How to: Beautify Your Vanity

How to: Beautify Your Vanity
By: Deven Hopp
Staff Editor

A quilted cushion sitting atop a low-backed stool placed neatly under an elegantly distressed vintage desk; the desktop adorned with porcelain jewelry boxes, crystal canisters and pink powder puffs. What we've just described is a vanity of the Pinterest variety. A dreamy, mythical space that we choose to believe only exists in the imaginations of professional Photoshopers, but never in real life. In real life, your average vanity looks more like a disaster zone–an explosion of beauty products with no rhyme or reason. Said vanity may not even be a vanity at all. But no matter what space you’ve made into your own little makeup haven, it has the potential to be a picturesque escape. Just remember these simple, glamorizing tips…

Display Something Pretty Above
Creating a beautiful beautifying station begins with the space around you. Chances are you spend a decent amount of time at your vanity, so give yourself something nice to look at while you’re there. Hang some of your favorite jewelry pieces from decorative knobs, put up black and white photos or create a miniature gallery wall using your favorite artwork.

Choose an Antique Mirror
There’s simply nothing attractive about a lighted magnifying mirror. It doesn’t look nice sitting atop a vanity, nor does it feel nice looking into it. Use an antique vanity mirror instead. Trust us, you’ll be able to see just fine. If the natural lighting around you isn’t sufficient, add a small table lamp. This will provide more flattering lighting than overhead beams.

Create a Serene Color Scheme
Make your lipstick and eyeliner color choices as exciting as you please, but avoid strong colors on your vanity. Light colors will open up the space and make it easier to see all of your beauty bits and pieces. Soft shades like pale pink or sky blue feel inviting and calming. Start with neutrals and just add a few accents of color to keep the space feeling clean.

Add Ambiance With Small Touches
Vanities are not typically the largest areas to work with, so a full bouquet of flowers may not be the best use of space. But sometimes simpler is chicer (and cheaper). A single fresh bloom is just as effective at infusing the room with natural fragrance and color. A favorite candle also goes a long way in creating ambiance.

Use a Variety of Decorative Displays
Plastic organizers are great for storing makeup…in drawers beneath your vanity. On top of your vanity, choose items with more charm, like mirrored trays. Or DIY a vanity tray out of an old gilt frame and a piece of fabric. Use an assortment of pieces in different shapes and sizes to organize beauty products. Try bringing a cake stand into the mix—the height of a tiered stand will add interest and give you more space to place your trinkets. You can even make your own makeup storage stand out of a few trays or plates separated by (and glued to) candlestick holders.

Be Selective With What You Show
And finally, after all that color scheming, atmosphere creating and display decorating, it all comes down to what you put out on your vanity. Save bent up bobby pins and beat up nail files for the bathroom drawer. This is the place where you display eye-catching perfume bottles, clean makeup compacts and a few shiny pieces of jewelry. Are you a lipstick queen and a sucker for pretty packaging? Pick your favorite gilded tubes and lay them about. Always go back to the same three shades of pale pink polish? Since they go so well together, keep them here for a touch of color.

Have we inspired you to beautify your vanity?
Let us know if you’ll use any of these tips below!