When my oldest son moved out, with some re-gigging of rooms, a spare room became my dream dressing room - it’s been a long time coming. Editor Trudi Brewer finally gets a space of her own in her all-male-home.
The finished result of my dressing room
I love painting. I also love DIY design, and this dressing room was my greatest project, in a small but perfectly formed room that needed some DIY love. Originally my youngest son’s room for many years, the walls had the marks of rough and tumble games, indoor basketball sessions, and sticky posters and pin marks littered the walls. Honestly, I don’t know how my son managed to keep it in any order. It was not until he moved into his big brother’s room I realised how tiny it was. But first, I needed inspiration for the look and feel; a mood board was required.
My mood board inspiration, with Resene paint in Corn Field and Resene Floral Wallpaper from the Effinger Masterpiece collection.
My mood board
Moving away from Resene's half-black white on the walls, the perfect backdrop for a boy’s room, I knew I wanted to add some feminine colour. After perusing the Resene fan chart for hours, sunny yellow was calling me, so I settled on a pale lemon Resene Corn Field. I also wanted to add some floral texture, but this room was too small for a feature wall. Next, it was time to think about the furniture and softness. I had a free-standing wardrobe in our main bedroom, built by my builder hubby; it was natural-looking vintage wood, which suited our main bedroom - but not my dressing room. Every woman needs a full-length mirror, so with his expert touch, mirrored doors were adorned with gold leaf, and the sides of the wardrobe were given a new lease on life with Resene floral wallpaper from the Effinger Masterpiece book. Apart from a rug to flatter the golden Tawa floorboards, I was almost there. The finishing touch was softness. White linen curtains gave me privacy and added to the ambience of the most feminine space in our home.
Layout & Furniture
Finally, a vintage touch, a dressing table with drawers to keep my smalls and jewels. I found a ’60s dressing table on Trademe, which works with the vibe in our home; it also doubles as a space for my fragrance collection. Two vintage cane chairs (from another room) work as a place to sit, contemplate, and throw clothes on that day when I am in a hurry to decide what to wear. Luck would have it, and I found the perfect pastel blue and yellow wool rug online from Rug House. Now my clothes and shoes have a forever home - the only thing left was to add the finishing touches like a lamp, cushions and flowers.
I love my new dressing room, it’s the forever home for my shoe and handbag collection.
Take home
Yes, this was a DIY project. But for me, it was a labour of love. Life changes when your teenage kids start to leave the nest. Apart from having more time on my hands and the space to reinvent a family home we have lived in for over 20 years, this project was all about me. I love fashion and beauty, but until now, it has been littered all over the house (our late 50’s home is sadly lacking storage), which is why my wardrobe has been in various cupboards and suitcases. Three coats of paint, some serious DIY to repair windows that had not been painted for a decade, with those pretty finishing touches, and my dressing room is my sanctuary. This room is also filled with memories. Once upon a time, it was a new baby’s room in red, blue and white, then the bolt hole for a growing teen in moody shades of grey, and now a girly space, a pastel oasis, where I can sit and dream about my next fashion purchase. If you don’t have a dressing room but have the space, I highly recommend creating a room that is yours and yours alone.
How to embrace these tones in your home.