw was a $12 find on Amazon, her comforter came from Primark and cost $20, and the throw blankets were maybe $20 each from Marshalls. Find more shopping details when you click on the circles above for close-up photos of the items.

A popular trend she shamelessly follows: Rose gold accessories

Random tips: Invest in good adhesives, like the Command brand hooks, to hang things and not damage your walls. Buy things powered by plugs, not batteries, otherwise you’ll always be replacing them. Fill your room with lamps and smaller lights because the dorms’ overhead lights are “clinical.” Share the microfridge with a roommate to take advantage of precious space.

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