School of swank: See the $20k dorm rooms of elite Southern coeds

Gone are the days of simply shelling out for a commoner’s college tuition.Luxury-loving college students — and their well-funded parents — are flocking to interior decorators like Mississippi’s Shelly Gates, who charge up to $20,000 to transform a cinderblock dorm space into a TikTok-worthy study sanctuary.Gates is a former elementary school teacher who named her business, Mary Margaret Designs, after her two daughters.

And if she looks familiar, it’s because you might have seen her on social media, where Gates’s “dream dorm” designs have racked up over 26 million views.“She charges $20,000 for this and does 15 — 20 dorm rooms each year,” entrepreneur Joe Pompliano wrote on X, in response to a post by influencer Will Tjernlund about Gates’s designs.

“Pretty good business for a few months’ work.”In the three minute TikTok, an unnamed blonde freshman in a hot pink workout set walks into her new pad in the Presidential Village II dorm at the University of Alabama — yes, the same place that serves as a hotbed for RushTok — clearly in awe of her new, swanked-out abode.The dorm room includes a cozy storage chair with a pink, decorative rotary phone pillow, a handmade hot air balloon decoration, and custom-made wall art in a mix of cheery pinks, yellows and blues. “This has definitely been the year of color,” Gates exclusively told The Post, noting her services are in demand “everywhere from Texas to Tennessee to Tallahassee.” “We are seeing so many girls wanting pastels, bright colors, fun patterns, and just rooms that really feel like them,” said Gates, who primarily works with young women but has a few male clients.

“Most dorms start out with cinderblock walls and fluorescent lighting, and honestly, they can feel a little cold and intimidating.We love taking those spaces and making them feel warm, happy and like home.”She also added that this year’s new students are “getting a little more confident in mixing pat...