A Guide to Choosing the Right Dressing Table
The dressing table has been around one one guise or another since the French invented them in the 17th Century. Back then of course, they bore little resemblance to the modern mirrored dressing table set that is so popular today, and were in fact little more than wash basin suspended between 2 pieces of wood; often mounted on wheels for greater maneuverability. Today of course, it is a different story and you can choose from a whole host different styles, colors and materials when choosing the perfect makeup vanity/dressing table for your room.
So what should you consider when shopping for dressing tables? Well first of all you will have to decide whether to go with the Single pedestal, double pedestal or console style dressing table. These are the three distinct styles around which all dressing tables are based. In an ideal world you should choose the double pedestal dressing table over the other two. However the world is rarely ideal and often space and cost will mean that the double pedestal dressing table is impractical. While they are without a doubt the most impressive style, they are usually the largest and most expensive option.
An ideal compromise then is the single pedestal dressing table, these are not as big as the double pedestal counterpart but with the single set of drawers or a cupboard down either the left or right hand side they should still offer enough storage space to accommodate all your cosmetic needs. The console table is the smallest of the 3 options and is more like a desk than a dressing table, with no side column it provides storage space via 2 or 3 drawers positioned along the length of the table top. This is the recommended choice where cost and space are at a premium.
Once you have decided on the style the next thing to consider should be the material. Do you want a solid wood dressing table? Pine, oak or ash are great materials for your dressing table and where possible you should consider this option over plywood and chipboard. Real wood may be more expensive, but you should consider a real oak, ash, or pine dressing table to be an investment. If you look after it it is unlikely to depreciate in value and could even be passed onto your children as an heirloom.
The choice of wood is of course a very personal one and will boil down to your own taste at the end of the day, as is the decision to go with painted or unpainted. If you are after a more contemporary style then painted is probably the choice for you, and a black or white dressing table might be in order.. But if you want a more traditional finish then you will find that there are any number of wax finishes to protect it and prolong its life.
You will also, of course need a dressing table stool and mirror to complete the setup. You can either buy a matching set, or find the pieces separately. As lighting is important here, you may want to get a dressing table mirror with lights built into it, or use wall sconces on either side and a lighted magnifying mirror on the tabletop.
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