You Don’t Need to Be a Red Carpet Regular to Have a Glam Room at Home

Aug 15, 2023

Glam rooms might sound like an interior design option reserved for A-list entertainers and those who walk the red carpet. Generations of socialites may carry on the tradition of getting ready for their events with help from professional stylists. But these practical spaces can be carved out in just about any home.

In a Los Angeles penthouse defined by glamour, Scottsdale-based interior designer and the head of MMB Studio, Matthew Boland, anchored a shampoo chair in the glam room. For the client, the cream and gold space became one of the most-used rooms in the residence when the pandemic brought normal activities to a halt. Boland said that glam rooms, above all, are highly personalized retreats within a home.

"In my opinion, glam rooms are not all about getting ready for an event. That's what they used to be about," Boland said. "Today, they are more about creating a protective environment to be able to create a look to project out into the world without anyone necessarily knowing how you got there. It's almost like a time machine that you step into, and it allows you to be whoever you want to be and whatever means to get there are secret."

Read on to discover how designers made various glam rooms for their clients and the takeaways that can be applied universally.

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Make It Magical

"A glam room is a space you visit," Boland said. "It's not a space you necessarily live in. It's going to be a space that's dialed in to you, and so why not strike a crazy fancy and make it something delicious and magical? It doesn't need to be judged by everyone because it's going to be seen by you and whomever you decide to invite inside. It's really a secret space."

In this case, the entire residence is extravagantly decorated, while the primary suite and glam room are dialed back. Most of Boland's projects are the other way around, with punchy, eye-catching elements reserved for the glam room.

In the Los Angeles penthouse, Boland collaborated on a maximalist residence with the client's collections of marble sculptures, Art Deco antiques and art. He created a lively environment with bold, colorful textures, light installations and mirrored surfaces. The primary suite, on the other hand, offers a neutral color palette. In breaking uniformity with much of the house, the glam room creates an entirely different experience for the client.

"Because they’re not necessarily in the primary space, glam rooms tend to be much more personalized, client-centric and outrageous compared to the rest of the house. Clients have their own space that may be the garage, guest parking or in a space where they can create a totally different experience and aesthetic," Boland said.

Balance Functional and Decorative Lighting

In Austin, Texas, Merrill Alley, principal of Urbanspace Development + Interiors, designed a penthouse with special attention to the lighting around the primary bathroom vanity. She brought in Lutron and Ketra customizable lighting and motorized shades to take full advantage of the floor-to-ceiling glass. With sunlight shining through the windows, the space receives a range of natural light throughout the day, besides a variety of lighting elements that make it a place to ramp up for an exciting event or wind down afterward.

Ketra down lights illuminate the area more broadly, and sconces and a chandelier add a decorative layer. Along the length of the vanity, lighting above and below add an indirect glow.

"Our design aesthetic can change to complement the personalities of our clients, but the one thing that's a must is thoughtful, intentional lighting. Adding the right balance of decorative, direct and indirect fixtures is essential," Alley said. "You can really create the environment to meet your needs."

In any room, existing fixtures can be retrofitted with smart bulbs, so that the intensity and color temperature are adjustable and can be put on automated schedules. Similarly, motorized shades can be incorporated into most window frames without the need for a renovation.

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Turn up the Glam in Small Spaces

For a Broadway actress, a glam space was a must, though New York City apartments aren't known for their abundant square footage. Designer Crystal Sinclair was still able to pull off a "grandma meets rock glam" theme, with emphasis on the glam, at a home on the Upper West Side. She found a clever way to work around a windowless bathroom, a problem all too common in apartments.

"When I think of glam, I think of funky shapes," Sinclair said. "Play with unexpected shapes. Keep people guessing."

She drew in an arch over the vanity, and applied unusually shaped mirrors to a raised board. This creates shadows and visual interest. Clever touches, like a built-in outlet in a drawer for hot tools, make it easier for the actress to get ready for work and events.

A frosted glass door allows natural light to shine in from the adjoining bedroom. Ms. Sinclair installed three dimmable sconces at the vanity, along with recessed can lights for optimal illumination.

"We needed the vanity to have good lighting for make-up and such. The client is a Broadway actress who's up for a Tony, by the way, and needs good lighting for her makeup," Sinclair said. "The bathroom is quite spacious for a New York City apartment, so she can fit her makeup artist and hair stylist into the space without any problem."

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