Dressing Up the Dressing Room...

**Update: Want to see the final dressing room pics and where all my inspiration took me? Click here! **

We have a 3 bedroom home and as we’ve no little’uns, only fur babies, the second (larger) bedroom will play two roles… office and guestroom. Originally we considered using the second bedroom solely as a guest room and the box room solely as an office but I hate the idea of having a good sized room not actually being used on a regular basis. And so I took my flag and stuck it in the carpet of the box room and told W that I was claiming this wee room for my own.*

The room as it looked the day after moving day. Doesn’t exactly inspire does it?

Now, for the last 4 years, I have stuffed my clothes into a single wardrobe. Which meant storing lots of clothing, jackets and off season gear in clear plastic containers and black bin bags and stuffing them under my bed (and subsequently forgetting I have them). I have a lot of clothing. In fact, that sentence bears repeating. I have A LOT of clothing. And a single wardrobe just doesn’t really cut it when you are a clothes horse. And shhhhhh…. let us not even speak of shoes….

So the dreams of converting this little room to a dressing room began.

Now, you can find inspiration all over the big beautiful web for dressing rooms – especially if you’ve got loads of space and loads of money. Do a quick google search and you’ll see custom built walk-in closets, grand chandeliers, bespoke shelving systems and sexy chaise lounges flanking grand standing mirrors. There is simply no end to just how decadent this complete indulgence could be.

Image courtesy of Paul Schulman Designs

Myley Cyrus’ dressing room.

Ok, get rid of the roller skates and I would totally ignore this is meant for a teenager.

Image courtesy of ohdeedoh.

This image, however, was the start of all my fantasies… Domino Magazine shot the dressing room of Jenna Lyonns, Creative Director of J Crew.

Image from Domino courtesy of The Well Appointed House

The clothes become the decor, hanging from a massive clothing rail and draped casually over a gorgeous settee. The stripey rug cuts a wonderful contrast to the dark flooring and play off the pattern and colour of the clothes and shoes. The fantastic windows, the gorgeous fire place, those antlers!! I could go on and on…

Alas… this is not my room. For me, we’re talking teeny room and teenier budget.

What the room looks like today. Sadly, it STILL doesn’t inspire…

Domino, I am certain, is turning in it’s fabulously stylish grave.

So how do I make the littlest room in the house (save the bathroom) big on impact? Ok, it’s not a big room. At 7ft x 9ft, it’s little more than an oversized closet but there’s definitely scope for a few things. I am realistic, however, and know I can’t go overboard either on budget or design. So while there are compromises that one must always make with these kinds of constraints, I do want to make the space work for me and still look beautiful with as little money spent as possible. And isn’t that what all of us are trying to do?

Happily, I already have this clothing rail which, at 6′ long, is plenty of space for at the very least, this season’s clothes.

Not incredibly sexy, but definitely functional.
Image courtesy of Amazon.co.uk

I fell in love with this wallpaper and I am quite certain it will make an appearance in my dressing room.

The question is where….? One option is to hang it just above the picture rail around the whole perimeter of the room and either leave the walls white or paint them the lovely blue of the birds in the pattern. Another option is to hang it on one feature wall only but which wall?

Sanderson Finches in Yellow. Images courtesy of Tangletree Interiors

A little overboard on the matchy-matchy here but it gives a better view of the scale of the pattern.

I plan on purchasing two Ikea Billy bookcases, flanking each side of the window and dress them up by lining them with another wallpaper (Probably in a different but complimentary pattern, but no decisions have been made there yet) where I will place shoes, bags and the overflow from the chest of drawers.

Ikea’s classic Billy Bookcase.
Image courtesy of Apartment Therapy

I am also considering ripping out the existing carpet and crossing my fingers that there are floorboards beneath so I can paint the floorboards white…

And possibly including a graphic black and white rug…

Ever notice how so many of those gorgeous Domino rooms had fabulously graphic patterned rugs?
Image courtesy of Abbey Carpets – only £34, bargain!

As much as I would love a grand chandelier, for such a small room, I’m considering keeping this little lovely right where it is as it does save me cash and makes lovely shadows across the ceiling when the light is on…

Amazingly, the light fixture is a dead ringer for one of the inspiration rooms I had in my folder…

Jonathan Adler Dressing Room courtesy of Apartment Therapy

What about the window dressing? Simple white wood blind? Roman blind? Should I go with a colour or pattern or simply plain? Decisions decisions…

Dunelm Mill White Roman Blind

I may paint the white chest of drawers turquoise and move it underneath the window… I may even treat myself to a dressing table and tufted stool (thrifted/ebay of course).