I picked up this rough looking vanity at a yard sale.
The main mirror was missing, the wood looked terrible, and the drawers were full of dead stink-bugs. But I could see that at one time it had been quite sweet and I wanted to make it nice again. It sat in the basement for a while as I tried to figure out how to save it.
I really didn’t need a vanity but I did need some very skinny nightstands. And this vanity was absolutely perfect. I figured I would need to cut the middle part away from the two sides but I was able to simply unscrew all the pieces and was left with two perfect nightstands.
I decided to paint them a deep smoky gray blue color. I kept the original hardware but gave it a quick spray-paint and glaze treatment.
If I were the furniture-naming sort, I would name them Ethel and Stella. They make me think of a pair of little old lady twins who still dress alike and go everywhere together.
I absolutely love them. Plus they are perfect for our bedroom. We don’t have a lot of room next to the bed, so I haven’t had a nightstand on my side for the past three years. Now, thanks to these marvelously skinny little ladies, I have my own nightstand with my own lamp and my own drawers to junk up however I see fit. Ahh, life’s simple pleasures.
Yanet @ 3 Sun Kissed Boys says
What a terrific way to repurpose them! They look great.
Pia @Jello says
Love the way these turned out! Great job- love the color, too. It’s a spray paint?
Judy Blishen says
I am just in the midst of finishing 2 nightstands i purposed from an antique vanity, so excited to put them into a room, made them for granddaughter so they are painted white and drawer interiors and drawer sides are painted a really pretty pink, perfect for a little girl
Carrie says
Sounds beautiful!
Marietta Walker says
She didn’t really say what she used to paint them. She spray painted the hardware and that was all talked. Strange not to mention it, but sometimes I find these are part of a blog post and tthey make sense to someone who knows the writer.
Carrie says
This is an older post and I really wasn’t great at giving all the information back then! But if anyone wants to know, the nightstands were painted with valspar paint in the color cooled lava.
Felicia says
At first my heart sunk because it was such a beautiful piece…Then now, seeing how gorgeous they turned out, I have to say that I love that you were brave enough to do it! I love how you could have two of these change one to the night stands and have a matching bedroom set! Awesome work!
❥Felicia
http://skittaskattfurniture.blogspot.com
5935d9de-925d-11e0-a205-000f20980440 says
wow!!!! what an awesome transformation!! this would be such an awesome addition to my blog party from Trash to Treasure. I hope you’ll stop by and join in.
http://www.alchemyfineliving.com/blog/2011/07/06/from-trash-to-treasure-3/
Julie says
Cute idea!
Jacqueline says
OMG that is so creative!! I never thought of something like that, they turned out lovely!!!
I’d love it if you would stop by my blog and share this at my link party!
Simply Creations Link Party
Carrie @ lovely etc. says
These are not spray-painted, sorry to be confusing. The hardware is spray-painted. The color of the nightstands is cooled lava by valspar
Southern Grace says
Brilliant idea! It’s so nice you were able to just unscrew the middle piece. Love the color too, I am really getting into the grays lately :)
Chrissie says
Great transformation,I love the color you used. I have done this with a vanity 2 times and loved it !
Lauren says
These look awesome! Can’t wait to see more of your furniture transformations!
Deborah March says
Oooohhh, FABULOUS twins!!!
Pretty Unique Furniture says
AW I am so jealous!! Gorgeous :)
Julia @ 551Eastdesign says
What a fantastic repurpose:) I love it!
Retro Restyling says
These look great! I too have an old vanity like this! I have all the mirrors, though they need some work, and NO DRAWERS!!! *frowny face* It’s been sitting in my basement for almost 9 months and I considered splitting them up as well, but unfortunately these won’t unscrew apart. *more frowny faces* I would have to cut them apart… I must find something else to do with it though, it’s such a pretty piece, even if the drawers are missing. xo
Shaunna says
They look so great! What a great way to use the usable pieces! Thanks so much for linking it up!
:-)
shaunna
Kricia Palmer says
What a great idea – they look fabulous!
Kricia
Felicia says
Hello again! You will never guess what I found for only 35.00!!! Yes!! A an antique vanity!! I am seriously thinking about copying you. I am going to pick it up right now. I just had to tell you!
❥Felicia
http://skittaskattfurniture.blogspot.com
Sharla says
I just acquired this same exact vanity. And same perdiciment– the mirror is missing. I had intended to move up the vanity shelf because it is ridiculously low, but I LOVE your transformation!! Now I know what to do! Thanks!!
Anonymous says
I have a set of these, already seperated for me, from my grandmother’s house. I had thought about doing exactly this and now I have even more desire to do this project in her memory!
Dani says
Love Love these!!!
Carrie says
Thanks! Me too – I love when you can turn something you already have into something you love and need!
Kitty Forseth says
I just picked up an antique vanity for $29 and am going to try this for the first time, super excited and a little intimidated. We’ll see, hopefully mine will be easy to take apart also!! Yours are beautiful!
Carrie says
Thanks Kitty! I couldn’t believe how easy mine was – I hope yours is just as simple!
Linda at Mixed Kreations says
Ethel and Stella turned out beautiful! Very clever of you to take them apart and make matching nightstands.
Carrie says
Thanks Linda! I love how they turned out!
FLORENCE @ VintageSouthernPicks says
How lucky that you discovered a way to take them apart! They look lovely now. I love those old 40’s-50’s vanity sets. Some of them are “Waterfall.” I couldn’t tell if that one was, but it’s a beautiful and practical makeover! Glad you found a way to use it. What will you do with the rest of it now? That’s a project for another day, I’m sure.
Carrie says
I know – it was so easy! This one wasn’t a waterfall style, but I do like those too. I ended up donating the mirror for someone else to use. And I used the other random wood parts for some reclaimed wood projects.
Michelle Leslie says
That’s such an awesome idea Carrie and they looks amazing.
katymary says
OMG! Now these wheels in my head are turning……If one vanity could make two night stands then two night stands or narrow bookshelves could make a……! Excited!
Carrie says
Yes! Repurposing is like magic!