Two mothers shared with PEOPLE why they splurged on custom artwork, headboards, and high-end décor to transform their daughters’ college dorms into designer-worthy spaces.
For Monicah Wells of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, move-in day at Ole Miss was the culmination of nearly two decades of planning. She jokes that she began “designing” her daughter Chrimson’s dorm the day she was born, but more seriously, she started gathering ideas three years ago after joining the Facebook group Dorm Rooms of Mississippi and Beyond, which now has over 76,000 members swapping tips, photos, and décor hacks.
Scrolling the page reveals dorm rooms styled like luxury suites, with gilded frames, custom headboards, hotel-style rugs, and symmetrical layouts worthy of a design magazine. Inspired, Monicah decided to create the same for Chrimson, teaming up with her roommate’s mom to plan every detail through Pinterest boards and spreadsheets.
They mapped out floor plans, divided purchases for closets, bathrooms, bedrooms, and living spaces, and tracked costs — though their original budget quickly ballooned. Monicah estimates the total spent landed between $10,000 and $20,000. Still, she believes she saved compared to hiring a professional dorm designer, whose services can run as high as $20,000.
“I felt I had the eye and the knowledge from the Facebook group to handle it myself,” she said. But looking back, she admits a designer fee might have been worth the sanity: “Would I do it again? Absolutely not. Hire the designer.”
The Facebook group has also become a resource for parents decorating on smaller budgets, with members sharing dupes, discounts, and resale items. Co-founder Tamara Wingerter says the page grew from her own shock in 2020 when she moved her son into a dorm — only to see female classmates’ spaces styled like showrooms. By the time her daughter Marissa entered Mississippi State in 2024, Tamara was ready with her own “over-the-top” dorm plan.
Even with the expense, Tamara insists these investments aren’t wasteful. Many big-ticket items are reused or resold, and custom artwork — while costly — becomes a long-term keepsake. For Marissa’s sophomore year, she commissioned Italian-inspired paintings to commemorate her daughter’s study abroad trip, ensuring the pieces will remain meaningful beyond college.
In the end, both moms see the effort as worth it. Whether it’s spending thousands on luxury dorm décor or hunting thrift-store treasures, they say the goal is the same: sending their daughters off to school in a space that feels like home.
