Vanities
Late 19th Century Italian Art Nouveau Antique Vanities
Mirror, Walnut
2010s American Industrial Vanities
Steel, Brass, Iron
Early 1900s Austrian Jugendstil Antique Vanities
Bentwood
21st Century and Contemporary American Industrial Vanities
Iron
20th Century French Art Nouveau Vanities
Metal, Brass
19th Century English Art Nouveau Antique Vanities
Sterling Silver
1910s French Art Nouveau Vintage Vanities
Marble, Bronze
Early 1900s Austrian Jugendstil Antique Vanities
Beech
Early 1900s Austrian Jugendstil Antique Vanities
Bentwood
1910s Italian Art Nouveau Vintage Vanities
Mirror, Pearwood
Early 20th Century Art Nouveau Vanities
Walnut
1890s French Art Nouveau Antique Vanities
Iron
1910s European Art Nouveau Vintage Vanities
Stone, Brass
1920s Swedish Art Nouveau Vintage Vanities
Mahogany
2010s American Industrial Vanities
Brass, Bronze, Steel
2010s American Industrial Vanities
Brass, Steel
Late 19th Century French Art Nouveau Antique Vanities
Marble, Bronze
2010s Ukrainian Industrial Vanities
Metal
Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Vanities
Wrought Iron
1920s Italian Art Nouveau Vintage Vanities
Crystal
Early 20th Century Italian Art Nouveau Vanities
Cherry
Early 1900s Italian Art Nouveau Antique Vanities
Mirror, Walnut, Burl
1930s Italian Art Nouveau Vintage Vanities
Marble
Late 19th Century Italian Art Nouveau Antique Vanities
Mirror, Walnut
1910s Italian Art Nouveau Vintage Vanities
Burl, Mirror, Walnut
Early 1900s Art Nouveau Antique Vanities
Cherry
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Vanities
Mirror, Walnut
1970s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vanities
Birch, Mahogany
1920s British Art Deco Vintage Vanities
Mirror, Walnut
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vanities
Brass
Late 19th Century French Art Nouveau Antique Vanities
Walnut, Satinwood, Nutwood, Beech
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vanities
Rattan
1930s American Louis XVI Vintage Vanities
Brass
1950s British Mid-Century Modern Vintage Vanities
Brass
20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Vanities
Brass
Late 18th Century English Georgian Antique Vanities
Brass
Late 19th Century Italian Regency Antique Vanities
Metal
Late 19th Century Louis XV Antique Vanities
Metal
Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Vanities
Wood
1880s English Art Nouveau Antique Vanities
Walnut
1920s French Art Nouveau Vintage Vanities
Marble, Brass
Early 20th Century Austrian Art Nouveau Vanities
Brass
Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Vanities
Bronze
1910s French Art Nouveau Vintage Vanities
Elm, Mahogany
1890s French Art Nouveau Antique Vanities
Ceramic, Wood, Mirror
1930s Dutch Art Nouveau Vintage Vanities
Wood
Late 19th Century Austrian Art Nouveau Antique Vanities
Mirror, Bentwood
Late 19th Century English Art Nouveau Antique Vanities
Bamboo, Lacquer
Early 1900s French Art Nouveau Antique Vanities
Marble, Brass
Early 20th Century Austrian Art Nouveau Vanities
Beech, Mirror
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.