UGA Pi Beta Phi house updated after 2-year redesign process
Lesley Randall
Aug 31, 2022 Updated Aug 31, 2022
A renovated common space is pictured at the University of Georgia’s Pi Beta Phi house in Athens, Georgia, on Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2022. (Photo/Jessica Gratigny; @jgratphoto)
After a multi-year project, the Pi Beta Phi house on Milledge Avenue has undergone what some might call an extreme home makeover. Liz Toombs, owner of PDR Interiors, led the redesign with a goal to bring youthfulness into the house.
“The chapter wanted the space to represent them more, being young women. We really tried to focus on brightening and lightening the look,” Toombs said.
The house was redesigned and reconstructed in order to make a viable and comfortable home for Pi Beta Phi members to utilize. Despite the changes, the home still embodies a traditional sorority house look. From practical bathroom finishes to an enormous sunroom, the house depicts elegance while weaving in modern youthfulness.
With large televisions, speakers in many rooms and sound systems to match, the house includes some of the latest technology to date. However the house also comes with a homey feeling through furniture and decor.
The renovated chapter room is pictured at the University of Georgia’s Pi Beta Phi house in Athens, Georgia, on Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2022. (Photo/Jessica Gratigny; @jgratphoto)
“It’s so hard to pick a favorite part of the new house, but if I had to pick one thing it would be hanging out with everyone in the living room,” chapter president Bella Galdabni said
Nods to the sorority colors of wine and silver blue and the University of Georgia’s red and black throughout the house are important for keeping tradition in the chapter. For many members, tying together different colors and symbols embodies what it means to be a Pi Beta Phi at UGA.
“We tried to make it look like young women lived there, but also [represent] Pi Beta Phi [by] using some of their symbols and their colors and also weaving in UGA’s colors and symbols,” Toombs said.
This project did not happen overnight. In fact, it took almost two years to fully complete the changes. Last school year, members of Pi Beta Phi were living in a house that was only halfway available for use due to the interior redesign. Now, sisters are living in one of the most updated homes on Milledge Avenue.
“They lived through the addition going on. They had access to their bedrooms and a very few number of common spaces were set up, but they did not have their big functioning kitchen and they did not have a lot of gathering space,” Toombs said.
The renovated kitchen is pictured at the University of Georgia’s Pi Beta Phi house in Athens, Georgia, on Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2022. (Photo/Jessica Gratigny; @jgratphoto)
Now, the Pi Beta Phi house is fully accessible with brand new renovations that are popular in the sorority. To most, the wait was worth a freshly remodeled house with an updated kitchen, large bathroom counter space and comfortable study rooms.
The large sofa is a highlight for many.
“We have a really large sofa in their living room and I loved that. It is great for using it during recruitment or if everyone is just gathered in the living room to watch TV together,” Toombs said.
The furniture piece has already brought sorority members together after a busy recruitment process.
“After long days of recruitment, some of the sophomores and I would all pile up on the couch and watch movies or just talk for hours. It has been fun for me to get to know and spend time with the younger girls living in the house,” Galdabini said.
A renovated common space is pictured at the University of Georgia’s Pi Beta Phi house in Athens, Georgia, on Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2022. (Photo/Jessica Gratigny; @jgratphoto)
A redesigned house for the Pi Beta Phi community was long-awaited, exciting and rewarding for many involved. For Toombs and PDR Interiors, this project is one of the largest and most fun to date.
For Pi Beta Phi, a long construction process has finally given way to a breath of fresh air each time they step into their new home.
