Vanity

[Miss Neecerie]

tables that is...

I am fortunate in that I have a small room off my bedroom that is half built in dresser and shelving area and half an area where I have a vanity table. I really want to spruce up this area and make it a real haven for all the girly primping and so forth.

Opinions on what makes a proper lady's vanity table?


Oh, and I am new around here...I share the upper floor of a house built in 1896 in downtown Los Angeles, which is why I have the fun bonus room within a room, effect. More into rockabilly etc. then true 40's, but hope you will forgive me for my transgressions.

Looking forward to hearing what people think makes the quintessential vanity table area.

Denise

 

[MissTayva]

Hi there!
I don't have a vanity (I can never find one I want, and if I do, it is way out of my price range!)... but here is a link to my friend Erin's. She has a lot of great stuff on hers.

http://cherryjane.com/bedroom.htm

Oh, and welcome!

 

[BelowyourBeauty]

Well I live in a small room with my gf and I had to find a small vanity. I just bought mine and it should be arriving soon. I'm going to spray paint it and sand it up a little...giving it an old look. I'm not too big on the white.

I actually went by this site to help me get started....I suppose the rest is up to your taste. I also watch movies.....and that has helped me alot. A movie I can recommend is "Stage Door"

http://www.return2style.de/amimakup.htm

xoxo
Lola

 

[swinggal]

I have an 1930s walnut Art deco vanity that has a 2 side cupboards with 3 drawers in each, a huge mirror and bevelled glass tops over all the wooden surfaces. I actually have the main glass top resting on rubber stoppers 1 cm above the wooden surface so that I can display all of my vintage compacts, hair clip packaging, vintage watches etc underneath. The vanity came with two matching wardobes as well. The whole set is huge and of beautiful quality and I got it from an Op Shope for $350 AUD!!!

I'll take some shots of it for you. My whole house is Art Deco so I feel right at home.

 

[Lauren]

Hi! I have a vanity as well. It's a 30's one I picked up at a consignment shop for about $150

My interests are mostly pre 40's so my vanity doesn't have a specific era about it, but I think that if you want it for looks a dresser or vanity set would be nice. These usually included a comb, brush, hand held mirror, a hair reciever, possibly manicure tools, and a few jars in a matching theme. You can pick them up on Ebay for cheaper than at antique stores:
Vanity Sets on Ebay

On mine, although I don't have my vanity set diplayed, on my vanity I have perfume bottles, a couple art deco looking glass jars with early plastic lids, a set of matching lamps, a jewelry box, glass at the center so it doesn't get mucked up (you can find decorative ones especially for vanities), and I used to have a hat stand on there with a vintage hat, but it has since gotten moved elsewhere. I'll try to post a pic for you later on. I think it was popular to put a framed picture of your beloved on there (like in the old movies) or an old movie star.
Hope this helps, and have fun!

 

[fifi]

I have this vanity: http://www.burchardgalleries.com/auctions/2001/nov1801/l031.jpg. It's the Kohinoor line from Heywood-Wakefield. I love it! I usually keep some perfume bottles on it, a hand mirror made by my father from exotic wood, a white ceramic swan from my grandmother that serves as a trinket holder, and a red glass bowl that belonged to my mother-in-law. On the shelves I have two abstract kitty ceramics and a vintage jewelry box; I don't like too much clutter. The drawers house extra makeup and lots of sparkly vintage jewelry! I also think head vases make lovely vanity accessories--like these 3 ladies: http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-LOT-3-H...7342340073QQcategoryZ1233QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem Maybe I'll try to take some pictures of my vanity.

 

[elsewhere]

I have this vanity: http://www.burchardgalleries.com/auctions/2001/nov1801/l031.jpg. It's the Kohinoor line from Heywood-Wakefield. I love it! I usually keep some perfume bottles on it, a hand mirror made by my father from exotic wood, a white ceramic swan from my grandmother that serves as a trinket holder, and a red glass bowl that belonged to my mother-in-law. On the shelves I have two abstract kitty ceramics and a vintage jewelry box; I don't like too much clutter. The drawers house extra makeup and lots of sparkly vintage jewelry! I also think head vases make lovely vanity accessories--like these 3 ladies: http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-LOT-3-H...7342340073QQcategoryZ1233QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem Maybe I'll try to take some pictures of my vanity.

Oh I'm so jealous!! I love that vanity!

I'm also a big fan of lady head vases... what a peculiar thing they are, really. I'm also really fond of TV lamps for the same reason.

I wish I had the room for a vanity. Our bedroom is SO small. I think it measures about 11 x 11. There's just no ROOM for a vanity & enough dressers for my husband and myself. Plus, we have those old Pasadena closets which don't help matters!

Ahh someday I will own more Heywood Wakefield! I seriously covet a 6 person dining table & china hutch!

 

[fifi]

Kristine--You live in Pasadena? I live in Glendale... Head vases are oddities all right, but there's something appealing about them. I do admit I've seen a few that give me the creeps, though! Heywood-Wakefield is awesome. We've been fortunate to pick up several pieces over the years. There's nothing else like it.

 

[Miss Neecerie]

Thank you!

This has been so inspiring....granted my vanity table is much smaller, as it had to fit in an alcove area so could only be so wide....so it lacks the drawers that all of yours have, but I am now going to find a way to add more storage or something to it..perhaps a bookshelf for storage behind it. The alcove is deeper then it is wide due to the strangeness of victorian houses.

I have been looking for vanity set items and went flea marketing in Pasadena last sunday...of course all I came back with was vintage umbrellas...isnt that always the way.

Denise

 

[elsewhere]

I don't live in Pasadena.. I wish I did! It's much better than Norwalk, where I DO live!
But.. those built in closets with cupboards up above and often drawers down below... with sliding doors & hanging space in between are called "Pasadena closets". They're cute & very charming when looking at them... but boy could I use some double hanging space!

And vintage umbrellas!! I can never resist them! I did finally sell my vintage leopard umbrella... I put a high price on it thinking no one would pay it so I could keep it. But someone DID pay it and loved it! LOL!

 

[CherryRed]

Somehow I missed this thread.
My Mom just brought me my grandmothers vanity table in June. I am not sure when hers is from but it is pretty simple. It has a kidney bean shaped top and just straight carved legs. It had layers of old paint on it and I am stripping it so I can refinish it. I want to get a 3 part hinged mirror for it. I'd also love to make a skirt for it like the ones in the movies have but it has two drawers, so I don't know just how to go about it.
I loved seeing all the pictures. Very nice!!