How Do I Design a Dressing Room?
Successful dressing room design makes the area both functional and comfortable for the performers who may be using it. A well-designed dressing room takes care of the performers' needs as well as promoting positive morale. Design the room taking into account budget, aesthetics, safety and functionality.
Floorplan
Plot your room's dimensions with computer software or draw it to scale using graph paper. Add in scaled versions of the necessary furniture, such as dressing tables, wardrobe cabinets, chairs and accessory shelves. Move items around to maximize the room's openness while giving all its inhabitants enough dressing table and hanging space. Account for the size of the costumes and accessories, such as wigs.
Fundamentals
Cover the windows in a dressing room for privacy. Plot the room so that the dressing tables rest against a wide wall and cover the wall above the tables with mirrors. Place at least one full-length mirror in the room, even if on a door or on the wardrobe, for last-minute costume checks.
Design the room to have as many electrical outlets as possible near the dressing table for performers to plug in curling irons, hot rollers and other electrical items. Light the room thoroughly using overhead lights as well as placing lights around the mirrors and in wardrobe cabinets. Ask your theater's lighting designer or technician to help place lights in the dressing room that will simulate stage lighting. Wire the room to accommodate the heavy electrical load.
Extras
A concrete floor is easy to clean and lint-free, but for aesthetics, you may want to consider hardwood, laminate or ceramic tile instead. Cover the walls in neutral paint or wallpaper, free of bright colors or loud patterns that compete with skin tone when reflected in the mirrors. Choose ergonomic chairs for the performers' comfort when they apply their makeup.
Add pillows and cushions to benches. Cover the cushions with removable slipcovers for easy laundering. Add comforts, such as a water cooler, tissue box holders, lockers and extra hooks as space and budget permit.
