Your Sorority Sister’s Dream Job | PDR Interiors
Interior Designer, Liz Toombs, has a unique tool on her worker’s belt — University sorority housing.
Toombs creates beautiful spaces that function for everyday life and keep chapters competitive for recruitment. Her team at PDR Interiors works closely with their client to understand the campus and chapter culture, translating that into a space that acts as the backdrop to the collegiate experience of hundreds of chapter members.
A graduate of the University of Kentucky (UK), Liz was an alumna of Alpha Gamma Delta. While studying in UK, she helped add beautiful imagery to the Alpha Chi house building project. Currently, Liz and her PDR team are decorating the Delta Gamma house, among numerous other projects. In addition, PDR’s design work is shown in over 90 different campuses across 25+ states.
At PDR Interiors, mentoring women is paramount. What drives Liz to focus on sorority housing projects is the learned value of mentorship through her fraternity experience and helping to preserve that experience for current and future members of women’s organizations. As a result, Liz is very involved in giving back to the community through the Junior League and other local charities. A cancer survivor herself, she created The Mary Estes Memorial Scholarship in honor of her mother, who passed from cancer in 2012. The scholarship is awarded annually to a UK College of Agriculture, Food and Environment student who has lost a parent from cancer.
Q: What has been your favorite interior design project to work on and why?
A: This is a tough question to answer – I have a few favorites, all for different reasons:
A Montana State University sorority housing project introduced me to the state of Montana, where we supplied furnishings for all common rooms and selected fresh-faced finishes for the spaces.
I adore any UK Greek projects; there have been eight to date. That campus will always be unique as it is not only the alma mater for all my team members and me but also so close to home.
In addition to PDR’s extensive work in Greek housing, the firm also offers comprehensive services for private residences. My favorite is an annual Christmas decorating project we do on a horse farm in Paris, a relationship we have preserved for over a decade leading to the most beautiful friendship.
Q: What does your design discovery of taste and preference look like with each client?
Asking and answering A LOT of questions. The questions run the show from the gamut of topics with lifestyle needs, color preferences, and desired budget. PDR wants to get inside the client's mind to fully understand their priorities and ask for inspirational photos as images explain things better than words ever could.
Q: What are some hip new trends in the interior design market?
I love the lighter, natural wood tones popping up in all interior designs, from flooring to case goods. Taking this trend in a couple of directions, you can create a light, airy coastal vibe or use it in contrast to deep, saturated jewel tone paint colors and fabrics for a more mid-century modern look.
Q: When working with a sorority house, what room do you start with and why?
Where we start is driven by the client's needs and budget when working in phases through the house. If PDR is working on a major remodel or new build covering the entire house, we start with finishes, move into furniture, and finally add artwork and accessories.
Q: Have you had any bizarre or noteworthy room requests from clients?
A noteworthy room request has been mental health space additions by our Greek clients, which require comfort and privacy. Additionally, a lot of these old houses have outdated spaces that need to find a new use — for example, transitioning an old phone booth into a test-taking room or nook where a student can take a private telehealth appointment.
Q: Due to the high traffic of sorority houses, do you have the best go-to practices when making selections to ensure finishes and fabrics withstand years of exorbitant use?
Undoubtedly, several go-tos for us are stain-repellent fabrics and sturdy furniture bases for both upholstered and case goods, ensuring the legs won't break off if the piece moves around. PDR Interiors has learned through experience how to blend commercial products with high-use residential to create a homey yet long-lasting aesthetic in the space.
Q: Why should a sorority hire you?
Frankly, we know what we are doing. After working with nearly 90 campuses across the country, we are familiar with working in all types of sorority spaces, large or small. We also have experience working with university facilities departments, national housing corporations at sorority headquarters, and locally run house corp boards. We understand how to balance the collegians' needs with the alumnae's preferences and HQ's branding desires. Most importantly, we love the work, which is challenging, rewarding, and fulfilling.
Q: Talk to me about your mother's scholarship and what it means to you.
College is not getting any cheaper; unfortunately, cancer is not going away. These two facts are the drive behind my desire to create a scholarship for a student who has lost a parent to cancer. My brother was a freshman in college when my mom got sick, so I know the toll that can take on a student, and my family was fortunate that he was able to stay in school. I want to help others have the opportunity to stay in school despite the medical bills, and naming the scholarship after my mom is a way to honor her legacy.
