Dressing Room for a Carrie Bradshaw-Wannabe

I like my money where I can see it... hanging in my closet!" - Carrie Bradshaw, SATC

After living in this giant apartment (in a tiny town that's at least 20 minutes away from anything interesting I ever want to do) for almost two years, I was starting to run out of space for all of my shoes and clothes! This space (pictured above) was my office space before I rearranged my living room, but I relocated my desk and wanted to find a way to utilize the little nook into something that was fun and functional.

I'd like to be able say that I did all of this myself, but I drew out the concept (I have a pile of sketches that are all different variations on the same idea (clearest one pictured here), started rearranging furniture, and started hanging some pieces... and then I put a big grape-sized hole in the middle of the wall (hey landlord- if you're reading this, my apologies! I've already scheduled a spackle-and-sand guy to fix it). At this point, I called for reinforcements and a very kind gentleman with superior DIY skills came by to help me out. He was able to finish the job and didn't complain once- even though we both knew I might be moving in the near(ish) future. I added the ottoman to hold some jeans and flats and instead of hanging the mirror, rested it on a table that had nowhere else to go (less holes to put in the wall and now I can store stuff on or underneath the little table if I need to).

The space is fun and looks nice (it's color coordinated and has different levels and textures), but it's also totally functional and I've really enjoyed being able to try on different outfits and having my work clothes hanging and ready so I don't need to scramble in the mornings.

My top three takeaways/tips:

1. Don't be afraid to ask for help; you can't be the best at everything and it's OK to ask for assistance from people whose strengths are different than yours

2. There actually is such a thing as having too many shoes! Get rid of ones that don't fit just right, are uncomfortable to wear, or you've never worn/will never wear again.

3. Play with levels and textures when you're designing! The carpet, ottoman, and lounge chair are all in the same color family and feature greys and silvers but are made with different materials and add layers to the overall look of the space. I also tried to play with highs and lows to make the area more dynamic; the curtain rods and pictures are hung at different heights so the space doesn't seem to flat/boring.