How to Decorate a Dressing Room

Co-authored by Karen Parziale and Janice Tieperman

Last Updated: September 24, 2021 References

When you’re getting ready at home, a dressing room is a space where you can really kick back, relax, and focus on yourself. There are tons of ways you can personalize this space to really match your personal tastes and aesthetic. Take a peek through this list for a few ideas to help you get started!

Method 1

Method 1 of 13:
Choose a specific color scheme so the space is cohesive.

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Repaint your dressing room or choose wallpaper in your favorite colors. You can go with neutral furniture and paint colors, or pick bold colors. Let your clothes, shoes, and accessories add lots of color and brightness to your room, for instance. Or, paint 1 of your walls a bright, eye-catching color that complements the base color in your space.^{[1]
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- For example, you might paint the majority of your dressing room lavender, and paint 1 of the walls fuchsia as an accent color.
- If your dressing room is pretty small, apply a light, neutral-colored paint to make it feel a little bigger.^{[2]
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  Expert Source
  
  Karen Parziale
  Home Stager & Interior Designer
  Expert Interview. 21 April 2020.}
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Method 2

Method 2 of 13:
Use multifunctional furniture to make the most of the space.

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Maximize a small dressing room with creative furniture. Pick out a mirror with built-in drawers, or double an ottoman as both a storage unit and a comfy chair. This will keep your space both organized and functional.^{[3]
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- For instance, you can lay out your space with a multifunctional mirror along 1 wall and a storage ottoman in the center of the room.
- Always buy high-quality furniture for your space! Cheap furniture may seem nice at the time, but it'll fall apart quickly.^{[4]
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  Expert Source
  
  Karen Parziale
  Home Stager & Interior Designer
  Expert Interview. 21 April 2020.}

Method 3

Method 3 of 13:
Make cushioned furniture the focal point.

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Arrange your furniture before you add accessories. Ottomans, chaise lounges, tables, and islands are all great options to add both function and style to your room. Split up your space by putting your table, ottoman, or chair in the center of your room. You can use your cushioned furniture as a basic accent, or as an extra seating option—the choice is yours!^{[5]
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- If you don’t have as much space to work with, an ottoman or cushioned chair might be a good option for you.
- If your space is a little bigger, a cushioned island or chaise lounge might be a better fit.
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Method 4

Method 4 of 13:
Lighten up your dressing room with mirrors.

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Mirrors are an essential part of your dressing room, whether they’re big or small. Large mirrors, like a vanity or wall mirror, add a lot of reflective light to your space and are helpful as you get dressed and ready.^{[6]
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Expert Source

Karen Parziale
Home Stager & Interior Designer
Expert Interview. 21 April 2020.} Wall-mounted mirrors are another nice touch—plus, you get a bit more flexibility on where you hang them up.^{[7]
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- For instance, you might hang up a rectangular mirror as a wall accent.
- You could put a small, circular mirror on your dressing room table.
- Mirrors also help your room look bigger!

Method 5

Method 5 of 13:
Hang up a wall covering to add pizazz.

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Display a covering over a large stretch of your dressing room wall. Pick out a color or texture that meshes well with your living space. You might keep things calm with a neutral-toned covering, or create a bolder look with bright colors.^{[8]
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- If you’d prefer a calm, relaxed dressing room, you might like a dusty blue grasscloth covering—this adds a stylish, metallic edge to your space without being too overwhelming.
- Hang up a patterned wall covering over your dressing room doors for a cool, mural-like effect.
- If you aren’t a fan of wall coverings, you can always repaint your furniture so it matches with the color scheme in your space.
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Method 6

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Add bold decor and lighting.

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Intricate chandeliers and statement pieces are great additions. Hang up a chandelier or other dramatic light fixture from the ceiling of your dressing room to create a fun, eclectic look. A unique piece of wall decor can also give your dressing room a lot of personality.^{[9]
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- For example, you might hang up an abstract light fixture in front of your vanity.
- You could hang up a decorative animal skull as a bold, original touch.

Method 7

Method 7 of 13:
Brighten up the room with table lamps.

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Arrange table lamps on your vanity or other furniture. Pick out 1 distinct lamp as a unique accent, or choose 2 lamps for a more uniform effect. You can also play around with different desk lamps to give your vanity more focused lighting.^{[10]
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- You could put 2 lamps on your vanity, or decorate the surface with a lamp and a plant.
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Method 8

Method 8 of 13:
Repurpose clothing as decor.

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Arrange a portable clothing rack in your dressing room. Hang up identical hangers for a uniform look, and display your favorite, most-used garments on the rack. If you’d like to go the extra mile, hang up clothes that match your dressing room’s color scheme.^{[11]
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- For example, if your dressing room has pink walls, you might hang up white-, cream-, and pink-colored garments.

Method 9

Method 9 of 13:
Organize accessories on a pegboard.

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Pegboards help transform your walls into decorative storage space. Sort your favorite accessories by type, so you can access them easily. Hang up your accessories with special pegs and hooks, so you can grab whatever you need at a moment’s notice.^{[12]
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- You could organize your scarves, belts, and dangling jewelry on a pegboard.
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Method 10

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Display your favorite handbags.

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Use your shelves and other space to show off your favorite accessories. You might arrange your bags by color, or simply put your favorite ones on full display.^{[13]
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- Rows of shelves are a great way to show off lots of handbags at once.

Method 11

Method 11 of 13:
Add a few throw pillows and blankets.

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Throw blankets and pillows add a cozy touch to your dressing room. Toss them on any nearby furniture, like a chair or chaise lounge.^{[14]
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- For instance, you might drape a blanket over the back of a chaise, or you could toss it over the back of a chair.
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Method 12

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Freshen up the space with flowers or a houseplant.

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Houseplants add a personal touch without going too over-the-top. Pick out a real houseplant or bouquet of flowers if you don’t mind tending to it once in a while, or display fake flowers and plants as a low-maintenance decor option.^{[15]
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Expert Source

Karen Parziale
Home Stager & Interior Designer
Expert Interview. 21 April 2020.}
- Jade plants, yucca, spider plants, peace lilies, and aloes are all very easy to take care of.^{[17]
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- Peonies are beautiful flowers that last a long time in a vase.^{[18]
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Method 13

Method 13 of 13:
Create a mural of sentimental photos.

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Pick out some of your favorite photos to add a homey touch. Arrange them in identical frames, and then hang them up on an open wall in your dressing room. Display them in rows, or arrange them in an abstract collage for a more free-form effect.^{[19]
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- Hang up black-and-white pictures for a cool, vintage effect.
- If you don’t have a lot of wall space, frame your favorite photo and place it an open surface, like your vanity.^{[20]
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Community Q&A

Question

How do I organize my room with too much stuff?

Karen Parziale
Home Stager & Interior Designer
Karen Parziale is a Home Stager, Home Organizer, and the Founder of The Real Estate Staging Studio based in Hoboken, New Jersey. Karen has over 15 years of home staging and decorating experience and has staged over 5,000 homes. She specializes in project management, space planning, material selections and builder/architect/client relationships

Karen Parziale

Home Stager & Interior Designer

Expert Answer

Try using cube shelves! Organize each cube by category, so you don't have a hard time finding your things later on.