Vanities
2010s French Modern Vanities
Wood
1960s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vanities
Ceramic, Fabric, Mirror, Oak
1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Vanities
Rosewood
1920s Italian Art Deco Vintage Vanities
Goatskin, Wood
1910s North American Vintage Vanities
Burl
1920s French French Provincial Vintage Vanities
Walnut
1850s French Louis XV Antique Vanities
Walnut
20th Century Indian Art Deco Vanities
Teak
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vanities
Teak
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Vanities
Glass, Teak
Early 20th Century English Victorian Vanities
Bamboo, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Vanities
Stainless Steel
2010s Portuguese Vanities
Lacquer
1970s German Scandinavian Modern Vintage Vanities
Rosewood
1940s Italian Art Deco Vintage Vanities
Brass
1950s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vanities
Brass
2010s Italian Vanities
Brass, Metallic Thread
2010s Italian Vanities
Wood
1940s French Art Deco Vintage Vanities
Mirror
1910s French French Provincial Vintage Vanities
Walnut
1920s Art Deco Vintage Vanities
Mirror
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vanities
Formica, Fruitwood
1930s American Art Deco Vintage Vanities
Metal
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vanities
Wood
1940s British Art Deco Vintage Vanities
Mahogany
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Vanities
Mirror
Mid-19th Century Swedish Louis XVI Antique Vanities
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary French Art Deco Vanities
Stone, Rock Crystal, Brass
1920s French Louis XV Vintage Vanities
Walnut
Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Vanities
Bronze
20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Vanities
Brass
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Vanities
Mirror, Wood
Early 20th Century French Louis XV Vanities
Oak
1970s Italian Space Age Vintage Vanities
Mirror, Laminate
21st Century and Contemporary Philippine Art Deco Vanities
Brass
2010s Italian Modern Vanities
Brass
Mid-20th Century Italian Art Deco Vanities
Marble, Brass
Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Vanities
Walnut
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Vanities
Chrome
1760s French Louis XV Antique Vanities
Kingwood, Mahogany, Yew
Early 19th Century Spanish Baroque Antique Vanities
Iron
Mid-20th Century Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vanities
Mirror, Wood
1960s British Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vanities
Glass, Teak
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Vanities
Mirror, Wood
Late 19th Century Scottish Antique Vanities
Satinwood
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vanities
Fabric, Mirror, Laminate, Rosewood
2010s French Modern Vanities
Wood
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vanities
Mirror, Cherry
1960s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vanities
Wood
Mid-20th Century German Art Deco Vanities
Mirror, Wood
20th Century Danish Vanities
Mirror, Oak
1930s American Art Deco Vintage Vanities
Faux Leather, Mahogany, Lacquer
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Vanities
Oak, Mirror
2010s Turkish Arts and Crafts Vanities
Wood
1920s French Art Deco Vintage Vanities
Steel, Nickel
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Modern Vanities
Resin
Late 19th Century English Late Victorian Antique Vanities
Brass
Early 1900s Antique Vanities
Leather, Mahogany
2010s American Industrial Vanities
Brass, Steel
1940s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Vanities
Leather, Glass, Wood
Late 20th Century Unknown Mid-Century Modern Vanities
Chrome
Mid-20th Century British Mid-Century Modern Vanities
Teak
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vanities
Wood
19th Century British Antique Vanities
Wood
1910s British Indian Ocean Territory Anglo Raj Vintage Vanities
Teak
Mid-20th Century British Mid-Century Modern Vanities
Walnut
21st Century and Contemporary Philippine Art Deco Vanities
Brass
1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Vanities
Rosewood
Mid-20th Century American Chippendale Vanities
Brass
1940s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vanities
Brass
20th Century American Biedermeier Vanities
Walnut, Burl
Late 19th Century French Louis Philippe Antique Vanities
Walnut
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Vanities
Glass, Teak
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.
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