Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Style and beauty

Looking for style advice? Chat all about it here. For the latest discounts on fashion and beauty, sign up for Mumsnet Moneysaver emails.

Original poster

Do people not have dressing tables any more?

117 replies

poissonrouge · 07/02/2011 18:23

I rather fancy a dressing table in my bedroom.

Table, stool, big mirror, make-up and jewelry, various precious bits of stick, some Lightning McQueen lego, quarter of a pink crayon, Barbie's spare FMP's...

Anyway. The first 3 furniture shops I have looked in don't have any such thing. All the bedroom displays have bed, wardrobe, chest of drawers and other bits and bobs, but no dressing table!

Are they obsolete?

This is not a thread asking where to get one; I shall just find a nice table and stool and mirror etc.

But... do YOU have a dressing table? Does ANYONE have a dressing table any more?

OP posts:
CrystalStair · 08/02/2011 11:43

I don't have one but would like a pretty one. Auctions are good places to look. You could get a cheap one and make it pretty with a bit of sanding and paint. Places like the Great Little Trading Co have load meant for little girls. But I hate the GLTC!

megapixels · 08/02/2011 11:49

I have one but I never use it! Not having a stool is probably something to do with it, only just realised Hmm.

I have one back home that my parents had especially made for me as a wedding gift, it was part of a bedroom suite and was a nice solid teak one with three drawers and a large arching mirror. Would like to ship it but I don't have the space here.

toddlerama · 08/02/2011 11:49

I have a bureau desk I got on freecycle which I sanded and painted cream. IT has lots of little shelves and pockets for organising cosmetics and closes up so it's all hidden away from little fingers.

Those of you who don't have one, where do you do hair / makeup? I would be lost without a corner for my girly tat.

Sarsaparilllla · 08/02/2011 11:52

I have one that I got from freecycle, I sanded it down and repainted it and bought a new mirror for it, it's lovely :)

Ephiny · 08/02/2011 11:54

I don't have one. I have a full-length mirror in the bedroom positioned so I can sit on the edge of the bed to blow-dry my hair in front of it. Don't wear makeup, but if I did, I guess I'd do it in the bathroom Confused, don't most people?

I wouldn't have room for one anyway, there isn't much bedroom left once you've got fitted wardrobes along two walls and a king-sized bed in there...

recycledteen · 08/02/2011 12:15

I'd look around charity furniture shops. Some of the hospices have furniture shops as well as the usual bric a brac shops.

sevendwarves · 08/02/2011 12:17

There's a gorgeous 1940's one in our new house we've just bought, the people who lived their before left it behind! :o

I just have to hope there'll still be room for it after we've moved all of our furniture in!

baggabones · 08/02/2011 12:20

My husband has just bought me one for my birthday and I am sooo excited about filling the drawers with my jewelry and make up!

butterpieify · 08/02/2011 12:45

I have a kind of unit in my en suite, with a sink, mirror, surface for my makeip and knee hole for my knees :) It rules. Moving soon though- no idea where I will put all my bumf then. Although tbh I use it about once a month, the rest of the time my hair is lucky if it gets a quick towel dry and a brush run through it, and makeup is a bit of powder and lipblam that I keep in my handbag.

I do love makeup though, I have some great stuff :)

Stangirl · 08/02/2011 12:59

I have a beautiful art deco, burr walnut dressing table. Seven drawers, 3 down each side and one across the middle, very large round mirror. I drape long necklaces over the mirror. Bought it last year for £50 off of ebay. Just put in "art deco dressing table".

nappyaddict · 08/02/2011 13:31

I always thought it would be a bit of a pain in the arse to do my make up at a dressing table cos I'd have to keep walking into the bathroom to wash my hands. And if I spill any make up in the bathroom it goes straight in the sink and I can run the tap and wash it away.

Millie1 · 08/02/2011 13:39

Have this and love it. Separate links for dressing table and mirror.

www.wguk.com/content/69/Lyon-Gallery-Mirror?rangetype=Bedroom
www.wguk.com/content/67/Lyon-Dressing-Table?rangetype=Bedroom

DelicateFluffyBunny · 08/02/2011 13:47

I have a gorgeous one that I got in a charity shop! It doesn't hold my make up or anything like that - I use it as my sewing table. Now if I could only find an actual sewing table then I could reclaim my dressing table.

AmazingDisgrace · 08/02/2011 13:48

I want This It's not over the top is it? Grin

WhatsWrongWithYou · 08/02/2011 14:04

Scumble Goosie have some nice Swedish/French-style desks you could add a mirror to, plus you can have them painted to match your room.

Or paint them yourself and save £££!

halfcaff · 08/02/2011 14:08

I used to have one when we had a bigger bedroom, but never actually sat at it and put make-up on. Bedroom is now too small. Make-up is applied standing up in the downstairs loo, hair dried (when there is time) sitting on my bed with my knees touching the oversized built-in wardrobes!

Suchffun · 08/02/2011 14:12

Our bedroom has a bay window and my dressing table is in there. I always wanted to have a dressing table, they are useful and beautiful and I love it! Especially in spring when the tree in the front garden is in bloom. It makes me feel like I am starting the day in a civilised kind of way.

Housemum · 08/02/2011 15:12

I would love to have the space for a dressing table (well, i probably would if I didn't have so much stuff - we have a generous built-in double wardrobe each and a tall chest of drawers in our room that sits where a dressing table would fit)

I would also love the time to "dress" ie sit like a character in a 1950s film, slip on my stockings, moisturise and do my make up. Rather than throw on jeans and a shirt, scrape a brush through my hair, slick on some lippy and run.

If I had a dressing table it would end up with school letters/toys/bank statements/other crud left on it.

eandz · 08/02/2011 15:12

i have one from ikea. the hemnes range.

moragbellingham · 08/02/2011 15:17

stantonlacey - I'm currently not able to buy the Ikea one (which I'm trying to persuade DH we NEED) but now of course I want that make-up trunk!
Best get back to the parents for my kidney shaped one with the naff curtains round it. Good job I can sew.

ClaireDeLoon · 08/02/2011 15:17

There is a stunning art deco style pair of wardrobes and matching dressing table in DP's much missed granny's house which is being sold soon. And as we don't have room, his DSis and my MIL etc don't have room, the bedroom furniture will be sold to a junk shop I expect for a few quid and I am so sad about that.

eandz · 08/02/2011 15:17

but i really wish i had this one

swoon

Pinkx3 · 08/02/2011 15:19

I don't have one but my sil has a huge one from Ikea (I think) but then she doesn't have any kids so has loads of time to spend at a dressing table which I would barely get to sit down at! :o

ivykaty44 · 08/02/2011 15:22

op hammonds have a dressing table- a very large one, in the window display of their shop in Leamington.

It looked rather good as I walked past at the weekend and I did wonder then if people still had dressing tables

NorthernGobshite · 08/02/2011 17:32

The 'lady' in me would love one, but I know it would end up covered in dh and dd's bits of crap and the drawers would be full of junk. But Bonsoir, I want your dressing table!