A Cottage Style Bathroom Vanity Makeover

I updated a stock bathroom vanity with new hardware, floral wallpaper and fabric to give it a charming cottage style look.

It was a super simple DIY, but one that looks great and functions well.


A few weeks ago, I mentioned that I got this brand new vanity for my bathroom. I was so excited.

Of course I found it when I wasn't looking. I literally stumbled over it while shopping for our new top loading washer.

Always the way.

All good. I was just thrilled to have it.

You see, when we moved here, our bathroom had a pedestal sink. No vanity at all and when we finally put one it, it was...adequate.

It's not that I have a lot of stuff, I'm a total girly girl, but when it comes to beauty products, I'm a minimalist.

No. The issue was with our plumbing.


Due to the position of the pipes, only the very bottom drawer opened and the cabinet was one big, cavernous waste of space. 

None of which was really an issue, until I hurt my shoulder last year, falling down the basement steps before we installed the runner.

Before that, it was mildly annoying to have to reach down to the floor to get anything I needed, but once that mishap occurred, it was downright painful.


And I needed a solution.

Unfortunately, those pipes and the super, teeny tiny size of the bathroom, prevented me from finding a budget friendly model that worked. 

It'd been more than 15 years since I'd purchased a vanity. When we recently renovated our hall bathroom, I updated the old vanity.

Whoa. $1500 for a tiny cabinet? I thought that was insane.

Instead, I tried to deal with what I had...using Dollar Tree baskets to organize and Command Hooks for easier access to my hair tools, but that only lasted for so long with the humidity. And it didn't solve the low drawer issue.

So needless to say when I found this vanity, I was jumping for joy.

The configuration was exactly what I'd been searching for, lots of solid wood drawers, a cabinet with a shelf and my husband only had to move one little pipe to make it fit.

Well, maybe not so little.


But very worth it, because once it was in, it was perfect.

Ok, almost perfect. 

You just knew that this DIYer wasn't going to be satisfied to leave it alone. I mean it was charming, it had a sweet paneled look on the front, but once I had it in the room, I was bored.

There wasn't any decorating drama. Nothing to wow me. It was too bland for this color loving, cottage style girl.

So I decided to give it a makeover to suit my aesthetic.

First, the black and nickel hardware sets included were far too modern for me.

So I ordered new, in painted white metal. Delicate scrolls and flowers were much more pleasing.

You can find the handle here and the knobs here.

Next, the drawers needed a little prettying up.

That was an easy fix. I just grabbed a roll of the floral wallpaper from the family room.

The same color/ pattern comes in this peel and stick version, if you don't need pasted wallpaper.


The hard part was the vanity itself.

What could I do to update that stock bathroom vanity and give it some charm?

At first, I mentioned painting it to my husband and he laughed out loud and then said, No. 

He was right. It was too new for that. I'll keep that option open for a later time. 😉

That's when I set my attention on the door and realized that it was a reversible panel. Again, paint and wallpaper both came to mind. 

Then, while looking for decor for my new family room,  I found a yard of delicious green fabric for $4.99 in the remnant pile and I knew.

I already had shirred fabric on the shutters in there, it would definitely fit in.

So, I used my velcro trick and in minutes, this vanity...


Became this vanity.

How fabulous.

It certainly isn't boring anymore.


Now, it's my dream vanity, complete with several very organized, rose filled drawers, including two that are way up high for makeup, hair brushes and a cottage sized hair dryer.

Here are the clear storage bins in the drawer. 

Plus, it has a cabinet with shelves. I might add paper there, too, but considering it's also a boy's bathroom, I decided to reel the blooms a bit.

For now, anyway.


Besides, it's the exterior I see most.

A far cry from the old view.


This one makes me swoon every time I catch a glimpse of it, walking by or through the glass shower doors.

Or from my bedroom which is now dressed in green and pink, as well.

Of course, I might have to change the artwork, that frame and add some accessories.


But that's ok, that's the fun stuff.

Oh, and keep your eyes peeled for the full makeover DIYs in case your vanity needs a makeover.

I mean that's what bathrooms are for, right?

☺️

Would you put fabric in the bathroom?

Resources for this DIY:

• White Bathroom Vanity
• White Metal Handles
  
• White Metal Floral Knobs
• Floral Wallpaper - it comes in peel and stick, too
• Clear Drawer Organizers
• Small, Lightweight Hairdryer

Happy Decorating Friends!!