I adore Downton Abbey
It's a period I'm quite fond of
That period between the wars
When there were still English country houses
And house parties
Not only the story line but I enjoy
the peek into the rooms
of "Downton"
How the sets are decorated
And I love the bedroom scenes
(not the steamy sexy ones)
But rather, the ones that take place
at the dressing table!
And a lot of scenes do
For they're either getting ready for bed
Or getting ready for the day
Or getting ready for dinner
And what better time to talk to your Lady's Maid
Than when you're at the dressing table!
Lady Mary has one
With a bit of lace, a mirror, scent bottles and lotion jars
And a picture in a silver frame
And so does Lady Edith
With lamps and candles
And a mirror, of course
So that you can comb your hair, put on your "face"
And ask questions . . . of yourself!
At Linderhof
I've had a dressing table "forever"
It's in what is really a closet off the master bedroom
Separated from the bedroom by French doors
And it has a window, a full size window
And so, early on, I chose to make this space
my "dressing room"
With table and chair
It's where I sit last thing at night to comb my hair
(but, alas, not 100 strokes)
And first thing in the morning when I "put on my face"!
An English sofa table serves as the dressing table
A cherval shaving mirror sits on top
(It's not an antique but rather a Bombay purchase --
with Christmas money one year. The one on top of Husband Jim's dresser is an antique)
A small silver tray holds jars of lavender and lotions
The brushes were gifts from Husband Jim
The one on the left was a wedding present.
And (like Lady Mary) a silver dresser set
to brush my hair
(but alas, not those 100 strokes!)
The piece of "lace" came from Italy this fall
The small Asian box was bought by husband Jim over 40 years ago
Two lamps with crystals
And the perfume bottles
Every dressing table needs perfume bottles!
And on the right -- two Bibles
A very old one that belonged to my German uncle and was given to me by my cousin the day of his funeral, because he knew I would want something to remember Uncle Laurence by. And I did! And the bigger one was given to my mother when she was baptized.
It's a peaceful place,
this dressing table of mine
And although I don't have an Anna to take care of my clothes
and wait on me.
I do feel special whenever I sit at my dressing table
Alas, I am still trying to figure out how, as a married lady, I can have breakfast in bed!