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Original poster

Dressing Room

29 replies

Belindabelle · 04/02/2021 15:47

I am turning the smallest bedroom into a dressing room and would love some ideas from you all.

The house is Victorian but this particular room is small with coombed ceilings. My bedroom has just been done up and I have deliberately removed all clothes storage to create more space and to accommodate a seating area so all clothes will be in here.

I don’t want a fully fitted Hammonds/Sharps look. Firstly there is the cost and secondly we will move someday and it may be useful to show the room as a bedroom again. It does fit a double bed and two bedside tables with room for a chest of drawers at the bottom of the bed.

I thought I wanted to use IKEA Pax, possibly without doors to give a walk in closet feel. However when I went to see them last summer I was underwhelmed with the quality so have gone off that idea.

Not sure whether to buy traditional wardrobes and drawers or go for a more fitted look. Maybe a mixture of both. Of course still being in lockdown complicates matters slightly but I want to make a start.

If you have a dressing room what kind of storage do you have. Anything you regret doing or not doing. If you don’t have a dressing room what sort of room would you like?

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Thread gallery
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MavisMonkey · 04/02/2021 17:57

I don't have a dressing room as such but I have a large loft extension bedroom and four years ago I had some wardrobes built in to create a dressing area. I used IKEA wardrobes but paid a carpenter to fit them and frame them in. I also had them clad with tongue and groove as they make a wall to the rest of my room.
I used Pax wardrobes and they are left open without doors, as they face away from the room. It worked out a lot cheaper than a sharps type solution but still let us have something that looks custom built so you could consider something like this-
Just adding a cornice and a skirting board will make a big difference. Look on Pinterest for some ideas- I've attached a pic showing Pax with a cornice and skirting.

Dressing Room
Dressing Room
Cornishcrops · 04/02/2021 18:13

Our master bedroom is L shaped. As you come into our room, the first part is the walk through dressing area. We have the tall 3 door atlas wardrobe from argos for the majority of our clothes. On the side wall next to the door, we have a long wall mounted clothes rail for all our coats and jackets and a tall shoe rack. A chest of drawers is opposite the wardrobe. It is separated from the other area with voile curtains tied back. My dressing table is just the other side of the voiles and then our sleeping area.
We did have open clothes rails instead of the wardrobe initially but the clothes gathered dust on the shoulders so we changed to the wardrobe.

HasaDigaEebowai · 04/02/2021 19:46

I used IKEA kitchen units

Original poster
Belindabelle · 04/02/2021 21:56

Oh kitchen units! I must investigate further.

I did wonder about dust on clothes without doors. My house is rather dusty.

I suppose IKEA does offer flexibility without the ridiculous cost of fully fitted.

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GrumpyHoonMain · 04/02/2021 22:00

I used ikea pax with gauzy curtains. All nice clothes were in garment bags.

gratitutesmynewgratitute · 04/02/2021 23:19

I have open wardrobes and they are very dusty, even the hangers look dusty on things worn regularly, but the space is tight for fronts to be added. Might rip out and get pax but in both rooms they are very close to a window.

I've had a gloss white 3 panel pax in the past in a single box room which was just this wardrobe and a mirror, chair It looked good, attached screen shot of similar, although I had dark wood sides.

Dressing Room
TerribleCustomerCervix · 05/02/2021 02:54

We have a small dressing room off our bedroom with built in cube units (like the ikea Kallax) on one side for folded items/ shoes/ handbags, open rails for coats, blouses and suits, and a dressing table on the wall between them. It was put in by the previous owner and it’s not fancy, but it works!

We’ve never had a problem with dust on clothes due to the open rails, and it definitely encourages you to keep things organised.

The pics a pp shared up thread of the professionally fitted Pax are brilliant. The cornicing etc really brings it up a notch.

I’m looking for a decent chest of drawers at the moment and feel your pain- it feels like there’s a choice between cheapy ikea stuff or £££ sliderobes/ Ercol ranges and a gulf in between!

MavisMonkey · 05/02/2021 11:35

We have never had an issue with dust but we did actually have an issue with sunlight fading the shoulder of clothes that didn't get worn that often so you might need to consider that re open wardrobes.
I think it may have been exacerbated by the fact that it's a loft dormer window which gets light all day long but one to think about. It was easily fixed for us by just keeping the dormer blinds closed a few inches.

givememarmite · 05/02/2021 11:42

We have a wall of Pax, 3 doubles with black doors, the two doors in the middle have smoked glass panes (we have nicer clothes/suits hanging here and a pull out accessories drawer and shoe storage (for the shoes that don't get worn often!). As we rent we couldn't get them built in although I love this look. So we went for the highest size and luckily the three wardrobes across pretty much fill the length of the wall. We then have a dressing table and armchair in there as well.
I'd really recommend the Pax they're so versatile and you can get some great add ons.

