Vain Over My Vanity

So after years of living in apartments with bathroom mirrors too high for me to see myself and a sink knocking me out every time I tried to line my lips, I decided to upgrade to the ultimate luxury essential of any girl’s room-a vanity! While my princess fantasy of waking up, donning a silk robe and leisurely brushing my hair in-front of a Hollywood mirror was 90% my inspiration, the truth is, having a dedicated space for me to dress up with all my “dressing up” things has been such a blessing. Not only is it a major timesaver, but it keeps me organised, calm and excited to spend time getting ready. Also, it’s given me the opportunity to actually use the 1000s of makeup products and jewellery pieces that I have bought over the years, rather than just reach for that one nude lip and pair of hoops which are still in my bag from the day before! Now one day maybe i’ll have that walk-in-closet from Princess Diaries, but for a small apartment, my little vanity does the job; all while being a chic centrepiece to my room. So here are the key elements to my vanity and where to get them!

The Vanity Base:
There are many beautiful and opulent vanities out there so if you wanna go big, go for it. For me, this simple table from Ikea was all I really needed. I wanted something affordable and durable to daily makeup smudges and product. I also liked that it was a blank white canvas which meant I could elevate it with my own personal elements. What was really important to me was to find a table that had drawers but also space. This table fits in my chair while also having a wide drawer for easy access and a deep drawer for storage.

The Mirror:
The holy grail of my vanity and one of my favourite pieces in my home. As someone who has spent a lot of time in backstage dressing rooms for stage productions having a Hollywood mirror has always been on my list. I just love the glamour it adds to a space and it always makes you feel like a star. I invested in the Etoile Collective Slimline Hollywood Mirror. While on the pricey side it’s a good quality, large, rectangle mirror with powerful light, (although sometimes seeing your pores under that light really doesn’t make you feel like a star). They also have a range of different lighted mirrors if you want something more modern. Now while a lot of vanities come with in build mirrors, I do recommend a stand alone mirror for the sake of quality and also longevity to use it with different furnishings over the years. While, I love the benefits of lighted mirror if that is not your style, look into a rattan mirror for a boho-chic vibe or a gold varnish mirror for a more classic victorian vibe.

The Drawers:
I personally own and use more jewellery than I do makeup so for me I wanted an easy access and organised space for my accessories. My wide drawer was perfect for that but it was these jewellery organisers from Amazon that took it to the next level. One of my greatest pet peeves is the inevitable entanglement of jewellery when it’s thrown into a box/bag, these organisers keep everything safe and sorted. This particularly set came with 4 large boxes that have compartments for different items and are stackable. These particular dimensions left just the right amount of space in the centre for my watch and sunglasses. If you want to use your drawers for makeup instead you can totally replicate this with a set of makeup organisers!

The Makeup Station:
I wanted something aesthetic but also with easy access when sitting in front of mirror painting my face. These gold plated makeup holders from Amazon were perfect. Especially, for someone like me who does not have a lot of makeup they fit everything I need with compartments for each product!

The Chair:
I wanted a small stool that had gold accents and could easily fit under the table without take away from the mirror. I loved this fluffy stool with gold hardware from Luvo Store. A great find for all you vanity necessities.

The Coatrack:
While I tossed between a coatrack and garment rack for my small space a coat rack made the most sense. I wanted something for which I could keep my clothes, hats and well, coats on to keep me organised when I wake up 5 mins before a meeting. I really loved that this coat rack had gold hardware and a contemporary design to fit my vanity aesthetic. Also it was a total bargain from Ebay and was so easy to assemble.

The Finishing Touches:
I added my go to perfumes; Cartier La Panthère and Chanel No. 5, as well as my Gisou hair oil to my table as they look so beautiful and I use them daily. I also added a vase from Paola and Joy with some dried flowers to add a warm touch and tie my room together. Finally I have a beautiful divider from spotlight that honestly, I just love because it is so beautiful!

So here are few tips and tricks to creating a beautiful and functional vanity for your space!