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Turning a Mid-Century Modern Dresser into a Bathroom Vanity

Turning a Mid-Century Modern Dresser into a Bathroom Vanity

Do you love the mid-century modern style, but find the selection for bathroom vanities severely lacking? Today I’ll show you how to turn a modern dresser into a vanity including how to alter those drawers to work around the plumbing.

Turning a Mid-Century Modern Dresser into a Bathroom Vanity

Hello out there, is anyone still listening? I’ve been a bit delayed on getting the Millie’s Remodel updates and tutorials live on the site. (I shared why I’ve been offline here.) Today I have the much asked for tutorial and I’m excited to share how to turn a mid-century modern dresser into a bathroom vanity.

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

While working on the Millie’s Remodel project, I looked everywhere for a vanity for the main bathroom. Unfortunately, I didn’t like any of the options available. They were either too expensive or they looked cheaply made. So, I ordered a dresser very similar to this one:

(The actual dresser I ordered is no longer in stock, but this one is a good look-a-like.) When it arrived, I was incredibly happy with the mid-century modern style look I was craving, but I knew I needed to make some modifications for it to accept a sink and the plumbing underneath. Luckily, I’d been “looking under the hood” of a lot of bathroom vanities and taking notes on how to modify the drawers to fit around the plumbing.

Average Height for a Bathroom Vanity:

Back in the day, bathroom vanities were 30 – 32 inches tall. Today, as our average height is growing, most people prefer 34 – 36 inches for a bathroom vanity height. If you’ve ever seen vanities that are shorter than 30 inches, it’s usually because the floor was laid and/or built up around the vanity instead of the vanity being set on top of the tile. In fact, Millie’s bathroom vanity was a mere 28 inches tall. It was ridiculously short.

When shopping for your vanity dresser, keep the final height in mind looking at the dresser height. Don’t forget to account for the countertop thickness if you will be adding a new top. Typically countertops are 1.25 inches thick.

Modifications to Turn a Dresser Into Bath Vanity:

  • Remove the legs (if the vanity will be taller than 36 inches once the countertop is added)
  • Secure the top drawer face (or use hardware to create a tilt out cubby)
  • Modify the second (and possibly third drawer) for the plumbing
  • Choose a countertop
  • Install a faucet
  • Add a sink

Countertop Options for Dresser Turned into Sink Vanity:

The sky is the limit when it comes to countertop options for your dresser. Granite, quartzite, or other stone materials provide an attractive and long lasting surface for your vanity. Keep in mind Marble, soap stone, concrete, and other soft stone materials may etch and require more upkeep. Cultured marble, granite, or quartz would provide a more durability surface. Laminate countertops are a very affordable option for your new sink vanity. Any countertop you use in the kitchen can be used in your bathroom. I’ve seen many people keep the original dresser top and cut a hole for a sink or set a bowl sink on top. A word of caution, if you’re using the original wood dresser top, protect the wood with several layers of a marine varnish or other strong topcoat. Also, try to wipe up any water droplets from the surface immediately. (Using the existing top of the dresser means a lot more maintenance to protect from scratches and water damage.) You could rationalize a more expensive countertop by comparing the time and energy used to maintain each top.

How to Turn a Dresser into a Bathroom Vanity:

It’s time to take that dresser and turn it into a beautiful and functional bathroom sink vanity. Let’s gather a few supplies first.

Materials:

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

Optional: Table Saw

Electrician’s Plyers

Video: How to Convert a Modern Dresser into a Sink Vanity

I made a video tutorial to show you exactly how I converted a mid-century modern dresser into a modern bathroom sink vanity. (Of course, I also tried to insert some humor into the video, so I hope you get a few laughs.)

Instructions:

  1. Determine the final height of your vanity. Subtract for your countertop. Determine if you need to remove or alter the legs to achieve the desired height.
  2. Remove the top drawer. Next, remove the drawer slides for the top drawer because these can be saved for another project. Save the drawer face. (You may need to remove the drawer knobs to disconnect the drawer face from the box.)
  3. Secure the drawer face to the face frame of the cabinet with screws. If your cabinet doesn’t have a face frame, add some blocking inside the opening for securing the drawer face to.
  4. Measure the location of your plumbing pipes (height off the ground, depth from the wall, side to side measurements from the side walls, and finally how wide are the pipes). Don’t forget to account for the drain, p-trap, and shut-off handles if your plumbing is new and simply stubbed out of the wall or floor.
  5. Remove the second drawer. Transfer the measurements for the plumbing onto the bottom of the drawer.
  6. Cut a hole in the drawer for the drain and plumbing pipes.
  7. Measure the cutout and create new sides, using plywood, to close the cutout back up.
  8. Secure the new sides with glue and finish nails. You may need clamps to hold the sides as you attach them.
  9. Paint the new sides and/or finish with a protective topcoat to protect the drawer from water.
  10. Cut out the top of the dresser to make room for the sink and faucet (unless you are opting to use the dresser top as is.)
  11. Re-insert the second drawer. Install the vanity in the bathroom.
  12. Install the countertop, sink, and faucet.

