A makeup vanity brings beauty and function together in one elegant feature. Think of it as your own personal styling station — a comfortable seat, smart storage for essentials and flattering lighting to start or end your day. Beyond everyday convenience, a vanity can elevate the entire bathroom design, adding sophistication and a personalized touch. Browse these 10 inspiring bathrooms to see how designers are reimagining the art of getting ready.
1. Arched Charm
These Encinitas, California, homeowners found Blythe Interiors on Houzz and asked designers Lynn Siemer and Dani Pestka to infuse new life into their en suite primary bathroom. The designers created a fresh, elegant look centered on a stylish new makeup vanity tucked into an arched niche. The Shaker-style vanity includes six drawers and a round velvet ottoman in beige that doubles as hidden storage. Glossy 2-by-6-inch porcelain tiles line the niche’s back wall, coordinating with the shower tile for a cohesive feel. A gold leaf mirror with soft curves echoes the arch, adding a graceful finishing touch.
2. Glam in Navy
For this Mooresville, North Carolina, bathroom, designer Laura Anderson of Craft and Trade Renovations blended white, navy and brass for a chic, functional look. One of the custom navy vanities features a built-in seated section with drawers for makeup and skincare essentials. Pullouts include electrical outlets for a hair dryer and curling iron, while a nearby tower offers drawers for stackable jewelry trays, an upper cabinet for travel toiletries and even a flat-screen TV.
3. Bright and Beautiful
In this updated Los Angeles en suite, designer Kara Piepmeyer of Studio Kosma created a serene, modern retreat. The custom double vanity features white oak veneer, a honed lilac marble countertop and a dedicated makeup area with a sleek woven stool. A large custom mirror spans the length of the vanity, reflecting light from three white arc sconces on wood backplates, which add warmth and flattering light to the space.
4. Drama Tutorial
Interior designer Elizabeth Walther of Design Studio transformed her Covington, Louisiana, primary bathroom into a glamorous retreat for her and her husband. The custom vanity features a built-in makeup area with seating and storage. For the photo shoot, Walther temporarily removed a freestanding mirror at the makeup station, revealing the commercial-grade vinyl wallpaper and its dramatic pattern that resembles a dark, glittering slab of stone.
5. Classic With a Twist
Whitney Nelson of Granite State Cabinetry designed a makeup table vanity for her Concord, New Hampshire, clients while updating the primary bathroom in their traditional New England Colonial. Removing an unused fireplace bump-out and tub deck created space for a plain-sawn, whitewashed oak vanity with a marble-look quartz countertop, seating and storage. A custom mirror with a matching oak frame hangs above. Sconces mounted to the mirror add soft, graceful curves, giving the classic space a subtle modern edge.
6. Mirror Magic
In this updated Pacific Palisades, California, bathroom, designer Amy Rothman of Architrave Interiors created an expansive vanity in a warm medium-dark gray (Peppercorn by Sherwin-Williams) with a built-in makeup area. The seated space includes a mirrored medicine cabinet with a spring-loaded door that echoes the black-framed mirrors above the main vanity.
7. Serene and Functional
This refreshed Edmond, Oklahoma, bathroom by designer Kirby Foster Hurd of Kirby Home Designs and builder Eric Stewart of Stewart Carpentry & Home Repair now feels open and serene. A custom double maple vanity, 36 inches high and painted an earthy taupe (Nearly Brown by Sherwin-Williams), includes an integrated makeup counter. The 33-inch-high floating makeup area features seating and a drawer for cosmetics and skincare. A pop-up outlet with an oil-rubbed-bronze finish on the Taj Mahal quartzite countertop makes curling irons and hair dryers easy to use.
8. Drop-Down Gorgeous
This refreshed Southern California bathroom, designed for a retired couple by Brittany Hancock of B Home Design and Letia Young of White Dog Interiors, exudes soothing beach style. Two spacious single floating beechwood vanities sit on opposite walls. The one shown here includes a drop-down makeup counter. A slim LED sconce, oval tilt mirror and plug-in LED countertop mirror put the homeowners in the best light.
9. Center Stage
This updated Lake Oswego, Oregon, bathroom, designed by Amy Pearson and built by contractor Dick Baty, features two rift-cut white oak vanities with a custom stain and a central lower makeup counter. The makeup area includes a dedicated drawer for storage and a sleek stool. Three mirrors and four sconces with milk glass shades create a sense of symmetry, enhancing the calm, soothing atmosphere.
10. Accessible Elegance
Designer Penny Lorain and project manager Matthew Laughlin of Lorain Design Associates created a revamped Davis, California, bathroom for a pair of empty-nest retirees. The space includes this wheelchair-accessible makeup area. Both the makeup station and main vanity feature textured light white oak laminate with concrete-look quartz countertops. A seeded glass pendant light with an embossed geometric pattern and matte black chain hangs over the makeup area, echoing the three matching pendants above the main vanity for a cohesive, elegant look.
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