How To Decorate Your Home Like Dewey's Apartment In School Of Rock
"School of Rock" is a movie from the early 2000s that follows Dewey, a rock artist and music enthusiast played by Jack Black, per Rotten Tomatoes. He recently got let go from his rock band and is strapped for cash. When Dewey's roommate finally asks him to pay the rent and stop freeloading, Dewey takes up a gig as a substitute teacher in a school filled with privileged children. He manages to turn them into rock stars and bond with the uptight principal by the end of the film.
Aside from the nostalgic early noughties home decor, there is also an abundance of vintage home design trends like portières and color block walls. Dewey loves rock music and the easy breezy lifestyle, so it's no surprise that his apartment reflects this laid-back mindset. From his extensive music collection to the casual furniture, each decorative element is as easy breezy as Dewey's nature. Take pointers from Dewey and "School of Rock" to refresh your living space. Keep reading to discover more decorating tips and tricks from the film.
Use curtains as doors
Generally, curtains pair with windows to provide an element of privacy. However, another way you can use curtains to secure privacy while also adding decorative flair is by hanging them over a door. If you feel that doors are overrated, hang curtains up and avoid doors entirely. According to Victoriana, this technique was popular in the Victorian era as people loved decorating doorways and arches with drapes to add character. They used plush and thick materials like velvet to insert a regal vibe into the home.
If you are decorating your home like the movie "School of Rock" but don't want to remove your bedroom door, consider hanging drapes, also known as portières, up in your entryway (via Simple Decorating Tips). While a sturdy door is a great feature to safeguard the home, it may not look as unique and charming as a portière. This element offers a dramatic entrance. Die-hard fans of the movie will be happy to know that if you want to nail Dewey's aesthetic, you can get similar gray and blue camouflage print curtains from Amazon.
Set up a distinct display for happy hour
The first thing that catches the eye once you draw back the curtains in Dewey's apartment is the massive bottle beside the window. It appears to be a comically large bottle of brown liquor that could probably quench the thirst of a whole country. The outrageous bottle is a fun aspect of Dewey's room that showcases his personality. If you wish to follow in his footsteps, grab your own version from Big Bottles.
In addition to the bottle display, there are many creative ways to decorate with beverages. If you have a collection of unique liquor, consider introducing a drinks chest to display your beverages and impress your guests. You can insert rustic charm into your home by filling a steamer trunk on wheels with your bar necessities. Alternatively, purchase a bar cart and decorate it with liquor, glasses, and other mixology essentials. If you have lots of space in your room, you might as well fill it with a proper unit for your drinks, like this one from Amazon.
Find bright and beautiful bedsheets
Dewey is a full-grown adult, yet he can act like a big kid. His bedroom reveals the immature attitude he has toward life. He hasn't committed to purchasing a headboard for his bed, nor has he bothered with a bed frame. He's even rocking the mattress on the floor style in the film. However, he brings his room decor up a notch with bright and cheerful bed sheet colors.
According to Darpan Furnishings, the fact that Dewey grabbed a patterned bedsheet was a wise choice because sheets with patterns and prints add a healthy dose of character to any space. You can opt for floral, geometric, tropical, or bohemian inspired prints to complement the existing decor in your room. When choosing your bedsheets, avoid the mistake that many people make. They often find themselves with sheets that are either too big or too small for their bed size. To avoid this hassle, consider the measurements of your bed and use this to sift through your desired options (via Wakefit).
Match pillows and cushions
A significant part of being a grown-up is ensuring you use the right accessories for the right tasks. For example, you'll want to use an actual coffee table in your living room instead of stacking crates together. In addition, it's essential to understand the difference between accessories like pillows and cushions.
According to Skinny laMinx, there is a clear difference between cushions and pillows. Pillows offer a comfortable night's sleep and are where you rest your head while sleeping. While cushions are technically a type of pillow, they are used more for their aesthetic value. They add character and charm to a sofa and can decorate a bed or cozy reading nook. When selecting coverings and fabrics for your pillows and cushions, choose pillowcases that are soft to touch. You sleep with your pillows more frequently than you interact with cushions. The cover material should be more durable since it tends to get dirtier and go through the wash more than your cushions.