Linguaphile · 05/02/2021 11:48

Another vote to get pax but pay a carpenter to fit them and build around so that they look built-in. They can make it look really high end. I’ve been in very, very expensive homes that have carpenter-fitted pax walk-in wardrobes.

titchy · 05/02/2021 11:59

We're planning on these:

https://www.slidewardrobesdirect.co.uk/interiors/relax-storage-systems

minipie · 05/02/2021 13:55

I have Pax carcasses and innards, with bespoke doors and filler strips done by a joiner to make them look built in. Considerably cheaper than fully bespoke, and with the doors shut you can’t tell.

There are lots of houses round here with a moth problem (we had a problem before we did a full back to brick refurb) so doors were crucial for us!

trickyex · 05/02/2021 20:18

IKEA Pax here too. Had them for years and moved them into another room. Good quality, good options for interior fittings etc.

121hugsneeded · 06/02/2021 09:54

I like the idea of some built in and some open rails ( like the influencers all have) and definitely want a shoe and handbag shelving wall. So I can pair up shoes, boots and bags by colour. ( I have way too many of these) Your thread has actually got me wanting to do the same! We have a room that I can use too.... if I can get DH on board to help me plan it.

Duvetdweller · 06/02/2021 10:00

I just got a joiner in - we close the door of ours in our bedroom so it’s substance over style. There are hooks, drawers, shelves, hanging space wherever he could get anything in. I also have a lit mirror with a dressing table in there with space for hair dryer etc. Hooks are brilliant for lots of things, jewellery, bags, belts, scarves etc. I think our joiner did a lot of ours from kitchen carcasses, they’re all white so it didn’t really matter. I love having a bedroom with just a bed, a chair, and 2 bedside tables in it.

Original poster
Belindabelle · 06/02/2021 17:08

Thank you everyone. I think I will have to reconsider the pax as they seem so popular.

@121hugsneeded vaguely mention it to your DH and then make out that it was his idea all along. That strategy usually gets me what I want in the end.

I have spent today totally clearing the room and looking at paint charts. We have the flooring ready to go down.

By the time the wardrobes, shelves etc are in it’s really going to be little more that a big walk in cupboard. I may just about have room for a table/drawers in the middle to fold clothes on. There is a small dormer window to place a chair and a cheval mirror.

I would like some shelves to display ‘nice’ shoes and handbags too. I don’t think I am going to have a dressing table in there. I have a lovely set of drawers in the bedroom that matches my bed and side tables so I want to keep it. I have been using that to store all my makeup and hairdryers etc and it works well.

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121hugsneeded · 06/02/2021 17:25

@Belindabelle I'm waiting for the rugby to end ( hopefully well) before I mention it. Have found a designer on Houzz who can maybe help if he won't help me work out the bits . And I've created a Pinterest board! Your room sounds perfect!

Mumblechum0 · 06/02/2021 18:53

I have a dressing room which has pax along one wall, with mirrored hinges doors which I painted navy. I did it all myself and am v happy with the result.

Original poster
Belindabelle · 06/02/2021 19:01

@Mumblechum0 Painted Pax!

Navy? Hague Blue is one of my colours.

What kind of paint
What is the finish like
How did you cover the holes

Any chance of a photo?

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Mumblechum0 · 06/02/2021 19:12

@Belindabelle

Dressing Room
Dressing Room
Dressing Room
Mumblechum0 · 06/02/2021 19:15

@Belindabelle

Dressing Room
Dressing Room
Dressing Room
trickyex · 06/02/2021 19:31

I love your space Mumble, which doors did you use for the mirrored ones?
Have you got a chaise longue in there too and did I spot a screen?

Mumblechum0 · 06/02/2021 19:37

@trickyex thanks! Can’t remember what the doors were called but I only did it in Dec 2019:so they should still be in stock.

Yes, I bought an old wooden screen off eBay and papered it with a Laura Ashley paper. The seat is just a velvet ottoman which lifts up and I hide the ironing in there

trickyex · 06/02/2021 20:27

@Mumble it looks lush. I have a dressing room but its a mess. Am inspired to get it looking good after this thread....

Original poster
Belindabelle · 06/02/2021 21:13

Very talented @Mumblechum0.

I just showed your pics to DH and he was all nonchalant, sure you can paint Pax, but I think we have him worried.

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