Vanities
2010s Turkish Arts and Crafts Vanities
Wood
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vanities
Brass, Stainless Steel
Late 19th Century Scandinavian Late Victorian Antique Vanities
Mirror, Pine
2010s French Modern Vanities
Wood
Late 20th Century British Regency Vanities
Brass
Early 1900s Art Nouveau Antique Vanities
Cherry
Early 20th Century Italian Country Vanities
Mahogany
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Vanities
Lacquer, Birch
Early 20th Century Italian Baroque Revival Vanities
Mirror, Walnut
2010s Italian Modern Vanities
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary American Rustic Vanities
Walnut
19th Century European Antique Vanities
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Vanities
Iron
1830s French Charles X Antique Vanities
Walnut
1940s French Art Deco Vintage Vanities
Sycamore, Parchment Paper
Early 20th Century French Regency Vanities
Marble
Late 19th Century American Neoclassical Antique Vanities
Wood
1910s Polish Art Nouveau Vintage Vanities
Stone, Brass
1920s French Art Deco Vintage Vanities
Mirror, Mahogany
Early 20th Century European Victorian Vanities
Mahogany, Mirror, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Vanities
Oak
1950s Brazilian Vintage Vanities
Iron
Early 20th Century European Vanities
Rosewood
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Vanities
Metal
19th Century English Victorian Antique Vanities
Mother-of-Pearl, Wood
Mid-20th Century Louis XV Vanities
Patent Leather, Wood
2010s Italian International Style Vanities
Marble, Metal
1930s European Art Deco Vintage Vanities
Mahogany
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Vanities
Brass
2010s Portuguese Modern Vanities
Brass
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Vanities
Teak
1960s Scandinavian Scandinavian Modern Vintage Vanities
Wood
1950s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vanities
Leather, Fabric
18th Century Austrian Baroque Antique Vanities
Fruitwood, Walnut, Pine
Early 20th Century Swedish Gustavian Vanities
Pine
Late 19th Century American Sheraton Antique Vanities
Glass, Wood
Mid-20th Century American Louis XVI Vanities
Wood
1940s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vanities
Maple, Parchment Paper
1920s Dutch Art Deco Vintage Vanities
Mirror, Macassar, Oak
1970s Italian Art Deco Vintage Vanities
Brass, Gold Leaf, Silver Leaf
2010s Portuguese Scandinavian Modern Vanities
Marble
2010s Portuguese Scandinavian Modern Vanities
Marble
2010s Portuguese Scandinavian Modern Vanities
Marble
2010s Portuguese Scandinavian Modern Vanities
Marble
2010s Portuguese Scandinavian Modern Vanities
Marble
2010s Portuguese Scandinavian Modern Vanities
Marble
2010s Portuguese Scandinavian Modern Vanities
Marble
2010s Portuguese Scandinavian Modern Vanities
Marble
2010s Portuguese Scandinavian Modern Vanities
Marble
2010s Portuguese Scandinavian Modern Vanities
Marble
2010s Portuguese Scandinavian Modern Vanities
Marble
2010s Portuguese Scandinavian Modern Vanities
Marble
2010s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vanities
Other
1940s Italian Art Deco Vintage Vanities
Brass
2010s Turkish Arts and Crafts Vanities
Wood
1950s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vanities
Leather, Fabric
2010s European Space Age Vanities
Wood
2010s Turkish Arts and Crafts Vanities
Wood
Vintage, New and Antique Vanities
Vintage, new and antique vanity tables have forever felt like personal, intimate sanctuaries of sorts, designed to introduce a level of serenity that feels rare and welcome in our otherwise frenetic days. They’ve been variously known as dressing tables or makeup tables over the years, but no matter what we call them — and whether it's a sophisticated contemporary piece or an iconic vintage Luigi Massoni vanity — vanities have offered a special place for us to get ready for work, an early-morning appointment or lunch date or whatever lies ahead.
“Beauty routines, taking the time to protect what you have, a moment to accessorize, a moment to pause and slow down — these are all so important now as an antidote to our fast and hectic lives,” says Oona Bannon, creative director of Pinch Design in Clapham, South London. “Just thinking about a dressing table makes me feel calm.”
When decorative boxes would no longer suffice as repositories for cosmetics, fragrant oils and perfumes, dressing tables originated in France and England during the 17th century. Men who called the latter home used “shaving tables” — a proto-dressing table — for their grooming routines while women found in dressing tables an oasis for applying makeup, particularly as improvements upon vanity tables equipped them with mirrors and lighting. In the United States, as vanity tables became a seamless component of bedroom furniture, furniture makers working in Chippendale, Rococo and other styles were regularly commissioned to produce these popular items.
Vanity tables have evolved over the years, and while there is lots to love about the ornate carving and pronounced curvilinear forms of Victorian vanities, the clean lines that characterize mid-century modern vanities and the decorative flourishes associated with Art Deco vanities, the main elements of this furnishing are the same. All vanities are about as tall as a standard table with room for seating furniture, which tends to be a small bench, a stool or an armless chair. Many also have special organization features for makeup. Without a chair and a mirror, a vanity would resemble a dresser.
Nowadays, vanities are more than a place to do hair and makeup. They’re a platform to display beauty products and store makeup collections. Vanities are standard in bedrooms, particularly if you’re not lucky enough to have a spacious dressing room or walk-in closet for your dressing table. The better the lighting is in your bedroom or wherever you’ve positioned your vanity table — even if you’ve opted for a moody setting versus a bright one — the more you will benefit from having this personal place of respite to prepare for the day ahead.
Find your antique, new or vintage vanity table today on 1stDibs.
Read More
19 Dreamy Feminine Bathrooms
To make a bathroom feel warm, serene and composed, adding feminine elements is the way to go. Featuring furry furniture, pops of pink and curated antiques, these sumptuous spaces are idyllic retreats in which to while away a few hours.
How the Vanity Table Became This Year’s Must-Have Item
Once seen as fussy furniture relics from the past, vanities have made a big comeback. Here's why.