Waterproofing Your Vanity:

Depending on the finish of your dresser, you may want to paint or seal it to protect the new vanity from water damage. To protect the legs of the vanity, you may want to add nail-in floor protectors to the bottom of the feet. This will lift the dresser off the ground should any water spill or puddle under the vanity.

Final Result:

I found a remnant of granite at my local countertop fabricator. It’s honed Negresco granite and I love the dark black color on the wood vanity. It has a similar look to soapstone, but much more durable.

The faucet I used is the Moen Align faucet in brushed gold. I created a backsplash using a few leftover tiles from tiling the tub surround. For a beautiful finished edge, I used a Schluter satin brass jolly profile to frame the tiles.

The drawers hold a decent amount of toiletries and fit around the plumbing without any issues.

The lighting was provided by Kichler, one of the Millie’s Remodel sponsors. The minimalist Ryame lighted mirror is perfect for applying makeup or just giving the perfect amount of soft lighting. And the Jasper 3 light wall fixture has all the mid-century modern style this house needs. Fun fact, you can hang this light facing up or down. Your choice!

Can you believe this is the same bathroom? I love how it turned out.

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

Stay tuned for the next Millie’s Remodel update. I’ll be giving you the full tour of the house and it will be filled with loads of before and after pictures!

Do you enjoy the videos I’ve been sharing? Are you subscribed to my YouTube channel? This is one simple way you can thank me for sharing this content with you for free. Click here to subscribe to my channel.

Psst, if you really want to follow my daily adventures, you can follow me on Instagram. I share most of the projects I’m working on in real-time there.

Take care and see you soon.

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Drawer Box Plans

Learn the simplest and most accurate way to build drawer boxes with this easy tutorial.

Drawer Box Build

Welcome back, this is Kristen from In Her Garage Woodworking here with another build plan for you.  When I first began my DIY woodworking journey over 5 years ago I was most intimidated by building drawers. I avoided them because I thought there were too many measurements and too much room for error. But, with a simple plan and a lot of practice, I now make drawers consistently and accurately.  These are the exact plans I use to this day to make drawer boxes for all of my commissioned furniture pieces because when you’re able to make something quickly and easily that is solid and looks great, why would you ever change it?

Materials

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

Tools

Instructions:

Your drawer can be any depth you wish, but before building the drawers, rip your 3/4″ material to the drawer height you desire (if you are using plywood or if your 3/4″ material is wider than your finished drawer.

Step #1: Cut drawer box sides

Using your miter or circular saw, cut two identical 3/4” boards to the same length of the drawer slides you’ll be using.

Step #2: Cut drawer box front and back

Cut two pieces of the 3/4 inch material for the front and back of the drawer box.  If you’re using ¾” material to build the drawer box then the length of the front and back can be calculated as follows (see equation and picture below):

Width of drawer box – 1½” = width of front and back drawer box boards

Drawer Box Diagram

Step #3: Add groove for drawer bottom (optional)

Taking all four 3/4″ boards to the table saw cut a groove 1/4” from the bottom of all sides that is 1/4” deep. Run the 3/4 board through one time, then adjust the fence (or your saw) to cut another groove next to the first. (A standard saw blade is 1/8” wide so you will need to make two passes in each board to achieve a 1/4″ groove for the 1/4″ drawer bottom material.

Dry-fit the plywood to check for fit.

 

Step #4: Create pocket-holes

Using your Kreg jig make 2 pocket-holes at either end of the front and back boards on the opposite side as the plywood bottom groove if you chose to do this step. Be sure to avoid the groove.

Step #5: Assembly

If you DID NOT cut a groove to accept the plywood bottom, then you can assemble the drawer box using wood glue and 1 ¼” pocket screws.

Then, you will cut your bottom 1/4″ panel to the length and width of the drawer box and simply glue and nail it to the bottom of the drawer box

If you DID create a groove for the bottom panel assemble the front and both sides using wood glue and 1 ¼” pocket screws.

Next, cut the ¼” plywood to fit into the bottom of the drawer box groove dry fitting the back panel to check for fit.

