Lovely Etc.

Creating home for less

  • DIY Decor
  • Furniture Flips
  • Upcycled
  • Printables
  • Shop
You are here: Home / Furniture Flips / 1 vanity + 1 good idea = 2 nightstands

Furniture Flips Upcycled

1 vanity + 1 good idea = 2 nightstands

  • Share
  • Tweet

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.
 
 
 

  • Share
  • Tweet


34 Comments

« Painting vintage lockers
Upcycled upholstered headboard »

Comments

  1. Yanet @ 3 Sun Kissed Boys says

    July 7, 2011 at 9:19 am

    What a terrific way to repurpose them! They look great.

    Reply
  2. Pia @Jello says

    July 7, 2011 at 9:52 am

    Love the way these turned out! Great job- love the color, too. It’s a spray paint?

    Reply
    • Judy Blishen says

      September 10, 2020 at 1:22 am

      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
      • Carrie says

        October 4, 2020 at 1:32 pm

        Sounds beautiful!

        Reply
    • Marietta Walker says

      November 6, 2021 at 4:37 pm

      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

        November 17, 2021 at 3:14 pm

        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

    July 7, 2011 at 6:26 pm

    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
  4. 5935d9de-925d-11e0-a205-000f20980440 says

    July 7, 2011 at 8:24 pm

    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/

    Reply
  5. Julie says

    July 7, 2011 at 10:08 pm

    Cute idea!

    Reply
  6. Jacqueline says

    July 7, 2011 at 10:28 pm

    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

    July 7, 2011 at 10:37 pm

    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

    July 7, 2011 at 11:52 pm

    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

    July 7, 2011 at 11:56 pm

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

    Reply
  10. Lauren says

    July 8, 2011 at 7:05 am

    These look awesome! Can’t wait to see more of your furniture transformations!

    Reply
  11. Deborah March says

    July 8, 2011 at 8:34 am

    Oooohhh, FABULOUS twins!!!

    Reply
  12. Pretty Unique Furniture says

    July 8, 2011 at 1:31 pm

    AW I am so jealous!! Gorgeous :)

    Reply
  13. Julia @ 551Eastdesign says

    July 8, 2011 at 4:09 pm

    What a fantastic repurpose:) I love it!

    Reply
  14. Retro Restyling says

    July 8, 2011 at 6:06 pm

    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

    July 11, 2011 at 10:36 pm

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

    Reply
  16. Kricia Palmer says

    July 15, 2011 at 3:38 pm

    What a great idea – they look fabulous!
    Kricia

    Reply
  17. Felicia says

    September 6, 2011 at 12:29 pm

    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

    Reply
  18. Sharla says

    May 7, 2012 at 9:44 am

    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

    August 16, 2013 at 2:03 am

    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
  20. Dani says

    January 27, 2014 at 8:12 pm

    Love Love these!!!

    Reply
    • Carrie says

      January 28, 2014 at 7:50 pm

      Thanks! Me too – I love when you can turn something you already have into something you love and need!

      Reply
  21. Kitty Forseth says

    February 14, 2017 at 4:20 am

    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
    • Carrie says

      February 16, 2017 at 8:39 pm

      Thanks Kitty! I couldn’t believe how easy mine was – I hope yours is just as simple!

      Reply
  22. Linda at Mixed Kreations says

    April 26, 2017 at 12:31 pm

    Ethel and Stella turned out beautiful! Very clever of you to take them apart and make matching nightstands.

    Reply
    • Carrie says

      May 2, 2017 at 11:10 pm

      Thanks Linda! I love how they turned out!

      Reply
  23. FLORENCE @ VintageSouthernPicks says

    September 28, 2017 at 1:19 pm

    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

      October 11, 2017 at 9:00 pm

      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
  24. Michelle Leslie says

    October 2, 2018 at 8:42 am

    That’s such an awesome idea Carrie and they looks amazing.

    Reply
  25. katymary says

    May 7, 2020 at 12:38 am

    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
    • Carrie says

      May 14, 2020 at 9:23 pm

      Yes! Repurposing is like magic!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Looking for Something?

  • About Lovely Etc.
  • Contact Me
  • Privacy Policy
  • Shop

Thanks for stopping by Lovely Etc! While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and effectiveness of the information displayed on this website, Lovely Etc. makes no guarantees as to the procedures and information contained here. The publisher will not be liable for direct, indirect, incidental, or consequential damages in connection with the information displayed on lovelyetc.com. This website is not intended to substitute for advice from a professional.

Lovely Etc is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. You can read my full disclosure policy here.

Copyright © 2023 · Divine theme by Restored 316