Boudoir buddy

During the clutter-clearing frenzy of the ‘90s, out went the centuries’ old staple of ladies’ boudoir furniture - the dressing table, all because we wanted streamlined, soulless, space efficient storage.

The clutter of the dressing table - cosmetics and hair accessories - ended up in the bathroom, and I have to say there’s a great deal of sense in this as any spillages of perfumes and lotions can be dealt with easily: bedrooms with their emphasis on textiles and softness have a habit of absorbing perfume droplets which quickly turn stale and odiferous.

But now, thanks to the love of all things vintage, the dressing table is enjoying a renaissance, and if you’d like something authentic from the era of Hollywood matinée idols, when ladies sat in their satin négligées preening before a mirror, and spraying scent from a crystal bottle topped with a puffer, then a forage in the second-hand furniture shop is a good starting point.