Once you have the correct size for the plywood bottom then slide it into the groove and attached the back piece of the drawer box using wood glue and 1 ¼” pocket screws.  There is no need to apply glue into the panel groove.  The plywood bottom will “float” in place.

No need to worry about filling the pocket-holes because you will be applying a drawer face directly over them.

Be sure to check for square by measuring both diagonals of the drawer box.  If one measurement is longer simply squeeze the longer diagonal until both are the same.

Allow drawer box to dry.

That is the basic drawer box build that I use and it is strong and easy to put together. I hope this tutorial gives you the confidence to tackle that project you’ve been putting off.  Next, I will teach you my favorite method for installing drawers and how I troubleshoot drawer boxes that just aren’t quite the right fit!

Finishing Tips:

If you are making your drawer boxes out of plywood then check out Brittany’s Edge Banding Tutorial and learn how to cover that unsightly plywood edge.

Wondering how, or if, you should apply a protective finish to the drawer box? If I am working with solid wood for the drawer sides then I will give the material a quick finish sanding and that’s it. But, for plywood, I typically do one of two things, depending upon what I have on hand at that time.

  • Option 1: Apply 1 or 2 coats of sanding sealer to raise the grain of plywood and sand smooth. Sanding sealer is clear, easy to apply, and dries quickly. If I have the time and patience I may also apply a quick spray of clear, semi-gloss, water-based topcoat to give it a little shine but it isn’t necessary.
  • Option 2: Apply 2 to 3 coats of spray shellac to seal the plywood.  Spray shellac dries quickly and won’t leave any chemical smell behind. But be aware that it will give the plywood a slight amber tone which typically isn’t big deal.  Remember to lightly sand between coats.

Hi! I’m Kristen, from In Her Garage, and I am a self-taught woodworker and DIY fanatic from Minnesota where I live with my husband and our two daughters. Between being a wife, mom and, registered nurse, I try to make as much time for DIY as possible. My love for building came after our family built our current home in 2015. After we moved in, we needed furniture and instead of spending massive amounts of money to order the pieces we wanted I decided that I would build them myself. I started with a buffet table plan from the fabulous Ana-white and quickly set out to remodel my entire home office.

Since then I have started a side business building furniture for the people in my community. I love hearing my clients talk about the pieces they wish they had whether it be a rustic buffet table, a one drawer side table, or a toy box, and then making it a reality for them. While starting my small business it made perfect sense that I would document my building journey so I simultaneously launched the In Her Garage blog and I love sharing my plans, tips, and tricks.

Making something beautiful with your own two hands through a little preparation and determination is an amazing feeling and I hope to bring inspiration and know-how to those looking to tackle a big or small project.

I am so glad that you found me here and please feel free to connect with me on Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook to see what I am working on right now. And check out the brand new In Her Garage Etsy shop for other plans or to have a furniture item made especially for you!

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How to Make and Use a French Cleat

diy french cleat

I am going to teach you how to securely hang heavy objects on the wall with a board and a few screws. Using a French Cleat has been a tried and true method for hanging heavy objects and is used by professional cabinet makers and DIYers alike. It can be incorporated into the item being built or added after the fact.

DIY French Cleat

How to Make a French Cleat

What is a French Cleat?  A French Cleat is a board or molding with a 30°-45° bevel cut attached to the wall along with a corresponding beveled board or molding attached to the object to be hung on the wall. That sounds a little confusing but check out the diagram below and it will all make sense. First let’s grab a few supplies.

DIY French Cleat

Materials:

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

  • 1″ x 3″ board or 3/4″ plywood strip (3″ minimum width)
  • 2″ screws

Tools:

Instructions:

Step 1:

Measure the length that you need your French cleat to be. Typically a french cleat is the length of the item to be hung on the wall and spans the length of at least 2 studs in the wall that the item will be secured to.

Step 2:

Adjust your table saw or circular saw to a 30°-45° bevel and rip your board along the center. (For tips on using a table saw safely, read this article.)

Step 3:

Secure the top piece of the cleat to the item to be hung (see diagram shown below). This can be done with pocket-holes, glued under a shelf, or with screws to the back of the item. (You may want to pre-drill your holes to avoid splitting the wood.)

DIY French Cleat

Step 4:

Choose the height at which you want to hang the item on the wall and mark where the bottom cleat will be placed. Mark the studs that the cleat will be screwed into and secure the cleat to the wall using wood screws and a level in the orientation shown above. (Again, you may want to pre-drill your holes to avoid splitting the wood.)

Step 5:

Gently place the object above the wall cleat and lower until the two pieces are securely nested together.

Often times the weight of the object and the angle of the beveled cleat is enough to keep the object securely in place. But, if you’re worried about children lifting the item, you can add a screw through the hanging object into the cleat or a wall stud for peace of mind.