Wake up your decor with wooden accents
According to Architect Magazine, wood is one building and decor material that has stood the test of time. Whether used by Ancient Egyptians or people in the Roman Empire, this material is a staple in the architectural world. You can use wood for a rustic wood cabin in the country or construct innovative modern buildings in a city. In "School of Rock," there is no shortage of wooden furniture and accents. Wooden beams support the frame of the apartment, wooden floors appear in every room, and Dewey uses wooden shelves to house his records.
If you decide to add wooden beams to your home, remember that it comes from a tree. It still carries biological features and energies. Before you install the beams, ensure the wood is in the room for a good number of hours for it to have enough time to bond with the room. This step will allow them to acclimate to the specific temperature and humidity conditions (via Elmwood Reclaimed Timber).
Dress up your windows with blinds
When Dewey's roommate bursts in to remind Dewey about paying rent, we get a glimpse of the windows. Although the wanna-be rock star's room boasts curtains in place of a door, he chooses to implement blinds as window treatments. According to Half Price Blinds, the minimalist blinds used in the 2000s were game-changing interior features that have become a staple in homes. Dewey's choice of blinds is a classic option. They feature wooden panels that allow a good amount of sunlight into the space while maintaining privacy.
The beauty of using wooden blinds is that the wood accents are versatile, and you can implement them into various aesthetics. Plus, wood provides natural insulation and protects from UV light (via English Blinds). To take your decor up a notch, match your blinds to your headboard or other elements in your room. Matching similar wood tones together will create a cohesive look in the space.
Display instruments as decor
Dewey is a full-fledged wannabe rock star, which is why there is a guitar and a drum set casually placed in the apartment. According to Merriam Music, people have been displaying pianos as decor in their homes since the 1800s. Since then, many other musical instruments have found their way into home decor. This style is not only restricted to the homes of musicians.
If you are a musician or someone who plays an instrument like Dewey, take care when deciding where to showcase your piece. Look upon that instrument as though it were art and consider the size and the weight before you set it somewhere. For example, if you own a tambourine, why not take it a step further and gather a few more tambourines in various colors and display them in an artsy way around your home? Since tambourines are not large, you can place them on a bookshelf or coffee table and arrange them as a focal point in the room. Hang them on a living room accent wall and add other musical-inspired decorations like sheet music or photos of your favorite concert.
Contrast your furniture
Dewey's apartment features several chairs, including a floral patterned sofa, a neutral chaise, and a wooden chair. These furniture pieces include contrasting colors, so you may want to focus on this as you recreate the apartment's decor. According to Secret Stache, the best ways to create contrast in your home is by decorating with dark and light colors, different color temperatures, and creating color palettes with complementary shades that appear opposite one another on the color wheel.
Start with the furniture piece you want to be the center of attention in the room. In Dewey's case, it is the patterned sofa. Once you've chosen your main muse, note all the colors and shop for other chairs with complementary tones. In this case, beige, orange, and dark orange tones appear on the sofa, and the other chairs feature similar shades. When you recreate this vibe in your home, flank your sofa with new chairs that complement and enhance the beauty of the focal chair's pattern. Stick with one sofa if there isn't enough space for multiple chairs in your home. Ensure you contrast the sofa color with cushions, throw blankets, and other accessories. You can not go wrong with a light cushion on a dark-toned sofa.
Hang fairy lights
Make your home feel festive all year round by decorating with twinkling fairy lights like the ones hanging up in Dewey's apartment. These twinkle lights are popular around the holiday season but also look magical in a backyard, living room, or bedroom setting. String them around a tree for a backyard party or decorate a bedframe for cozy lighting in your room. These beautiful lights will help the good vibes flow during any get-together. They are also energy-efficient and use about 70 percent less energy than conventional lights (via Luminous Terrace).
