Bathroom Makeover: Vanity Reorganization

One of my favorite features of my apartment is the built-in vanity between my bathroom and walk-in closet. This little area reserved just for beauty makes me feel quite glamorous when I'm doing my hair and applying makeup. But before pampering, the right decor is the first step in feeling like a Hollywood starlet. Below are photos from my latest vanity makeover and a few tips on how to make this space extra special. Not to worry if you don't have a dedicated vanity area, with some sprucing up and organizing even your bathroom can have a glitzy feel!

Start by making simple, inexpensive changes. My vanity consists of a large set of drawers and a low rising table. First, I replaced boring silver knobs with amazing glass knobs from Cost Plus World Market ($3.99 each) - a super simple but sassy change. To highlight the low vanity and to make the area more functional, I bought a small chair at Home Goods ($12.99). Lastly, a beveled perfume set given to me as a birthday gift makes an elegant table top decoration.

The knobs before and after.

Home Goods vanity chair. 

If you're anything like me, you spend a bit of money on your jewelry, so why not display it? When I first moved into my apartment I was given a wire Eiffel Tower jewelry rack for earrings and necklaces and I bought a vintage mirror tray from a flea market to display bracelets and rings. Over time though what I hoped would be a stylish design became cluttered and messy.

All of my jewelry in one huge pile is not cute nor practical. The Eiffel Tower alone is not right for the space as it doesn't cover enough of my plain white walls. This counter needs a burst of color to break up all the white and some serious organization.

I never liked the Eiffel Tower wire rack much but I used it because I didn't have an alternative. Luckily on my recent Goodwill run I found a great Pottery Barn jewelry rack ($7.99) to replace it with. The new rack allowed me to free up the mirrored tray and get creative with the space. With some de-cluttering and reorganizing, now my vanity looks like this:

Clean and Pretty. 

The tower and the frame at varying heights help to separate this long, white space. The tall vase with flowers also breaks up the space as well as providing some much needed color. The glass knobs on the drawers match nicely with the glass doorknob. 

The counter has been de-cluttered and will remain that way! This clean look is sustainable because everything has a place; make up brushes in jar, perfumes on mirrored tray, jewelry on rack. 

You can create a similar feel to your vanity or bathroom by trying some of these tips:

This old candle votive works well as a makeup brush holder. The small bottle and old fashion soap were 25 cents each at a flea market and are great accents to a vanity area. When decorating, I like to bunch features like these in groups of 3.  

Mirrored trays can display beauty products or jewelry and are popular at flea markets (or Grandma's house!) Mine was $7 and provides quick access to my regular perfumes.

Fancy perfume bottles sure make a girl feel ritzy - even if unused or empty! Add some candles and you'll be feeling b-e-a-U-tiful in no time.  

A mason jar from a flea market ($5) is an excellent cotton swab holder. The clothes pin box is from a garage sale and adds a touch of yesteryear to my vanity decor.

Small details - like ribbon or a strand of pearls - hung from a drawer can add some pizazz to a room. My pearled "E" is a sweet reminder of whose space this is. 

Small spaces like this are often overlooked when it comes to decorating. But these design tweaks help create a lovely place for pampering that will certainly be noticed by guests. So have fun, be fresh and get creative!

NOTE: If you have limited bathroom space you can also create a vanity by simply hanging a mirror above a dresser and decorating the dresser top. Keep the dresser top clutter free by displaying your beauty products and jewelry as seen above.