DIY French Cleat

And if you’re excited about using a French Cleat, you might like to make a headboard that is hung on the wall using a French Cleat!

rustic-king-headboard-side-view

This is a great tip for hanging cabinets on the wall as well. I hope you try your hand at making and using a French Cleat soon. Let me know how it goes!

Hi! I’m Kristen, from In Her Garage, and I am a self-taught woodworker and DIY fanatic from Minnesota where I live with my husband and our two daughters. Between being a wife, mom and, registered nurse, I try to make as much time for DIY as possible. My love for building came after our family built our current home in 2015. After we moved in, we needed furniture and instead of spending massive amounts of money to order the pieces we wanted I decided that I would build them myself. I started with a buffet table plan from the fabulous Ana-white and quickly set out to remodel my entire home office.

Since then I have started a side business building furniture for the people in my community. I love hearing my clients talk about the pieces they wish they had whether it be a rustic buffet table, a one drawer side table, or a toy box and then making it a reality for them. While starting my small business it made perfect sense that I would document my building journey so I simultaneously launched the In Her Garage blog and I love sharing my plans, tips and tricks.

Making something beautiful with your own two hands through a little preparation and determination is an amazing feeling and I hope to bring inspiration and know-how to those looking to tackle a big or small project.
I am so glad that you found me here and please feel free to connect with me on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, and Youtube to see what I am working on right now.

 

 

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Got Scrap Wood? DIY Gift Caddies using Scrap Molding

DIY gift caddies made from scrap trim is a great way to create an inexpensive gift basket AND use up all those little pieces of scrap trim in your wood pile.

DIY Gift Caddies using Scrap Molding

Christmas is a few weeks away and I don’t feel like going shopping in the mall. I’m not really sure what to get everybody. But, after mulling over all the scrap trim in my scrap wood pile, I came up with a genius plan. Gift baskets are always a winning idea for anyone on your list because they can be filled with a variety of gifts in a theme. Fill these caddies with anything you like, but be sure to leave me a comment letting me know what you included in your gift caddies!

Ready to get started? Let’s turn this scrap wood pile into…

… beautiful DIY gift caddies!

Gather these materials and tools and then we can get building!

Materials &  Tools:

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

Protective Equipment:

Materials:

Tools:

Cut List:

If you need tips for cutting metal pipe, click here to see how easy it is to cut metal pipes by hand or watch my video:

Scrap Trim Ideas:

You can use any scrap trim molding you have on hand. For a simple caddy, use flat door casing or door stop. For a more decorative look, use trim with more details. No scrap trim? No problem! At Home Depot, you can purchase trim by the linear foot, so feel free to head over there and purchase a 3 foot section of decorative trim for your 18″ long caddy.

You’ll probably want to steer clear of polystyrene trim since it’s not as strong, nails will go right through it, and wood glue generally won’t hold it firmly.

Instructions:

To start this project, cut your wood from the cut list above. Definitely watch my video to learn how to make these simple DIY Gift Caddies using Scrap Molding!

The base of my gift caddy is  8” x 18”, but feel free to make your caddy a custom size based on your scraps or your gifts.

Cutting the top of the sides:

You can curve the top of your caddy by tracing the perimeter of a paint can or another round object.

Make Your Own Street Sign | Pretty Handy Girl

Alternatively, you can cut straight angles off the top corners as shown in the diagram below. Simply mark off two inches at the top of the sides. Then make an angled line down to the location where your trim starts on the sides.

Cut the top profiles using a band saw or jigsaw. If you don’t have either, you can use a coping saw.

Sand off any rough edges from your plywood pieces using a sander.

Adding Scrap Trim:

Now it’s time to use all your fabulous scrap trim. You can use whatever trim you have laying around, there are no rules. I chose a piece of door trim and some decorative egg and dart trim for this caddy.

Cut your molding to 18” (the same length as the base).

Caddy Handles:

For the caddy handle, I happened to have some copper pipe in my scrap pile, but you can use a dowel, old closet rod, or even a branch like I used on this caddy.

rustic-wooden-caddy-with-branch-handle

Use a forstner bit the same width as your handle to drill halfway into the caddy sides. (For the branch, you might want to drill completely through the sides.) The 3/4″ copper pipe is equal to a 7/8″ forstner bit.

Dry fit the handle into the sides. You’ll need to measure to make sure the width of your caddy is the same at the top and bottom. You might have to drill a little deeper into the sides until the top is equal to the bottom when the handle is fitted into the holes.

Assemble the Caddy:

Run a bead of glue along each end of your base. Then set the sides on top of the base.

