7 Small Dressing Room Ideas Every Stylish UK Home Owner Will Love
Diane Cossie
Dressing rooms are the new must-have accessory in our homes but with UK homes being so small, what we really love are small dressing room ideas that work in an average sized UK home. The IKEA PAX Wardrobe system is a best seller as we say goodbye to traditional wardrobes and hello to new chic dressing room style wardrobe systems instead.
Social media platforms like Instagram and Pinterest have allowed us to look behind the scenes and “through the keyhole” of celebrity lives and homes in ways we’ve never had access to before.
We’ve seen how celebrity wardrobes seem to have several things in common that makes dressing stylishly every day, whatever the occasion so ridiculously easy when you have an organised wardrobe space.
This is Miranda Kerr’s wardrobe space filled for VOGUE (obviously her celebrity budget, wardrobe size and overall investment is not one many of us can match) but the principle of an organised wardrobe space is one we can all get a feel for, even if it’s on a smaller UK home sized space.
Aim to start the day with a well organised wardrobe space
Wardrobes are often packed to the brim, overflowing with clothes we never wear and packed with shoe boxes and storage containers containing our out of season clothes. Stumbling out of bed every morning and facing the “what shall I wear today” question can be very stressful.
Especially if your wardrobe space is crammed with every colour, season, style, length and accessory all squashed up on one double wardrobe sized rail and over rail shelf.
Whoever designed wardrobes to be one rail, one shelf and two doors was probably not a woman. 
Now most of us would admit to having clothes in our wardrobes that we have bought and never worn, (guilty!) and some of us do hang on to our favourite outfits from 10 years ago in the hope that we will once again wear that outfit & feel 10 years younger again!
For others the problem may well be that they honestly have no idea what they have hidden at the back of their wardrobes.
Most of us given the choice tend to wear the same things over and over again, dressing for comfort rather than style.
Whatever you particular storage space allows will naturally dictate how you can organise your clothes. But in today’s homes a dressing room is fast becoming one of the most wanted master bedroom “must have” accessories and can add value to your home if it is well planned and well fitted out.
Rethink your wardrobe space inside and out
There are hundreds of ideas about what a capsule wardrobe should have, most of which are classic tailored pieces teamed with great accessories to suit your style, shape and colouring. For an idea on what would make the Harpers Bazaar shortlist for their 11 Chic Wardrobe Staples check out their article by clicking here.
If you are a bit of a clothes hoarder you need to take some time to streamline your wardrobe.
The look you are ideally going for is a top end boutique style space with nothing other than beautifully stylish separates, coats, jackets and dresses that will have you stepping out in style whatever the occasion without having one of those dreaded “what shall I wear?” moments.
When you start your day with a clean, uncluttered and well organised wardrobe space, you can expect to have a great day from the moment you step out of your front door.
Add good lighting and set the right mood for you dressing area
Great ambient lighting creates a dressing room with an atmosphere where you will want to spend more time. Lighting that surrounds a mirror often creates a very flattering light and of course you will want to see your whole outfit from top to toe so a full length mirror is a must-have.
Add multiple height rails and plenty of drawer space
Tailor your rails to match your needs in terms of whether you tend to wear more separates (jeans, jumpers, trousers, tops, jackets or skirts etc or longer length dresses and coats etc) and make sure you plan your rails and shelving accordingly.
In an ideal small dressing area you will want a mix of short rails, full height rails, shelving and drawers of various depths to store smaller items and accessories.
Very like a tall pull out larder unit works well in the kitchen, so does a pull out shoe rack in a small dressing room.
Ambient lighting and a neutral flooring gives this small dressing area a feeling of light and space.
Add mirrors and elegant accessories to copy this look
Mirrors double the space and light of any room so if you have a small recess as your dressing table you can create an elegant look like the one above.
A clear glass dressing table top allows the eye to see straight through to the floor and creates the illusion of more height.
For a feminine elegant touch to your dressing room add pretty table lamps and white or crystal accessories.
Make use of wasted corner space with angled rails
Even if you have a small dressing area you can make the most of your space by using any corner areas available for additional shelving. IKEA have some amazing wardrobe interior fitments for adding drawers, shelving and rails exactly where you need them the most.
For a fully co-ordinated look to your small dressing area make sure you have matching hangers.
For added detailing in your small dressing area make a hanging rail for your favourite bags to make choosing the perfect accessory for your outfit easy and quick to do.
If you don’t have the space for a full height mirror, hang a 3/4 height mirror on the wall to make sure your outfit looks great from top to toe.
Arrange your wardrobe by colour and accessories to make stylish dressing easy
When it comes to being the owner of s stylish dressing room it’s a case of less is more. Especially if you don’t have the luxury of a walk-in wardrobe the size of the Kardashians.
Stylish dressing comes down to selecting key pieces that work together to make lots of different outfits for any occasion and that doesn’t require a dressing room the size of a football stadium!
Make sure every item is something you LOVE to wear, looks FLATTERING and is age appropriate and you can’t really go wrong.
- Dressing rooms in the UK are becoming increasingly popular as a must-have addition to the master bedroom.
- Starting your day with a well organised wardrobe makes stylish dressing for whatever the occasion simple & easy to do.
- Plan every inch of the space available with a variety of rail heights, shelves and drawers.
- Make outfits easy to assemble by matching accessories to separates so you can grab and go.
