SMART LIVING
College With Class
Sheri Corey’s new business takes graduating high school seniors “from Home Sweet Home to Dorm Suite Dorm.”

 By Mary Ellen Stancill

There are more resources for home décor than ever before. Stores, catalogs, websites and even television channels are devoted solely to home renovations, building and interior design. It’s hard to imagine there’d be an untapped idea, but Mountain Brook resident Sheri Corey found a unique niche — high quality, fun and unique dorm room linens and accessories available online through her website, dormsuitedorm.com.

How it started
After a lifetime of sewing — Corey received a sewing machine instead of a car for her 16th birthday — and designing and creating custom bed linens, window treatments and slipcovers for clients through her business, Sew Sheri Designs, Corey began to see more and more requests for custom college bedding.

“I went online and Googled dorms or dorm bedding, and I got Target and JCPenney’s [sic] and nothing else came up,” says Corey. That was late 2007 and the Dorm Suite Dorm website launched in April with six bedding collections.

How it works
Girls go online and choose their pattern — city girl, flower girl, happy girl, island girl, valley girl or village girl — for the basic set which includes the extra-long dust ruffle, either a duvet or a coverlet, headboard pillow and an accent pillow. Accessories available to complete the look of the room include: sheets, a small lamp, garment bag, laundry bag, bulletin board and sleep pants.

In most cases, orders will be completed in two to three weeks — “before they have time to change their minds or find something else,” jokes Corey.

In her basement work room, Corey and her seamstresses will then put the collections together. It’s all in the details Covered buttons, ruffling, cording, ribbon or tassel trim provide a finished look that you won’t find off the rack.
Every item can also be monogrammed.

Because most dorm room twin beds require extra long sheets and extra tall dust ruffles, custom-made linens are offered including a flat sheet with elastic added at the bottom so it won’t come untucked — an idea Sheri devised thanks to two teenage boys of her own.

Everything offered from Dorm Suite Dorm is cotton and washable.

What’s in a name?
Since quitting her job as a nurse 12 years ago, Corey has used her passion for sewing to earn a living with three different businesses — each with their own focus and name.

“I’m all about catchy names,” says Corey.

When her kids were little her business was “Corey’s Closet,” and she made children’s clothes. Then she moved on to Sew Sheri Designs when her business shifted towards curtains, slip covers, bedding and other aspects of interior design. Now, as her oldest son completes the 11th grade, she’s focused on the college age with Dorm Suite Dorm.

Fun firsts The “Dream Registry” allows graduates to pick what they like and then friends and family can visit the site and make a purchase or buy a gift card — much like a bridal registry.

“They go from cute rooms at home to dingy dorm rooms,” says Corey. “They need to have something to brighten it up.”

What’s to come
Next year Corey hopes to expand into boys’ bedding and add accessories to the girls’ line such as towels. Eventually, she’d like the girls and guys to be able to go online and design their own bedding.

Contact: Visit dormsuitedorm.com to set up your Dream Registry, purchase a gift or read the Dorm Suite Dorm blog.

 
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