Inspiration: Style Your Dressing Table

I am, by my own admission, not the girliest of girls. I do a little bit of pink on occasion and I like pretty things, but there always needs to be something a little edgy to go with it. One thing I do love, however, is my dressing table. permitting, I think every woman should have one. Not only is it a lovely place to stash our make-up, hoard perfume bottles and give jewellery a relatively safe place, it’s possibly the one place in the home that might actually remain free of other people’s (ok, mens) clutter. I have yet to find somebody else’s coffee cup, letters or sock there, and yes, I’ve found all of them at some point or another on my desk.

And because I love my dressing table, I like it to look nice. You could say I like to dress up the dressing table. I like it to reflect my taste and personality (as opposed to looking like a display at Boots) and, at least to an extent, to be practical. In order to combine the two, I have a few little tricks up my sleeve for how to style it, which I thought I’d share with you. You never know, there might be the odd little bit of wisdom in there that you hadn’t thought of.

So, here are my tips on how to make your dressing table look great.

Mix old and new and let it grow

I wouldn’t go all out vintage because there’s always the danger that it might end up looking like your grandmother’s dressing table. On the other hand, you shouldn’t rush out and buy lots of new dressing table accessories either. It needs to grow with items you love and treasure. Remember, it’s a very personal space and should reflect you. Mixing inherited pieces with the one item you found in a shop and couldn’t resist will make it your own. The main thing is that the items should mean something to you.

Mix rough and smooth

Use different textures. Rough ceramics with smooth glass. Shiny metals and matt wood. The beauty is in the contrast and it will make any space look visually far more interesting than a completely matched set of items.

Add some green

Just as on a coffee table, a real plant or a lovely bouquet of flowers will add life to your table.

Group matching items together

Put perfume bottles together on a small tray, arrange your make-up brushes in a pretty glass and hang all your necklaces together. Even if you have a whole stash of items, by grouping them together, they will immediately look tidier.

Display your jewellery

Speaking of necklaces and jewellery, just because they don't adorn you, doesn’t mean they should be shoved into a drawer. Costume jewellery and statement necklaces make lovely decorations and can easily be exchanged. Plus, you won't run the risk of putting them out of sight, out of mind and forgetting them until you move house.

A touch of black

I’m of the firm opinion that everything needs a touch of black. It adds depth and elegance to any setup and works with all colours.

Think outside the box

The jewellery box, that is. There's no need to go out and buy a box that is specifically made for jewellery. All that's needed is a little bit of creative thinking. Most of my rings are in an old brandy glass, I have just found an old plant dish (that's what I'm assuming it is) which looks great with some necklaces and brooches in it, and I use a small Moroccan bowl for some of my earrings. All these items are personal to me and I believe make my dressing table look more interesting than a collection of acrylic boxes.

I hope you like these tips and the images of my table. If you have your own tips and tricks, I'd love to hear from you.

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