'dressing' the dressing table

[Bananawalnuts]

Any tips/thoughts for what I should put on top of the dressing table in the spare room?

We'll be having quite a few house guests in the next few years and I'd like to make the room as welcoming as possible.

I've taken some ideas from room set photos on line but what, in real life, would you like to see/have if you were staying at a friend's house?

'Out on show' items I'm asking about, not 'spare toothbrush' type items that will be in a basket in one of the drawers.

TIA

Honestly? Nothing. What is easiest and most welcoming for me is space to put my own stuff if I’m visiting. An unoccupied surface would be great.

A very small vase of flowers or plant and nothing else, or else nothing. I'd want it to be a useable space.

Flowers and a box of tissues maybe. A small - silent! - clock can be useful too.

But mostly I like to have the space to put my things out when staying.

This..id also put mini shampoo... body wash, lotion etc in little basket. Its just cute isnt it

A mirror might be useful. Somewhere to charge a phone, without having to unplug the bedside lamp.

A nice refillable bottle of fresh water and a nice, clean glass.

Little ornament or flowers and that’s it.

Agree on the water.

Depends on whether or not you have a bedside table as well. I'd put water and a clock on a bedside table rather than a dressing table. I agree with flowers tissues and nothing else if that's the case. Possibly a pretty glass jar of cotton wool pads.

I feel the same. Anything else is history going to be in the way.

A mirror and lamp on the dressing table or on the wall above it. Otherwise flowers or a plant.

A pretty and decorative candle that I’ve been given the permission to use.

Thank you ALL very much for the posts. I shall be taking heed of all 😃

A little bowl or trey where guests can drop their car keys, sunglasses, loose change, jewellery… so they are not chucked on the table, leaving scratch marks. I’d leave some matching or complementary coasters there for the same reason (voice of experience).