Home: From Spare Room to Walk in Closet

I’ve mentioned my trips to Ikea a few times now, as well as my new found love of putting up shelves and the quest to house my shoes in a space-efficient way. In short, I have been turning the spare bedroom into a dressing room. The bedroom in my last house was large and had a wall of built in wardrobes. I also had a purpose built shoe cupboard and a lot of shelf space. I absolutely love my new house but my bedroom, (which I also love), is quite small and can only fit one bedside table and a single wardrobe along with my bed. Both children have a desk in their bedroom and I work at the dining table in my light, sunny kitchen so I decided that the room I had originally planned as a study for the three of us would see far more use as a dressing room or walk-in closet. 

Woohoo!

The room is long and narrow, 13 feet long by 5 feet wide with plain white painted walls.  

Along one of the long walls, I put two clothes rails and hung a floating shelf above.

I love the pattern the light makes.

My Jimmy Choos are still my favourite shoes. I’ve had them for more than six years and love them as much now as when I first bought them. They catch the light beautifully and by having them out on the shelf, I see them everyday. I wear them frequently in the summer months and they’re just beginning to show signs of wear. I don’t believe in keeping shoes (or jewellery for that matter) in a box for “best”.

…and a wine rack for my scarves.

I wore this dress when I was a bridesmaid at my brother and sister-in-law’s wedding almost three years ago. It was, without question, the most stylish and wonderful wedding I’ve ever been to. I also wore this dress on a recent photoshoot.

The window is on one short wall and opposite that, on the other short wall are two chests of drawers on which I keep my necklace stands and other accessories.

I’m thrilled with this room. I just need one more extra shelf for the bookcase, (and, therefore four more pairs of shoes to go on it), and a few more storage boxes for fascinators, holiday clothes and other “occasional” items that are currently homeless.

It was done on a budget of less than £150 and my 14 year old daughter and I lifted, moved, self-assembled and drilled everything ourselves and loved every moment doing so. She’s now a true believer in girl power and although we have lots of lovely men in our lives, all of whom would have helped in a heartbeat, we’re proud of what we’ve achieved on our own. Over the last few months, I’ve seen her confidence grow and have noticed her increasing “can-do” attitude, in all aspects of her life. She knows her allen keys from her rawl plugs and is now talking about knocking through the wall from her bedroom into my dressing room. 

That’s one step too far.

Love Liz x

Shoe Storage: Billy Bookcase with extra shelves, Ikea

Lack Floating Shelf, Ikea

Ribba Picture Ledges (small), Ikea

Rigga Clothing Rails, Ikea

*”Always Wear Your Invisible Crown” and “Shine Bright Like a Diamond” postcards, Piano series, Hammond and Gower.

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