What Once Was Old Is New Again

If you like having an individual style in your Topeka home, you may want to consider using old furniture when you take on a bathroom remodel. For example, if you have an old dresser, you can make it into a really unique vanity. It will probably be better made, and it will certainly be more interesting than any vanity that you find in a store. Use old furniture to make over your bathroom and you can give your space a high-end, custom look or just add a little whimsy to the room.

If you can find a late fifties provincial style bedroom set, you have the exact right combination of pieces to make a truly amazing bathroom. With a low, wide dresser you can make a double vanity and use the high-boy for storing all of your bathroom paraphernalia, and you’ll end up with a stunning and unique look in your Topeka bathroom. Of course you can always consult your Topeka remodeling contractor for more ideas on furniture that would adapt well for your bathroom remodel.

If the furniture’s finish is in poor shape you can do one of two things. To retain a natural finish, you can simply strip the varnish off and stain to whatever color you choose. Then varnish the entire piece of furniture with a heavy-duty, floor grade varnish, like Diamond Varathane. Since this piece of furniture will be subject to humidity, the heavy duty varnish should work in most cases. Or, you may choose a marine grade varnish for extra protection. Marine grade varnish is made to protect wooden boats from the water as well, so it is a great choice when you are looking for the perfect varnish for your vanity.

You will have the option of a semi-gloss or a high-gloss finish. If you are replacing the top of the dresser with marble or granite, then you do not have to worry too much about waterproofing the piece. If you are leaving the top as wood, you will want to apply at least three layers of varnish and five would be even better. As with any paint or varnish, apply in thin layers and let each coat dry completely before applying the next coat. You will also want to lightly sand with steel wool in between each coat. Wipe up any dust before applying the next coat of varnish.

It is important to seal the entire piece when you varnish because there is a lot of steam and humidity in the bathroom.

If you would prefer to paint the piece, you can simply remove the hardware and paint. Before painting fill in any imperfections in the wood, and again apply thin, even coats. Let the paint dry in between each coat, and when you are finished painting, add your varnish to the piece. You will still want to add up to five layers of varnish to the top of the piece so that it wears properly.

For the best resistance to water use an oil-based primer for your first coat. If you use Bulls Eye 1-2-3 Primer you can clean it up with soap and water even though it is an oil based product. Then you can use a high gloss or semi gloss latex to finish the job.

Remember to always let your paint or varnish dry thoroughly in between each coat. To minimize brush strokes lightly sand with steel wool, and you will have a beautiful, lustrous finish.

With such a beautiful vanity, you may want to consider installing high quality, classic vessel sinks for a stunning, custom look.

You can modify the top drawers of the piece as you convert it so that they are still usable. If you shorten the drawers to fit around the plumbing, you can still use the drawers for small items like makeup. If you cannot make this modification yourself, you can always have your local cabinetmaker make the changes for you.

Now you may be wondering what to do with the headboard and the footboard from the bedroom set. If you have two matching pieces, you can make them into a bathroom storage cabinet. You can take the part of the headboard and footboard that mirror each other and create a small cabinet from them. Cut these pieces to the desired size and add shelving. You can mount the cabinet above the toilet. You will want to paint and varnish these pieces to match the others in the room, and you will have a custom cabinet for pennies on the dollar. If you are not skilled with wood, again have your local cabinetmaker help you construct the cabinet from the headboard and footer.

After adding shelves to your cabinet, you can add a ¼” piece of plywood to the back of the cabinet to get it ready for mounting. Then simply find the studs in your bathroom wall and hang your completed cabinet. This over the toilet cabinet will complete the custom look of your bathroom, and it will look like you had a professional Topeka remodeling contractor layout your entire bathroom design.

You can achieve this same look with any style of furniture if you just use a little imagination. The paint products that are available today can waterproof any surface to work in your bathroom, so when you see a piece of furniture that you like, consider making a few modifications and using it as an interesting piece of décor in your bathroom. You can get a custom look in your Topeka home without the custom price.

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