A vanity desk is a fairly popular piece of furniture. It is quite common in bedrooms furnished in a classic style, but in many modern interiors it looks splendid too.
A vanity table or vanity desk got its name due to the fact that even in the Middle Ages, this product was installed in bedrooms so that a jug of water and a bowl for washing could be placed on it. Nowadays this item is used for completely different purposes. It has been quite modified and today it is a set of certain furniture that allows you to store all personal care products, decorative cosmetics, perfumes, jewelry and much more in one place and use them every day before leaving the bedroom.
A vanity desk is a piece of furniture that has several advantages:
- When made in light pastel, a desk always brings freshness to the interior, making it lighter, and its glossy finish can also visually expand the space.
- It can be integrated into almost any interior color scheme.
- A dressing table not only carries functionality, but is most often a decorative component of the interior.
Types and models
Vanity desks can be divided into several types. These products differ in the installation method: corner and straightforward.
The first type, corner installation, takes up a smaller area, so it can be installed even in a small bedroom. Due to the design features, their boxes are quite large and they can easily accommodate everything you need – from creams to lipstick. Models may or may not have a mirror. Of course, a dressing table with a mirror is much more comfortable. Or you can just hand a mirror on the wall. Add a table – and you are ready for a makeover. This type of furniture is quite common. It is made in the form of a pier-glass or trellis.
In the second case with straightforward installation, you get convenient pivoting mirror doors that will allow you to get an overview from several angles. But there is a drawback to the built-in mirror design. Such a piece of furniture will take up significant space, while a separate table and a hanging mirror will not take up extra square feet.
For small bedrooms, a dressing table with a folding mirror would be an excellent option. When closed, it is a regular table, at which, for example, you can work, and by folding the tabletop up you get a full dressing table with a mirror. Hanging consoles are also quite convenient for small bedrooms. Such tables will give the feeling that they are floating in the air, thereby not cluttering the room.
Sometimes you can find built-in tables. They are most often placed in a wardrobe or attached to a bedroom set with a wardrobe. Such furniture looks quite original and carries all the functionality that is inherent in a free-standing table.
Different materials
We can also divide vanity desks according to the material that is used to make them:
Natural wood
Of course, the priority is tables made of natural solid wood. They are quite aesthetic, often decorated with original carvings, and often have original shapes. Wooden tables are durable, they are not afraid of moisture. If, nevertheless, in some way you damage this item, it will be quite easy to restore and give its original appearance. In addition, wood is an environmentally friendly material. Do not be afraid that such a product will cause you an allergy. But pieces of furniture made of natural solid wood are quite expensive and not everyone can afford them. You can find a magnificent collection at New York Furniture Outlets.
Chipboard
Chipboard will be a cheaper analog of natural wood. This material is made by pressing sawdust into slabs using formaldehyde resins. Despite the fact that this material is several times cheaper than wood, it has a number of disadvantages that override this advantage. It is impossible to make products of an interesting shape from chipboard. They are clearly rectangular, no bends or threads are allowed on this material. In addition, it swells when moisture gets on it. It is impossible to eliminate such defects and the product loses its appearance.
MDF
It is also made from the remains of the wood industry, but toxic resins are not used here, only fine sawdust is used. They are also pressed into plates, while the product from MDF can be given any shape: round the tabletop, bend the legs, imitate the thread. This material tolerates high humidity well, does not deform when water gets on it. It is not much more expensive than chipboard. Often to reduce the cost combined products are used for constructions made of natural wood, where the frame is made of solid wood, and the fronts of the chest of drawers are made of MDF.
Also, the appearance of vanity desks strongly depends on the style for which a particular product is intended. So, a classic for Provence will be a white table, made of natural wood. The coating here is preferably matt. A small amount of floral ornament on the door leaves is possible. For Art Nouveau, the table will be made in an original form, streamlined corners are possible. The material here can be anything, as well as the coating. Modern styles such as hi-tech and minimalism are characterized by a lack of detail and simple geometric shapes. If the color is white, the desk can become an accent of the entire interior, especially if it is glossy.
Dimensions
Manufacturers now offer completely different sizes of vanity desks, which makes it possible to fit this piece of furniture into even the smallest room. But its dimensions should still be convenient for use, otherwise the functionality of the table can be questioned.
So, a standard dressing table has the following parameters:
- width – from 35 inches to 51 inches;
- depth – at least 16 inches;
- tabletop height – 31 inches.
Of these three dimensions, the height of the worktop is the most important. It should allow you to freely place your legs under it. Your knees should not rest on the drawers under the table. In addition, while sitting, your elbows should lie on the tabletop, as it will be much more convenient to apply makeup. If the dimensions of your room do not allow you to install a standard-sized vanity desk, then you can purchase a rather small one, but at the same time keeping its standard height. So, narrow items in the form of a console can be only 12 inches deep. This will be enough to place jars of creams or decorative cosmetics on the countertop during procedures in front of the mirror.
You can also purchase small desks with reduced width, but in this case, you will have to give up side storage places, and just get by with a drawer under the tabletop and a shelf behind the mirror, if there is one in your product model.
The choice of a vanity desk is influenced by the size of your bedroom because you want to make this piece of furniture not only a functional product but also a decoration to your interior.