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“The house has a European feel to it,” designer Mario Buatta says of a French countrystyle residence in Manila. “But the interiors transcend the space. They could be anywhere.” He enveloped the dressing room in a Napoleon-style tent and lined its walls with Vanity Fair portraits. ( August 2006 )

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Samuel Botero designed a New York town house for a couple using their decorative arts collection. In the dressing room, a Russian chandelier hangs above a cabinet designed by Botero. Chaise velvet, Clarence House. ( January 2009 )

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“It was an attempt to coordinate tradition in a modern way,” the late Naomi Leff said of the Manhattan pied-à-terre she designed for Sidney and Maddie Forbes. Leff installed recessed lighting throughout much of the apartment, including a corridor that was converted into a dressing room, above. “The fewer the lamps, the more modern the feeling,” she said. The circa 1930 French Art Déco mirror was designed by Léon Jallot. ( April 2004 )

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For the platinum-selling singer Mariah Carey, her clothes room is “an open viewing arrangement,” says designer Mario Buatta. ( May 2007 )

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“It’s one large, abstract sculpture,” architect Edward R. Niles says of the house he designed for Bruce and Marilyn Gillis in Beverly Hills. Above: A bridge of laminated glass leads to the dressing room and bath. “It’s like a lens between the floors,” the architect points out. “Light shines through the skylight on the third level, past the bridge and into the family room below.” Aluminum panels cover the walls. ( December 2004 )

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“When he starts to collect, he collects,” designer Monique Gibson says of Elton John. Above: At his English estate in Old Windsor, shelves in the attic eaves hold sunglasses John has collected since the mid-1970s. (May 2000)

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“The goal was to create livable interiors for a landmark home,” designer Barbara Barry says of the 1922 French-style mansion she renovated in Piedmont, California. Above: The dressing room. Two 1998 artworks by Nathan Oliveira hang above the vanity, which Barry designed. “It has a very private view for reflective moments,” she points out. Baker chair and ottoman velvet. Drapery and stool fabrics, Manuel Canovas. Boyd lamps. ( November 2005 )

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To meet the needs of his clients, art collectors with an extensive collection of both art and artifacts, architect Eddie Jones designed a trilevel, 30,000-square-foot residence in central Arizona. A pair of stainless-steel seats are tucked into the doorway of the closet, where wall-to-wall, white acrylic cabinetry provides ample storage space. ( October 2006 )

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At his Bedford estate, fashion designer Ralph Lauren’s closet and dressing room are outfitted with mahogany millwork. Classic pieces like riding boots and jean jackets are part of his everyday wardrobe. ( November 2004 )

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Soon after her arrival at the White House as the wife of 35th president John F. Kennedy, the First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy set about renovating the private quarters. Above: The First Lady’s Dressing Room. ( December 2004 )