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1 vanity + 1 good idea = 2 nightstands

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.
 
 
 

Comments

    • 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

      Reply

    • 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.

      Reply

      • 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.

        Reply

  3. 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

    Reply

  6. 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

    Reply

  7. 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

    Reply

  8. 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 :)

    Reply

  9. Chrissie says

    Great transformation,I love the color you used. I have done this with a vanity 2 times and loved it !

    Reply

  14. 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

    Reply

  15. Shaunna says

    They look so great! What a great way to use the usable pieces! Thanks so much for linking it up!
    :-)
    shaunna

    Reply

  18. 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!!

    Reply

  19. 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!

    Reply

  21. 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!

    Reply

  23. 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.

    Reply

    • 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.

      Reply

  25. 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!

    Reply

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