If you live in a rental home and don't want to damage the walls with your decor choices, don't fret! You can copy Dewey and hang up fairy lights inside your living room without using nails, per BlissLights. Instead, opt for adhesive clips, lay lights onto furniture like shelves, houseplants, or tables, or wrap them around a curtain rod. Transparent tape, pushpins, and staples are other options to consider.
Embrace brick walls
According to Brick Architecture, brick is a trusted building material that has been around since 7,000 B.C. If you are lucky enough to find an apartment or home with at least one brick wall, like in Dewey's apartment, you can highlight it by painting the surrounding walls white. All attention will go to the brick wall and create a vintage yet modern vibe.
If your home does not feature a brick wall, you can still execute a DIY brick project with the proper tools and a can-do attitude (via Shanty 2 Chic). To get the correct amount of tiles, measure the wall space, then consider your desired tile's length and breadth. You'll need to divide this figure by that of the wall to know how many tiles you need to cover the wall. Once you have this figure, choose the proper adhesive to secure the tiles to the wall. Don't skimp on products such as your mortar because the DIY tile job will suffer if the adhesive is weak. Research the different types people have used and check out reviews. Once you secure the adhesive, slather it onto the wall and horizontally place your tiles.
Turn your walls into a focal point
According to Arizona Painting, an accent wall is one of the best ways to create a design statement in your home and liven up a bland space. You can achieve this style by painting one wall a different color from the rest so that it stands out. This wall will function as the focal point in the room. The first rule about creating an accent wall is to have fun and be creative. Don't be afraid to let your bold colors show.
For example, in Dewey's apartment, each wall looks different from the next. The focus is on the entire room. The walls feature blue and red paint, two primary colors. This technique ensures visual interest everywhere you look. If you want something calmer than bold primary colors, play around with painting your walls black and white for a classic color scheme. Alternatively, you can opt for neutral paint colors with a splash of color.
Introduce strips of wallpaper
If you are taking decor inspiration from "School of Rock," welcome wallpaper into your home. Instead of going all out and utilizing wallpaper on all your living room walls, ceilings, and bedroom, decorate with strips in a few specific places. There are innovative ways to use wallpaper in any room of your home. For example, strips of black and white plaid wallpaper line the walls in Dewey's living room. Decorating with vertical wallpaper strips adds visual interest and dimension without overwhelming a space.
Wallpaper comes in various designs, styles, and prices, but since you only need a few strips, you can splurge on a high-end version like this iconic red zebra style from Scalamandre. If you want something low-maintenance, op for peel-and-stick wallpaper. You can easily remove this affordable version when the time comes to mix up your interiors. Showcase your interior design prowess by placing a mirror on the wallpaper to finish the look, and voila!
Incorporate vintage telephones
"School of Rock" was released in the early 2000s, and the home decor is surprisingly authentic to that era. Every time Dewey gets a phone call from his boss, he answers on a vintage corded telephone. You can try, but you may not be able to hold back a strong wave of nostalgia at the sight of this classic landline. If you have always been a lover of telephones with cords, adding a vintage phone to your home is a sure way to bring the noughties to life and make your space look unique, per PopSugar.
You can commit to the retro vibe by installing a working line and receiving your calls on this vintage phone. Alternatively, you can purchase one that does not function but offers top-notch decorative value. There are plenty of different fun phone styles to choose from, including clear plastic, hamburger, lips, and glitter varieties. Etsy offers some great retro options.
Keep your coffee table in pristine condition
Most people find that they use their coffee table for various functions, such as a makeshift shelf for books, a display spot for vases, and even a place for bits and bobs like remote controls. This setup leads to clutter often occurring in this area. However, the coffee table in Dewey's apartment remains in perfect condition with minimal decor throughout the film. It just holds a few candles, magazines, and the home phone.
One item you may want to introduce for a minimalist design is a catch-all. A catch-all is a vessel like a wooden tray or glass bowl designed for small items like jewelry, keys, or papers. According to Shabby Fufu, people who suffer from clutter or have lots of items on their table may benefit from adding a catch-all. You can conveniently gather all your items while keeping the table sleek and chic.