The other day I passed by an enticing flea market. Too enticing to resist, actually. The booths and sections that always catch my eye are, of course, those selling furniture and homewares. On this particular day, a number of sellers had brought in dozens of delightful pieces intertwined with a vanity bench set theme. Benches and stools, mirrors and tables, all very delicate, very feminine, and very beautiful.
Seeing vanity stools and benches out of their typical context gave my imaginative mind some room to breathe. These exquisite pieces of furniture did not have to be relegated to a private bathroom, or even bedroom. Most of them would do wonderfully in an elegant entryway, perhaps framed by potted plants. Some seemed like they’d been built for a small patio or balcony area. Others could simply have been decorative pieces in the living and dining room corners.
Makeup vanity benches, I realized, are more versatile then we tend to think. They are such unique pieces. They are so delicately constructed. A quality vanity and bench set is really a piece of art. Why should it be shuttered off into a private room, when, in many cases, it can sit, gloriously appreciated, in a central place of the home? Vanity tables might double as a quaint desk, or even as buffet furniture. Vanity mirrors can be hung over a table or even over a delicate bench. Perhaps it is time to take these beautiful pieces of furniture out. Bring the fairytale and the romance into the home.
Really, the only pieces that will feel supremely out of place are the ones decked out in frills, looking too much like lingerie, or the specifically constructed bathroom vanity benches that carry too much of a sterile, wet proof appearance.
If you find simple, elegant vanities, however, experiment with them in various places around the home. Separate those sets. You have a vanity table with mirror and bench? Use the table in your dining room as a buffet piece. Hang the mirror above the bench and some potted flora in your entryway. See how it feels. Or perhaps that simple white vanity bench belongs on your front porch, framed with the greenery growing outdoors.
Really, there are more variations than we might think of off hand. It requires a little creativity and a little bit of daring, but break the vanity mold. You’ll feel inspired. Make your way to the flea market yourself. Gaze for a few moments at the delightful vanity stool bench so out of place against a rusty gate and next to the Moroccan pot. Where does it belong? What other home can you give it? Surprise yourself. Enjoy the experience.
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