Did you ever see your grandmother’s vanity in the corner of her bedroom with all of her perfume bottles and her hairbrushes laid out like treasures? Perhaps you remember how she’d sit with a little bit of powder on her nose before leaving for the day or perhaps you’d sneak into her room just to play with the things inside of it, imagining yourself all grown up. The vanities, with their endless designs and separate compartments were bigger than just pieces of furniture, each a path to another time, another mind set.

And now, imagine finding one of those vanities in perfect condition, with a hidden surprise: small metal cups, embedded in the drawer. Anyone who has ever wondered what those odd little compartments were for lets take a trip down memory lane and find out what these were for.

But in the 1950s and ‘60s, vanities were an everyday part of life. Not just about getting ready… the ritual. The vanity was where women of the time unwound, prepared for the day, and engaged in a bit of self care. At a vanity, sitting you could spend your time brushing your hair, applying some perfume, or dab little rouge. However, today we could have a cluttered bathroom counter and a quick morning routine, but back then these little acts were a part of something further.

So, what were those cups for? In the old days, the tools you groomed with were tools that would last – you recognized them by their thickness in the hand, their robust perfume bottles, their heavy metal combs. Those vanity cups came in useful for these items, that were needed to sit securely somewhere. Everything had its place in the cups, barely cluttering the surface, and yet they reached your beauty essentials. I can picture yours favourite brush perched upright, ready for use, or your go to perfume bottle snugly nestled in one of those cups.

Vanities were time when grooming was an art with their carefully crafted drawers and compartments  – well, on some vanities. In the 60’s, like the 20’s, women wanted to look good and this wasn’t just modern vanity. On Sundays, or when you head out to the grocery store, you were presenting your best self. Each item on the vanity – powder puffs, lipsticks and brushes – naturally belonged.

Additionally, these vanities reflect the reality that the look of home decor was a function of a woman’s place in society. It was as much as the time treasured homemaking, as it valued personal care. Vanity was both tool and symbol of femininity, a place for private space for women. The subtle hint of these hidden compartments and cups reminded me of this, keeping things organized, but, at the same time, showing me that there was no such thing as immediate beauty, as so much did, it took time and care.

If you have (or have owned or inherited) a vintage vanity with these uniquely cupped sinks you may have been wondering how to use them today. Should the modern perfumes and creams you hold have caught on? Could a contemporary setting make them work in a decorative sense? What I love about these old vanities is that you can kind of marry old with new. You might not have those same thick-handed brushes or heavy combs which filled the same type of cups decades ago, but you can still honour the skill and ingenuity behind the design.