To secure the handle, add a bunch of construction adhesive into the holes you drilled into the sides.

Assemble the caddy. Clean up any glue squeeze-out. Flip your caddy onto its side and secure the base into the sides with several brad nails.

To secure the scrap trim sides. Use more wood glue along the edges of the side pieces. Then set the trim in place and secure it with a few more nails. Wipe off any glue squeeze-out.

This next step is truly optional. I like to add a divider in larger caddies. If you want to do the same, cut a piece of one-by to fit inside the caddy. Add some wood glue onto the bottom and sides of the divider, then set it in place.

Finish off the caddy build by adding trim to the other side. Secure the trim and divider with nails.

Finishing the Caddy:

Use a wood putty to fill in the gaps and nail holes. After the wood putty dries, sand it smooth.

Paint or stain the caddy in the color of your choice. Finish the caddy with polyurethane or wax to protect it.

Fill Your Gift Caddy:

You can fill these caddies with just about anything! Create a snack basket:

Or a fill it with a candle, eye mask, cozy blanket, and a magazine for a relaxation basket.

I would honestly love to hear your suggestions for things to add to these gift caddies in the comments below! Until next time, hope you have a very Happy Holiday season!

Like this gift idea? Then you’ll love these additional gift basket ideas:

31 last minute gift basket ideas pinterest images

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DIY Candy Cane Craft

Make this adorable DIY Candy Cane craft using 1 board and 2 tools!  These DIY Candy Canes are the perfect complement to your holiday decorations.

DIY Candy Cane Decor

I love this craft because it’s not only cheery but it also helps me add decor at a mid-height. I often find myself decorating something really tall like my Christmas tree or something short, like cute decor items near the ground. These candy canes are super simple to make and add medium height decorations to your home.

Material:

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

  • 1- 1″ x 8″ x 6′ pine board cut to 4′
  • Wood glue
  • Paint

Tools:

Instructions:

Step 1: Draw the candy canes

  • Find something round that is about as wide as your board. I used a cereal bowl from my kitchen.
  • Draw the top curve of the candy cane, one on each end of the board
  • Then draw the candy cane stem coming down from the curve on either side of the board.
  • By rotating the board, you should be able to fit two candy canes on one board.

Step 2: Cut out the candy canes

  • Clamp your board then use your jigsaw to cut out the candy cane. Mine looked pretty rough at first but no worries.

  • Sand the candy canes smooth.
  • Optional: If you have a trim router with a round-over bit, run along the edge of the candy canes to get nicely rounded edges.

Step 3: Paint

  • Paint the body of the candy canes white. (Or you can paint it red.)
  • Using painter’s tape, create candy cane stripes and painted them red (or paint them white if the body is painted red).

Step 4: Cross your candy canes

  • Place your candy canes, one over the other, in the way that looks best to you and use glue and brad nails to secure them together at their intersection. (No brad nailer? You can secure with a screw through the back.)
  • Cut the bottoms off at an angle so they stand up flat on the ground. (This step isn’t necessary since they won’t stand on their own anyway.)

Step 5: Decorate your candy canes

  • Using ribbon, ornaments, decor sprays, or picks you have in your Christmas decor box to decorate as it suits your decor style.
  • TIP: I like to wrap a rubber band around the candy near the intersection to hold the sprays and picks. This way you can change it up yearly.

Now incorporate these candy canes into your seasonal decor. They would look cute inside or outside.

That is about as simple as it gets for a fun DIY project you can do at home. I’m sure the kids would even love to help!

 

Hi! I’m Kristen, from In Her Garage, and I am a self-taught woodworker and DIY fanatic from Minnesota where I live with my husband and our two daughters.  Between being a wife, mom, and registered nurse, I try to make as much time for DIY as possible.   My love for building came after our family built our current home in 2015. After we moved in, we needed furniture, and instead of spending massive amounts of money to order the pieces we wanted I decided that I would build them myself. I started with a buffet table plan from the fabulous Ana-white and quickly set out to remodel my entire home office.

Check out all of my tutorials here on the Pretty Handy Girl and head over to my site to see more tutorials for making a Toy Box, Folding Craft Table, or a Rustic Buffet Table.  Making something beautiful with your own two hands through a little preparation and determination is an amazing feeling and I hope to bring inspiration and know-how to those looking to tackle a big or small project.

Not interested in making these items yourself?  Let me make them for you!! Feel free to contact me and I would be happy to talk with you about any idea you may have for your home.

I am so glad that you found me here and please feel free to connect with me on Pinterest, Instagram,  Facebook, and Etsy to see what I am working on right now.

 

 

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