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Creation of a cosiness and convenience of habitation depends on trifles. Choosing the right furniture is one of the factors. The set of furniture, as a rule, is more or less the same for everyone, but in one house you are comfortable, in another you are not at all. One of the nice things is the dressing table with a backlit mirror. This is “women’s” furniture that can make the beautiful half of humanity a little happier.
Do you need it or not?
A dressing table (syn. dressing room, cosmetic, make-up, ladies’) is not an essential item, but after watching a movie or visiting a party, you want something like that for yourself. I want something I want, but there is no certainty that this thing is necessary. Let’s just say: a thing is not necessary, but useful. Let’s explain why it’s useful. The first thing worth noting is that cosmetics and care products will be concentrated in one place. Already good. Secondly, the purchase of a dressing table will reduce the cost and time for “beautifying”. Costs are reduced because there is no need to keep duplicates – in the bathroom, on the mirror near the entrance, in a bag, etc. Time is reduced because there is no need to run around in search of funds that have disappeared somewhere. Well, there is no reason to be nervous – it’s nice when everything is at hand.
There is one more bonus. It is relevant if you previously painted in the bathroom: it will be free for a much longer period of time. And since gradually, near the dressing table, you begin to dry your hair – sitting it is more pleasant to do it – then the bath is practically “idle” to the delight of the rest of the household. So there are really a lot of advantages.
However, there is a “but”. Not all women use the dressing table. For some, this item is a joy, for someone it’s just “worth it”. How to determine if you need a dressing table with a mirror and lighting or there is no need to spend money? Actually, it’s easy. Analyze your habits. If you devote a lot of time to self-care, often carry out procedures, you like to admire your reflection – this piece of furniture is simply necessary for you. Choose a model and enjoy. If daily makeup takes 5-10 minutes, there is simply no time for more – better spend your money on something else. Get more fun.
Types and varieties
It is not enough to decide what you need a dressing table with an illuminated mirror. You still need to choose the design and style. The style is a little easier – it should fit the environment, but the design needs to be thought out.
Dressing room table can be corner or wall – rectangular. According to the method of attachment – hinged or on consoles / pedestals / legs. The shape of the tabletop is straight or with rounded sides, the drawers are only under the tabletop or on the sides. The number of boxes and drawers, their size and location. Lots of options. Also, the mirror can be fixed on the tabletop, or it can be separate and attached to the wall at a certain height. So we already have a lot of possible options. But that’s not all: different widths of the tabletop, one large mirror or three – like a dressing table. The choice is really large and it is not so easy to choose a dressing table with an illuminated mirror.
Backlight Features
In order to make it more convenient to take care of themselves, ladies prefer to have a dressing table with mirror illumination. A few years ago, only and exclusively incandescent lamps were used. For normal lighting (read – for bright light), there can be at least a dozen lamps, but they usually set 40 watts and no more. The light is warm, bright, if the sources are located on the sides or around the perimeter, the lighting is uniform without shadows.
Even bright lighting for makeup is good. But, due to the rise in the price of electricity, old incandescent lamps are being replaced everywhere with more economical ones. And here you have to be careful. Housekeepers (fluorescent lamps, but with a conventional base) and some LED lamps distort color perception. If you put such lamps to illuminate the dressing table, the makeup may be of strange colors. Therefore, when choosing lamps, pay attention to the glow temperature. Ideally, a natural or warm yellow and not too bright.
They also illuminate the mirror with LED strip. Here the principle is the same – we choose white LEDs with a natural glow or warm yellow. When installing an LED strip, do not forget about the need for heat dissipation – when overheated, the LEDs quickly dim. For better heat dissipation, a strip of metal (aluminum) is laid, and an LED strip is already glued to it.
Stores sell various illuminated mirrors, i.e. you can buy separately a table and a mirror with lighting for makeup. In many cases, you can limit yourself to a compact desktop option.
If among your relatives or friends there is a home master, then you can make a mirror for almost every taste and color. See an example in the video.
Dressing table sizes
Of the parameters, there are only two that are really worth paying attention to. This is the height of the tabletop and its minimum width. The height of the dressing table is determined in much the same way as the height of the desk. In theory, it should be selected according to the growth of the owner. Still, women spend a lot of time looking in the mirror. Along with the height of the table, you need to pick up a chair, armchair or banquette – it depends on what you plan to put next to it.
A certain standard is the height of the countertop at 75 cm, but you need to focus on your height. Next, we determine the height of the seat. When a woman is sitting, her legs should be bent at the knees at or close to 90° – this is the most comfortable position. So choosing the height of a chair or armchair is not so difficult.
You also need to know the minimum width of the countertop. In stationary models (on legs) it is 40-45 cm, in hanging models – 30-35 cm. A lot of cosmetics will fit on such a countertop, there will be enough space in the drawers. If you plan to use part of the drawers as a chest of drawers, the width can be increased to 50-55 cm. But keep in mind that even with a depth of 40 cm, organizers (space delimiters) are required for cosmetics. For even deeper ones, stationary dividers (made of plywood or fiberboard) will be needed, otherwise it will be completely inconvenient.
