During Isabelle Dyess’s sophomore year, her University of Mississippi sorority required her to live off-campus at the Arbor Apartments in Oxford. Isabelle and her two Kappa Kappa Gamma roommates turned immediately to her mother for help with their new space. “My friends loved my freshman dorm room and how different it was from everyone else’s,” Isabelle notes. “We wanted our apartment to be unique, too!” The apartment featured a spacious layout and high-end amenities, but the trio of young women desired a colorful and appealing space that reflected all three personalities. They needed a place in which to entertain while also offering a respite for study. Since the girls would only live here for a year, the furnishings and accessories needed to be budget-friendly and easily sold or incorporated into new spaces. “I don’t really have a particular style, but I trust my mom, and the outcome is always more than I envisioned,” Isabelle adds. “It’s so fun to see what she will come up with!”
Isabelle’s mother, Lisa Dyess, is a freelance designer based in Jackson. With a background in set design, she specializes in interior design and event planning while also finding time to create her own art collection, from pointillism to pop art. Years ago, Lisa was approached to star in her own design show, but she discovered how much time it would take away from her children and declined. In her line of work, more is more, and her maximalist style is adored. Her spaces and events are gloriously extravagant, and the experience of working with her daughter was one she treasured.
For Isabelle’s first college apartment, Lisa was given complete rein to create the ideal spaces for the three girls. Her signature style features a strong modern flair combined with midcentury and Hollywood Glam vibes. Her goal was to incorporate this charm with non-investment, college-friendly furniture, and wild, colorful accessories. By reinventing pieces previously used in her designs and events, Lisa grants them new purpose, and her spaces never look the same.
Most major furnishings throughout the apartment were acquired through discount sites and local stores. After creating a base layer of sustainable pieces, such as a dark teal sectional and numerous durable rugs, Lisa began to insert loads of color and pattern to reflect the girls’ energetic personalities. Disco balls, bright vintage telephones, and roller skate sculptures shine brightly on cocktail tables while punchy, poppy pillows accentuate each lounging area. Lisa delved into her party storage to uncover a series of sugary sweet paintings produced for a Candyland-themed party. Depictions of Lucky Lights candy cigarettes and Ring Pops produce fun conversation along with Lisa’s interpretations of music stars Dolly Parton, Prince, and Willie Nelson. “I love listening to an artist on the radio and coming home to paint him or her,” she adds. Lisa also uncovered a hedge wall, neon signage, and a bubblegum pink deer head from her party design stockpile. Once event “leftovers,” these pieces now serve as the most fun focal points in the apartment.
Isabelle’s only request for her mother was to have no butterflies in the design, which Lisa lovingly ignored and instead accepted as a challenge. Since wallpaper was not an ideal option, Lisa used large, framed fabric panels in a beautiful and fun insect and butterfly print over the bed and stretching beyond the width of the nightstands in Isabelle’s room. Layered on top is a fun pop art painting that adds an edginess to the soft fabric pattern. The view became a favorite of Isabelle’s in the apartment. “I love once I can turn a client around when my vision isn’t something they have seen before,” Lisa laughs. “Trust the process!” Coordinating fabrics and a bright blue dresser add to the cool, youthful atmosphere in the space.
The party vibe extends to the apartment’s screened balcony, which is saturated with shades of blush pink and features an astroturf floor covering. Loads of pillows are piled upon a generous swinging daybed. A white floral wall festooned with a string of colorful flags serves as the backdrop and highlights a bright neon “Kappa” sign. One of the most festive additions to the apartment is a combination outdoor dining and ping pong table. Lisa covered a folding plastic table with vinyl removable wallpaper in a fun pink and orange foliage pattern left over from Isabelle’s freshman dorm room. After painting the legs of the table to compliment the wallpaper, Lisa added a travel ping pong net which can be taken on and off. An iconic portrait of Queen versus King, Freddie Mercury, and Elvis steals the show in the outdoor space, which quickly became an extension of the living room and the most preferred entertaining area.
Though Isabelle looks forward to living in the Kappa Kappa Gamma house and other future homes, she is confident the exciting and unique accessories and fantastic art curation Lisa has created will be treasured for years to come. “My mom has placed her pop art in the most sophisticated, traditional homes, and it always works in the most unexpected places,” Isabelle notes. Lisa’s passion for design and events shines through in all her work. “Everyone knows that if it is something she is a part of, it will be fun, memorable, and a great experience,” her daughter adds. By designing this playful, fun space for college women to live, study and entertain, Lisa opened a creative door that is both inspiring and comforting.