Photos would be helpful.

I would brighten it up by painting the walls a more neutral color. Adding new bedding and fun pillows, artwork, etc. will add punches of color that will work nicely with the neutral backdrop. As a student I know designing in a budget friendly way is important. If you have an Ikea, HomeGoods, Gordmans or At Home to shop at, these are all great places to pick up interesting and fun pieces without breaking the bank. As far as space planning, from the picture it looks like a fairly long/narrow space- I would keep the bed at the back, back a sofa up to that and add a couple of comfy chairs and maybe an area rug. Dont forget the artwork too, this adds a very important layer to your space. Hope this makes sense and helps!

Hi, That's a good space you have there. You can try some floor rugs and comfy chairs to decorate this room. Floor lamps for your living room décor could also work well for this space. One suggestion, though, while decorating your living room, make sure that you also add an artistic touch to the wall. Either wall art or wallpaper, or even a chic mirror can work wonders on the overall look of your room.

Hi, it seems like you already have some area broken for making something. You can add shelving, a soft backdrop panel / wallpaper and profile lights against the periphery of the columns for effect.