If the women’s table is equipped with a hanging mirror, you also need to know at what height to hang the mirror. This parameter also depends on growth. Sitting in front of a mirror, the lady should look approximately at the center of the mirror surface. If desired and of sufficient size, you can lower the edge 10-15 cm lower. The main thing is that the top of the head is visible.
Where to put + unusual models for small spaces
First you need to decide where to put the dressing table. The most logical and convenient option is in the bedroom. Here we are looking for a free place, we determine the size. Then it’s up to the choice of style and color.
Not everyone has a dedicated bedroom. What if you have to sleep in the living room, which turns into a bedroom at night? A traditional dressing table would be out of place here. There are several options for this case.
Built in closet
If the room has a large closet, one of the sections can be taken under the table, make a retractable tabletop, drawers, install a mirror.
Shelves above the mirror are used “for their intended purpose” – for storing clothes. Convenient option. That’s just the lower part will be unexploited. There will be a chair / bench, you can also put your feet there. If the countertop is as long as in the photo above, the sides can be occupied by drawers. What to store in them – cosmetics or other things – depends on the desires of the owners.
Combined with work/computer table
The next option is to install models with a folding mirror. When folded, such a dressing table looks like a regular work or computer table. By the way, you can work on it. It is necessary to “bring beauty” – the lid rises, a mirror appears, and under it there are compartments for cosmetics. Part of it can be kept in drawers under the tabletop or on the side – on the consoles.
For a dressing table combined with a computer desk, the mirror lighting should be thought out. In this case, an LED strip is definitely used, so before buying it is worth checking whether the colors are transmitted correctly.
Another version of the “hidden” dressing table is with a part of the table top that rolls to the side. When folded, this piece of furniture looks like a regular chest of drawers. The top line of boxes rolls to the side, the lid rises. And now – you have a chest of drawers on the side, and in front of you is a full-fledged dressing table with an illuminated mirror. The only thing – it will be necessary to figure out where to put the chair / bench.
Corner models – use the space to the maximum
The most difficult thing is usually to use the corners. Especially if it is a small gap, bounded by a doorway on one side and a window on the other. It is difficult to find something here, so that it is convenient to use and to the place. As an option – put a cosmetic table with a mirror.
Please note that the mirrors in these models are usually mounted on the countertop, because it is not so easy to fix the mirror in the corner.
The second option for the “difficult corner” is in the bedroom next to the window. Often the bed is placed with the headboard against the wall so that the window is on the right or left. The rooms are usually small and there is very little space left from the corner to the windowsill. The bed is pushed back by 70-80 cm. There is very little space and, it seems, except for a small bedside table, you can’t put anything there. And here it is not. There, too, a corner lady’s table for cosmetics will also fit very well.
When choosing the height of this model, you should focus not only on the convenience of the hostess. It is necessary to take into account the height of the window sill. If the wall from the window slope to the corner is very small, most of the countertop will be under the windowsill. The height is chosen so that the makeup table is not higher than the windowsill. Another tip: in this case, it is better to use Roman blinds. Roll-ups are also suitable, but they don’t really “fit in” with bedrooms, but they are good in teen rooms.
When choosing a model, pay attention to the fact that when opening the drawers do not rest against heating radiators. Firstly, this is inconvenient, and secondly, high temperatures for cosmetics are not very good. Perhaps the best option for such a case is drawers under the countertop, and not on the side. You can find a dressing table with an illuminated mirror in which the drawers do not slide out, but rotate relative to one of the corners (as in the photo above). This is even more convenient, but provided that there is free space on the side.
Dressing table with mirror with light pendant mounting
An ordinary table – with legs or consoles – is not very convenient in the sense that you have to bend around the supports when cleaning. Hanging models are more convenient in this sense, but they can be mounted on walls with good bearing capacity – made of concrete, wood, brick. On partitions from one layer of drywall or tongue-and-groove blocks, it is better not to install them. So before you buy a wall-mounted vanity with an illuminated mirror, make sure that the wall can withstand the load.
And one moment. For installation, you will need brackets or holders, and of good quality. And they are not cheap. Plus, it takes time for installation and it will be necessary to monitor a reasonable load – do not put anything particularly heavy.
The good thing about these models is that they fit perfectly into the design of the modern trend. It is difficult to fit a lady’s table in the style of minimalism and hi-tech, but in this version it works very well.
Photo ideas, interesting models
To make a final decision – whether you need a dressing table or not – you may need to see “your” model. This name is usually associated with something pretentious, on bent legs with patterns and paintings. Such models certainly exist. But not only those. There are in different styles. Moreover, the assortment of modern ones is much larger – furniture makers also adapt to the general trends in the design of apartments and houses. This section has collected some interesting ideas. Some are only in the project, there are photos of finished ones.