My DIY Dressing Table and Vanity Mirror

Being a fan of makeup and cosmetics for as long as I can remember, I always longed to have the perfect dressing table and ‘vanity mirror’ – the ones that you see makeup artists using backstage and in all of the magazines (with lots of big bright bulbs around the outside of the mirror).  However, the original vanity mirrors are so, so expensive.  Determined to find a cheaper alternative, I took to Pinterest and Youtube where I found alternative ideas.  As far as I am concerned, Pinterest and Youtube will always have the answer! Lol

If, like me, you are a big fan of Pinterest and YouTube, then this DIY dressing table will not come as a surprise to you.  I have seen it used a lot.  However, when I discovered it, the names of all of the pieces of furniture and fittings that I needed were not clear, so I thought it would be useful to share with you the combination of products that I used to build my very own (and inexpensive) dressing table and vanity mirror……..(and yes, that is me, looking creepy in the reflection of the mirror! lol It is very hard to photograph reflective things!)

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I headed to the shop that sells everything (Ikea) and picked out the pieces that I needed.

Malim Dressing Table

Ikea have so many different dressing tables to chose from, but the one I chose was the Malim dressing table.  I thought this one was perfect because it had a drawer in the front, where I could put some of my makeup, and the overall size was just right.  I didn’t want anything that would take up too much space, but at the same time I didn’t want one that was so small it was useless.  This dressing table also has a glass top which is so convenient for keeping it clean.  As much as I like white furniture, it can be very difficult to keep it looking good (especially if you are using it to do your makeup), so the fact that I can just wipe this one clean is such a bonus! I don’t have to worry about getting foundation everywhere, which let’s face it, we all do!

Alex Drawer Unit

Given that I am a self proclaimed makeup addict (lol), the one little drawer that comes in the dressing table is just not enough space to house my ever growing collection of products (some of my favourites are listed here).  To deal with the storage issue, I use two sets of the famous Alex Drawer Units.  These come with either 5 or 9 drawers.  I opted for 2 sets of the 5 drawer version and placed one either side of my dressing table.  These drawers are very very popular for storing makeup (to the point where I am almost sick of looking at them on Pinterest and other places lol).  However, they are cheap, practical and do the job.  I have had mine for about 4 years now and I must admit that the drawers have a bit of an annoying sound when I open them.  I would definitely upgrade to something of better quality in the future, but for now they do just fine and like I said, they have served me well for several years now!

Nissedal White Mirror

To make the vanity mirror, I started off by getting one of the Nissedal mirrors in white.  This is a very basic square mirror but it is big and lightweight, so is perfect for sitting on top of the dressing table.

Musik Chrome-Plated Wall Lamps

For the fun part (the lights), I use two strips of the Musik chrome-plated wall lamps.  These are what give it the ‘professional’ look.  They come on a long narrow strip and have slots for 5 bulbs on each strip.   Like I said, I use 2 strips of these, 1 on each side of the mirror.  You could obviously use 3 or 4 strips if you prefer and have them completely surround the mirror, but trust me, 2 is MORE than enough! These are so bright that they should come with a warning! Lol.  The only annoying thing about these lights is that they come unwired and without bulbs.  Dan’s dad kindly wired the plugs to mine.

Once you put all of the pieces together, you have your very own easy and inexpensive dressing table and vanity mirror – tada!  I also added the table top Tysnes mirror to my dressing table because I am very blind and need to get close to the mirror lol.  Then I just decorated with a few of my favourite bits and pieces.  I don’t always have fresh flowers because they are so expensive to buy here in Abu Dhabi, but when I do, I like to put some here to brighten the dressing table up J.  Here I have cut down some pink roses to fit snugly into these little white plant pot – I think they look so cute J.

I hope this was helpful for anyone who is in the market for a new dressing table.  Please do let me know if you have created something similar or if you intend to do so.  I would love to hear how you get on with it.

Please also let me know in the comments section below, if you have any requests for blog posts you would like me to write.  As you will have gathered by now, I am happy to write about almost anything, but I want to be sure that you also enjoy the content.  I have received a few requests from friends which I have put on the list, so all requests are welcome.  Otherwise, I will just plough ahead with my own long list of ideas lol

Have a great weekend everyone!

 

 

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