Vanities
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Vanities
Rosewood
1960s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vanities
Mirror, Mahogany, Rosewood
Mid-20th Century British Mid-Century Modern Vanities
Teak
1960s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vanities
Mirror, Beech
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Vanities
Teak
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Vanities
Mirror, Oak
Mid-20th Century British Mid-Century Modern Vanities
Teak
1970s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vanities
Birch, Mahogany
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Vanities
Metal
1960s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vanities
Iron
1960s British Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vanities
Brass
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vanities
Brass
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Vanities
Brass
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vanities
Brass
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vanities
Teak
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vanities
Mirror, Walnut
1950s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vanities
Wood
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vanities
Teak
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vanities
Burl, Mirror, Walnut
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vanities
Mirror, Wood
20th Century French Art Nouveau Vanities
Metal, Brass
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Vanities
Metal
1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vanities
Birch, Velvet, Mirror
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vanities
Formica, Beech
1960s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vanities
Wood
Mid-20th Century British Mid-Century Modern Vanities
Teak
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Vanities
Teak
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vanities
Teak
Late 20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vanities
Wood
1990s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vanities
Goatskin, Wood
Mid-20th Century European Mid-Century Modern Vanities
Resin
1910s French Art Nouveau Vintage Vanities
Marble, Bronze
20th Century English Mid-Century Modern Vanities
Chrome
1950s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vanities
Brass
Mid-20th Century British Mid-Century Modern Vanities
Brass
20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Vanities
Mirror, Oak
1950s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vanities
Leather, Fabric
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vanities
Wood, Lacquer, Upholstery, Mirror
Mid-20th Century British Mid-Century Modern Vanities
Walnut
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Vanities
Metal, Aluminum
Mid-20th Century Finnish Mid-Century Modern Vanities
Mirror, Mahogany
1960s British Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vanities
Mirror, Glass, Teak
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Vanities
Teak
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Vanities
Walnut
19th Century English Art Nouveau Antique Vanities
Sterling Silver
Mid-20th Century British Mid-Century Modern Vanities
Brass
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vanities
Teak
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Vanities
Copper
1970s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vanities
Wood
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vanities
Brass
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vanities
Rattan
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vanities
Wood
1980s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vanities
Metal, Chrome
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Vanities
Mirror
1950s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vanities
Metal
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vanities
Teak, Glass
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vanities
Chrome
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vanities
Iron
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.