Designing Dorm
A few years ago, friends Leigh
Goodwyn and Leigh-ann Sprock were
chatting about their interest in building a business. They had many friends
whose children—as well as their
own—were heading off to boarding
school or to college. Natually, the discussion of dorm-room décor was ever
present. Soon, they discovered that
few companies marketed to dorms.
Recognizing the challenges of inhabiting a small space, they created a collection that is functional and that captures
the essence of designer décor. “Let’s
face it, dorm rooms are typically pretty
ugly spaces, concrete walls, industrial
floors, lots of beige. We wanted to create a collection that would make the
dorm room pop,” said Goodwyn.
from ugly to chic
Their brand (pronounced Lee-Do) features chic and globally inspired textiles
full of color and gl obal whimsy. “We
wanted rich, luxurious textiles that
you would typically source through
a designer or design center, but at a
price point affordable for dorm,” said
Sprock. That proved difficult so LeighDeux designs and manufactures its
own fabric. “We really knew nothing
about making fabric, but my family
was in textile machine manufacturing
for 100 years,” said Goodwyn. Their
soft goods are manufactured in the
Carolinas and all of their products are
sourced in the United States.
LeighDeux decided that it was not
enough to simply launch their products
so a portion of its proceeds will fund
scholarships. Its mantra is simple: deck
a dorm, prep a mind. “The scholarship
fund is in development with the Foundation for the Carolinas, said Goodwyn.”
In addition to furniture, LeighDeux
Dorm offers rugs, lamps, small-scale
furniture and accessories—all sold
exclusively online at leighdeux.com. n
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