vanity re-do | adding personality

I saw this project on hgtv.com and just fell in love with it. We have a little half bathroom that is right off our kitchen. When we moved in, it had a vanity that was attached to the wall. Ugly, white and way too big for the little space. So about a 2 years ago, we bought a smaller, free-standing vanity at Home Depot. It was very reasonable {maybe $200??} and included the granite top and sink. I loved the colors of the top – it’s a mix of beige, gray, white and rust/orange. Perfect for hiding any mess! I wall-papered the tiny room with an ivory grass cloth – and these two improvements made a big difference.

But the wood cabinets on the vanity have gotten scratched up pretty good. And I never really loved the color of the wood – it was like a red wine color. So when I saw this project online, I thought it would add some big personality to our little vanity and bathroom. Now this piece is one of my faves. This is an easy day/weekend project anyone can take on.

HERE’S WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
sandpaper
wood filler
paintbrush
paint {I used Valspar Signature paint & primer, semi-gloss – color is called Seine}
screwdriver/drill for attaching door knockers
tape measure

STEPS:

1. Sand all wood surfaces to remove some of the current finish. You can remove the doors if you choose – I kept them on and it worked fine for this design. No turning back now!

2. Remove knobs and fill holes with wood filler. Let dry, then sand the wood filler areas to be even with the cabinet surface.

3. Wipe down cabinets and when clean, paint with 2-3 coats of the semi-gloss paint. Be sure to let the paint dry and cure completely between coats. Go over any areas as needed.

4. Attach door knockers on cabinet fronts according to package directions. I hung them a little higher than center because I thought it would be easier to open the cabinet doors this way.

I hope you like this project. Click here to check out the HGTV blog – I love their projects and ideas! Enjoy!