Residential Life

Furnishings Provided by the University

Information about residence hall room furniture provided by Brown, under-bed space, bed and mattress storage, and rules regarding furniture removal.

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Each resident is supplied with:

  • Bed frame
  • Bookcase
  • Bureau
  • Closet or wardrobe
  • Desk and desk chair
  • Mattress (36" x 80" - twin extra long)
  • One recycling bin per room or suite
  • One trash can per resident

In various buildings, some of the above items may be "built-in" rather than free-standing.

General room lighting is provided, but additional desk and floor lamps are not. Windows have pull shades, curtains or blinds (fire retardant).

The diversity of living options we have on campus extends also to furnishings that may be unique to certain locations. Thus, rooms in Andrews have private sinks, residents of Perkins have cork bulletin boards furnished in the room, and there are towel bars on the interior of the room doors in Wriston Quad.

There are 11 inches of clearance under all beds. If you are thinking about putting risers under the feet, check that they could accommodate the large legs or wait until you get here and know what your bed looks like.

The Brown Bookstore and other vendors sell bed risers that will elevate the bed frame about five or six inches while still providing a solid and safe footing on the floor (these commercial products are made of plastic and are less likely to scar the floor).

You should talk with staff in the Key Office at the Office of Residential Life (3rd floor, Grad Center E) before making any changes to University-provided furnishings.

When you move out, it is expected that your room will contain the same furniture it did when you moved in. Missing furniture will incur a residence hall damage fine; extra furniture that requires Facilities Management to move it out will also incur a residence hall damage fine.

There are fines per piece of non-returned furniture upon vacancy. If a piece is not found, the resident will be charged for the cost of replacement.

In an effort to minimize damage to furnishings and to increase fire safety in our store rooms, the only University furnishings that may be removed and stored are bed frames and mattresses (except in Perkins Hall, where bed/mattress removal is prohibited).

Bed storage is available in most residence halls. In the event that storage is not available in your residence hall, you will have to bring your bed frame and/or mattress to the nearest storage location. The resident is responsible for taking bed frames and mattresses to designated store rooms and for returning bed frames and mattresses to the room upon vacating.

See the list of Residence Hall Service Rooms to find out about bed storage in your location. There is a per piece charge for leaving your bed frame and/or mattress in the hallway or failing to return them to your room when you leave.

Please note, only University-owned bed frames and mattresses can be stored in the storage rooms. All bed frames and mattresses should be tagged with the residence hall, room number, and current occupant's name prior to storage.

To access the bed storage room, you may request access from Residential Life or ask the custodial workers in your building.

It is the student's responsibility to return the bed frame and/or mattress to their room at the end of the academic year. Failure to return University supplied furniture to your room will result in a damage fine.

Safety-related Furniture Restrictions

While you may certainly add items to your room to make it more suitable to your style, remember that furniture that was not provided by the University is prohibited when it poses a fire or life safety hazard. Thus, prohibited furniture items include, but are not limited to:

  • Furniture of flammable construction
  • High cinderblock pilings
  • Some lofts (see Restricted Items)
  • Tall objects that could interfere with sprinkler system coverage

Health and safety inspections of student rooms are conducted to ensure reasonable compliance with University Fire Safety Regulations and to evaluate the structural integrity of any non-University items. Conditions deemed unsafe by the inspector must be corrected. Unsafe conditions may result in the removal of the safety hazard and/or a fine.