Photography: Nicole Mason

Portland, Oregon interior designer Casey Keasler is known for creating eye-catching, eclectic interiors. An aesthetic that, in the designer's own words, is fueled by "combining (things) that have layers of past and present, unexpected elements not from one particular style or era and are often counter-intuitive but have a familiarity that is real."

It is this attraction to "realness" that resonates with us most. So when Casey reached out to share the renovations she is making (on her own!) to her recently purchased home, we were eager to see the finished product. 

Over the next year on The Fold, Casey will offer tips, tricks and resources for women who, like her, are tackling their own redesign projects. From sourcing inexpensive products to simple tricks that can make a big impact on any space, we will highlight four areas of her home starting with today's focus, the smallest room in her house.

Casey transformed the space that was "probably meant to be an office or nursery" into a dedicated dressing room. 

Here are snaps of the room before her updates: 

And here is the finished dressing room:

To achieve this transformation Casey updated the following: 

• Removed carpet and painted subfloor (a cheap alternative to flooring and break from bad carpet)
• Added a thin band and darker wainscotting with paint to an otherwise basic and white box small room
• Drapery rods are off-the-shelf from Amazon and panels are from Target. Both were hung as high as possible to create the illusion of higher ceilings without spending a lot on custom window coverings.
• Vintage sofa with new fabric was added along with a vintage dresser with new hardware
• Installed a closet system from Ikea
• Painted the trim
• Removed the closet door

Changing a small space can make a big impact. Be sure to check back as we highlight Casey's dining area next!