7 Inspiring Ways Designers Have Carved Out a Dressing Room
From dividing a room to building a mezzanine to thinking laterally about location, check out these dressing zone ideas
Do you dream of a world in which choosing clothes and applying make-up each morning is a breeze? If you have a good-sized space, consider making it work harder by slotting in a dressing room. You might be able to section off one end of a room, screen an area, make use of low eaves or even exploit a loft space.
Browse these schemes by designers on Houzz and see whether any give you ideas for your home.
Browse these schemes by designers on Houzz and see whether any give you ideas for your home.
These ‘before’ and ‘after’ plans show how Liana turned the bed, which originally had its back against the chimney breast, and pushed it against a false wall.
The wall on the bedroom side is split into two finishes, one smooth oak veneer sheeting and one fluted solid wood. Each has a slightly different finish and shade to suggest an extended headboard.
The wall on the bedroom side is split into two finishes, one smooth oak veneer sheeting and one fluted solid wood. Each has a slightly different finish and shade to suggest an extended headboard.
Behind the oak wall is this bespoke dressing area. While there’s no dressing table, the entrance to the en suite bathroom is to the right of the mirror and contains a double vanity unit with drawers and plenty of set-down space immediately ahead.
There’s no window in here, but the mirror at the end makes the most of any light coming in and helps the area to feel much more spacious than it is.
Read more about the transformation of this house.
There’s no window in here, but the mirror at the end makes the most of any light coming in and helps the area to feel much more spacious than it is.
Read more about the transformation of this house.
2. Build a half wall
This room is also large, but, with entrances on both sides plus a doorway into the en suite bathroom, there was no place for a separate dressing area. The pitched ceiling would also have complicated the building of a separate space.
This ingenious design by Sims Hilditch has created a distinct dressing area without impeding flow and while retaining an airy feel.
Building the extended bedhead from scratch also meant it was straightforward to incorporate bedside niches and wall lamp wiring for a luxurious sleeping area.
This room is also large, but, with entrances on both sides plus a doorway into the en suite bathroom, there was no place for a separate dressing area. The pitched ceiling would also have complicated the building of a separate space.
This ingenious design by Sims Hilditch has created a distinct dressing area without impeding flow and while retaining an airy feel.
Building the extended bedhead from scratch also meant it was straightforward to incorporate bedside niches and wall lamp wiring for a luxurious sleeping area.
Thanks to the designers keeping the dividing wall low, the dressing area benefits from the light flooding in through two large windows in the sleeping area.
They have included masses of cupboard space, a chest of drawers with a useful surface, an armchair and a mirror, all without blocking the route through the room. There’s also a laundry basket for tidy undressing at the end of the day.
Find reviewed architects and interior designers in your area on Houzz.
They have included masses of cupboard space, a chest of drawers with a useful surface, an armchair and a mirror, all without blocking the route through the room. There’s also a laundry basket for tidy undressing at the end of the day.
Find reviewed architects and interior designers in your area on Houzz.
3. Box off a corner
In this room, designer Maya Salfati, who the owners found on Houzz, has also stolen a chunk of floor space, but this time it’s a boxed-in corner.
Maya could have taken the wall right across the room, as there are two windows, but instead she chose to keep the bedroom as light as possible and simply make sure there was good artificial lighting in the dressing room.
In this room, designer Maya Salfati, who the owners found on Houzz, has also stolen a chunk of floor space, but this time it’s a boxed-in corner.
Maya could have taken the wall right across the room, as there are two windows, but instead she chose to keep the bedroom as light as possible and simply make sure there was good artificial lighting in the dressing room.
Stopping short of going across the whole room meant Maya could include a little dressing table/desk with a mirror above it in the corner by the window (top right on the plan).
She maximised the space in the dressing room by considering the storage first. “I measured all the Ikea furniture for inside the dressing area,” she says, “then positioned the walls so it would all fit perfectly.”
Discover how Maya balanced old and new in this sensitive renovation.
She maximised the space in the dressing room by considering the storage first. “I measured all the Ikea furniture for inside the dressing area,” she says, “then positioned the walls so it would all fit perfectly.”
Discover how Maya balanced old and new in this sensitive renovation.
4. Create a half-width partition
Here’s another way to divide a large room that lacked storage and wasn’t being maximised layout-wise. Iliada Rossi of Rossi Studio, who the owners found on Houzz, created a lovely, flowing space thanks to a floor-to-ceiling partition open at either end, which creates a journey through the dressing room from choosing clothes to applying make-up.
