After writing a check for tuition, room and board, and a meal plan, one might think there should be an automatic upgrade from the standard issue college dorm furniture. Most schools provide each student with a bed frame, twin mattress, desk, and chair. Despite the Tutwiler prison vibe, there’s hope. Taking on the rehabilitaion of one room, one residence hall at a time, Sheri offers model dorm rooms at her Mountain Brook studio, the University of Alabama, LSU, and Ole Miss so prospective students can see her services and their options for cheery décor.
“Students can choose to customize their rooms as much or as little as they like, ” Sheri says. “We offer headboards (wood and upholstered), rugs, linens, monograms, and chair covers—all made to order.”
Sheri gets top marks in custom design solutions. Most bed frames can be raised or lowered depending on preference. Sheri uses tension rods for hanging bedskirts to accomodate length and to provide easy access to stored items beneath.
Her vast array of cheery (and durable) fabrics makes decorating a room as fun as a dressing up for a first swap. “This isn’t just a dorm room, ” she says. “This is a home and it should reflect the personality of the person who lives there.”
{ Before + After }
Resources
Sew Sheri Designs and Dorm Suite Dorm • 2832 Culver Rd, Birmingham. 205.879.8278
text by Cathy Still McGowin • photography by Jean Allsopp