Vanities
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Vanities
Teak
2010s Portuguese Scandinavian Modern Vanities
Marble
1920s Italian Art Deco Vintage Vanities
Goatskin, Wood
Early 20th Century French Regency Vanities
Marble
21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Vanities
Nickel, Stainless Steel
2010s American Modern Vanities
Steel
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Vanities
Marble, Stainless Steel, Chrome
Early 19th Century English George III Antique Vanities
Mahogany, Bone
Early 20th Century British Vanities
Pine
Early 20th Century Italian Vanities
Walnut
2010s Portuguese Scandinavian Modern Vanities
Marble
2010s American Modern Vanities
Metal
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Vanities
Brass, Chrome
1850s Austrian Biedermeier Antique Vanities
Mirror, Ash, Maple
Mid-19th Century French Antique Vanities
Wood
Mid-20th Century Polish Art Deco Vanities
Walnut
1780s French Louis XVI Antique Vanities
Kingwood, Walnut
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Vanities
Marble
1960s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vanities
Wood
1910s Italian Art Nouveau Vintage Vanities
Mirror, Pearwood
1830s American Neoclassical Antique Vanities
Brass
20th Century Danish Vanities
Mirror, Oak
Late 19th Century Italian Louis Philippe Antique Vanities
Marble
1930s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Vanities
Birch
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Modern Vanities
Metal
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vanities
Wood
1930s European Art Deco Vintage Vanities
Mahogany
2010s Portuguese Scandinavian Modern Vanities
Marble
1960s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vanities
Brass
1910s British Indian Ocean Territory Anglo Raj Vintage Vanities
Teak
Late 20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Vanities
Leather, Wood
1910s Italian Art Nouveau Vintage Vanities
Burl, Mirror, Walnut
2010s Italian Modern Vanities
Metal
2010s Italian Modern Vanities
Leather, Wood
1920s Italian Art Deco Vintage Vanities
Iron
Late 19th Century English Edwardian Antique Vanities
Mahogany, Satinwood
1920s French Art Deco Vintage Vanities
Walnut
1910s French Art Nouveau Vintage Vanities
Brass
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vanities
Velvet, Mirror, Cherry
Early 20th Century American William and Mary Vanities
Mahogany
1960s American Louis XVI Vintage Vanities
Brass
Early 20th Century Italian Baroque Revival Vanities
Mirror, Burl, Walnut
1930s American Art Deco Vintage Vanities
Chrome
2010s Italian Vanities
Brass, Gold Leaf
2010s American Mid-Century Modern Vanities
Bronze
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Vanities
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary American Industrial Vanities
Iron
1820s German Biedermeier Antique Vanities
Mahogany, Pine
19th Century English Victorian Antique Vanities
Mahogany
Early 19th Century French Antique Vanities
Wood
Late 20th Century Art Deco Vanities
Maple, Purpleheart, Lacquer
19th Century British Antique Vanities
Oak
20th Century English Art Deco Vanities
Silver, Enamel, Ormolu
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Vanities
Bronze
Mid-19th Century Italian Regency Antique Vanities
Marble
Early 1900s English Edwardian Antique Vanities
Mahogany
Mid-20th Century Art Deco Vanities
Chrome
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vanities
Brass, Gold Leaf
1970s American Post-Modern Vintage Vanities
Lucite
1920s Danish Louis XV Vintage Vanities
Mahogany
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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