Here’s another way to divide a large room that lacked storage and wasn’t being maximised layout-wise. Iliada Rossi of Rossi Studio, who the owners found on Houzz, created a lovely, flowing space thanks to a floor-to-ceiling partition open at either end, which creates a journey through the dressing room from choosing clothes to applying make-up.
The half-width partition forms a comfortable and luxurious headboard for the bed, now moved to more or less the centre of the room. The wood panels down either side create smart edges that support bedside tables and also mark the open entrances to the dressing area.
Using Houzz Pro software tools, Iliada was able to show the owners all her product choices in one document and they could simply approve or reject each one, making the renovation run smoothly for everyone.
Using Houzz Pro software tools, Iliada was able to show the owners all her product choices in one document and they could simply approve or reject each one, making the renovation run smoothly for everyone.
Inside the dressing room, tailored storage takes care of all the owner’s items, while a bespoke dressing table with a soft chair is tucked under a window for great natural light.
See more of this room, as well as a second dressing room created at the foot of the bed for the other owner.
See more of this room, as well as a second dressing room created at the foot of the bed for the other owner.
5. Make use of low eaves
The top floor of this three-storey mews house had steep eaves that left the side wall almost useless. So the designers at TG-Studio set the wardrobes forwards to where the ceiling was full height, then turned them inwards, creating this cosy, 5m-long dressing room.
As well as the roomy shelving, a low cabinet forms a dressing table in front of a mirror, which also serves to visually boost the space and magnify the light from the roof window.
The top floor of this three-storey mews house had steep eaves that left the side wall almost useless. So the designers at TG-Studio set the wardrobes forwards to where the ceiling was full height, then turned them inwards, creating this cosy, 5m-long dressing room.
As well as the roomy shelving, a low cabinet forms a dressing table in front of a mirror, which also serves to visually boost the space and magnify the light from the roof window.
The second floor plan (seen at the bottom) shows the spacious dressing room, as well as an en suite bathroom.
While the dressing room stole a chunk of floor space, there’s still plenty for the sleeping area and, of course, there’s no need for wardrobes or additional storage in here, so the feeling is calm and airy.
6. Move it onto a mezzanine
If you have a loft space above your bedroom – perhaps one too small to convert easily – this could be a good way to make use of the otherwise wasted space.
Anna Ward of Furnished by Anna helped the owners of this house create a mezzanine above their bedroom, leaving the area below free for a cosy seating area in front of a fireplace and TV.
If you have a loft space above your bedroom – perhaps one too small to convert easily – this could be a good way to make use of the otherwise wasted space.
Anna Ward of Furnished by Anna helped the owners of this house create a mezzanine above their bedroom, leaving the area below free for a cosy seating area in front of a fireplace and TV.
Upstairs, there’s storage along both sides made to measure to accommodate the couple’s clothes and accessories, plus a dressing table and mirror.
Opening up the wall and fitting a glass balustrade has ensured the space is filled with natural light from the generous roof windows, while soft carpet makes padding around getting ready a pleasure.
Opening up the wall and fitting a glass balustrade has ensured the space is filled with natural light from the generous roof windows, while soft carpet makes padding around getting ready a pleasure.
7. Consider a landing
If you have a wide landing that’s not used by other residents – perhaps a suite on a top floor – could it take some built-in storage?
The bespoke cabinetry in this scheme by Christine May Interior Design holds masses of clothes and accessories. In this case, there’s a further area at the end of the corridor (just seen) containing a dressing table, but a section of the drawer unit on the right could have been sacrificed to create a dressing table area if this were the only space available.
If you do create a dressing area on a landing, choose mostly closed storage to protect against dust and any cooking smells from below.
Find reviewed carpenters and joiners in your area on Houzz.
Tell us…
Could any of these ideas work for you? Or have you already created a dressing area? Share your thoughts and photos in the Comments.
If you have a wide landing that’s not used by other residents – perhaps a suite on a top floor – could it take some built-in storage?
The bespoke cabinetry in this scheme by Christine May Interior Design holds masses of clothes and accessories. In this case, there’s a further area at the end of the corridor (just seen) containing a dressing table, but a section of the drawer unit on the right could have been sacrificed to create a dressing table area if this were the only space available.
If you do create a dressing area on a landing, choose mostly closed storage to protect against dust and any cooking smells from below.
Find reviewed carpenters and joiners in your area on Houzz.
Tell us…
Could any of these ideas work for you? Or have you already created a dressing area? Share your thoughts and photos in the Comments.
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The couple who live in this Edwardian semi had a large bedroom that was underused and neglected.
Designer Liana Mkrtchyan of LMK Studio saw an opportunity to improve the layout by turning the bed 90 degrees, allowing a view through the large window and creating space to section off a dressing area behind.