Do You Have An Extra Room?

Here in New Orleans, where many of us live in homes that are one hundred years (plus) old, there is one thing missing. Closets!!!! Back in the day a closet was taxed as an extra room, so many homes simply did not have them. Armoires and linen presses and cupboards ruled the day.

Turn a spare room into a closet and dressing room

When we moved in to our house seven years ago, one of the first "improvements" we made was to turn an extra bedroom right next to what we chose as the master bedroom, into a closet/dressing room.

My closet carved out of an extra bedroom - photo by Sara Essex Bradley

It was nothing fancy. Alberto (with the help of our friend Jessica) installed wire shelves from Lowes or Home Depot. I added a vanity and organized our clothes. I also hung a chandelier. It is not fancy, it is functional.

This is how it really looks! Not very photo worthy ha ha

This is another side of our shotgun house, so a second stairway is in this room that goes up to the camelback. You can see our bedroom through the door. At the other end of the closet is our bathroom, so the three small rooms make a nice "suite". I hung my collection of "Lady Saints" portraits in this room.

These photos in my dressing room are of my mother who was also a dancer - I have a few racks of dance shoes

Fugly but functional - The room is large enough for an old TV armoire that Alberto fitted with shelves - It makes a great linen press now - There also room for a piece of exercise equipment

Tricked out for a photo shoot ha ha

The first photo shoot many years ago

Yet when most people see it they love it. I think not so much for the decor (which is clearly not there), but for the luxury of having a room dedicated to a closet and dressing room. It is not that much of a luxury considering it is really the only closet we have.

This is not my closet ha ha, though I have the same elements

Another pretty room turned into a closet

Simple and effective and very pretty

A hanging rack and a mirror can turn a room into a closet

So if you have the space, why not make yourself a dressing room and closet. You can use rolling racks, or any closet system that hangs on a wall. Add a vanity and some cute seating, a mirror, and a pretty light fixture, and there you have it!

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