My friend Julia owns seventy-four dresses. For someone who buys one or two dresses a year (moi) mainly out of necessity, this is bordering on the unfathomable. Her taste runs to the fanciful and her closet is a feast for the eyes: watercolor florals, brocades, lace appliques, a virtual riot of color and so unlike the depressing gray and black monochrome of mine. A girl like that deserves a room devoted to showing off the goods. She’s taken over one of the smaller bedrooms in her historic 1776 house (notice the slope of ceiling and floor) and hired her landscape designer, Ryan Scully, whose work dwindles off-season, to fashion it into a dressing room. You’ll find no slick white cabinetry here. The two of them raced off to Rudy’s and purchased a bunch of shabby chic finds. Industrial rods are attached to an old armoire and reclaimed wood planks are fashioned into shelving, providing an inexpensive and attractive solution. While Ryan gets busy this time of year (and I have several friends that swear by him), you might be able to coerce him into a project like this. If not, head up to Rudy’s for inspiration and vintage finds, and DIY.

Ryan from Scully Design can be found here.