Happiness is a Closet Room

I don’t care how old you are. Everyone needs a “club house,” a secret place to escape and be surrounded by the things in life that make you happy or maybe plot your secret takeover of the world.

While some could argue my entire house is that special place for me, I’ve put special energy into perfecting one room – the closet room. 

Unfortunately, my Barbie Dream home doesn’t look a whole lot like the one I saw at Costco this weekend. Along with missing the elevator and the roof top hot tub, it also lacks closet space. As a bit of a clothes fiend, this problem needed a solution and ASAP.

My closet room was formerly a little girl’s bedroom when the house belonged to the previous owners. I have kept the petal pink walls, but added my own personal touches. 

First was a place to display my party dresses. Dresses are my favorite wardrobe piece and as I previously mentioned, there is nothing I like more that getting dressed up in something colorful or sparkly for a dinner out or a party with my girlfriends. I chose hat racks from IKEA to mount on the walls to add more storage space.  This also gave me ample storage space for my hat collection.

My house, built in 1927, also had some outdated built-ins from the 1950s in this bedroom. I decoupaged old maps of Paris along the dresser drawers using a sponge brush, Modge Podge and a willingness to get my fingers all gluey. The dressers were finished off with Victorian style handles.  Color was incorporated into the room with a little paint. Pulling from the green on the Parisan maps, I added the green accent in the interior of my shoes shelves and to the closet door.

Furniture for the room was a combination of skimping and splurging. The bargain pieces in the room included the vanity and nightstand.  I switched out the handles to the same ones I used on the built-in dressers for a consistent look and feel. The daybed was my splurge… but makes me feel cozy and safe. I can see many rainy Seattle afternoons on it cuddled with the schnauzers and a good book. (Sidebar: Reading Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro right now. Highly, highly recommend.)

Mirrors and a jewelry rack based on an old dress form finished the space. OK, so maybe some of this sounds a little more appealing to me than you, but that is what personal space is for – to personalize. Whether it’s a place to tune your skis, an art studio, a den to show off your memorabilia or Superman’s Fortress of Solitude, find a place to make your own.