DIY Chalk-Painted Bathroom Vanity

Hey friends! Today, I want to share with you what some fresh paint can do to your drab cabinets!
The first thing on our agenda was to search Craigslist for a newer and bigger vanity than our current builder-grade cabinet box. After patiently searching (which was hard to do for this girl!), we finally found the one we wanted - a 72-inch brand new vanity, complete with cane in the middle drawer fronts and a carrera marble countertop with two sinks! The only problem was that the vanity was mahogany, and that was NOT the look we were going for. So, the simple fix? Chalk paint, of course!


So, here's a "before" picture of our new vanity minus the legs, which you'll see in a moment...
Here's what I did to transform this drabby vanity...


First, pick out your booty-shakin music (yes, that's a thing - ha!), and prep your surface. Lay down the drop cloth. Also, make sure all the doors are off the hinges. Place all your hardware in a handy sandwich bag, so that when you're ready to put everything back into place, you'll easily find it!


Next, have all your supplies on hand, and thoroughly mix or shake your paint before pouring any into your painter's tray. (To see a full list of the supplies we used, click on the link at the bottom of this post.)


On a quick sidenote, I'd like to point out this cool contraption that the hubs built for me, so that the vanity legs could easily be painted. He is so smart! :)


So, here's the before...
Love it! This invention helped me to quickly and easily paint those curvy legs! Ha! Thanks honey! :)


Third, while you're shakin' it to your fun music and singing your heart out, start painting away.


Below is a comparison of what the second layer of paint looked like, once applied. (I did have to apply about 3 coats to the cane drawer fronts because of all the little grooves.)
After the paint application was completely to my liking, I painted on several coats of the wax, using a round brush specifically for wax. For great tips on this subject matter, check out Perfectly Imperfect's post on "More Furniture Waxing Tips!"


The picture below shows what it looked like after a coat or two of the wax, once it was applied.
And here's how it looked, once it was almost dry. See that white-looking paint around the edges? I promise, it will dry clear.
Once the wax is completely dry, you are now ready to replace your knobs and legs!
So, that's it! What do you think about our vanity makeover? And are you wondering how we feel about the paint and wax after a few months of some wear and tear? Well, we absolutely love it! The wax has done a great job of keeping the chalk paint prisitine!


Let me know your thoughts on this vanity transformation! Comment below, or drop by and say hello on my Instagram feed, on Facebook, Twitter or on Pinterest. And to see our farmhouse-styled bathroom makeover in its entirety, click on the link below! Have a wonderful day!
The Rustic Boxwood
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
Go
Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
3 of 9 questions
  • Debbie Schwandt Debbie Schwandt on Aug 14, 2017

    how difficult was the process removing and reattaching the cabinet doors? The hardware seems to be the most difficult.

  • Deborah M Deborah M on Jan 12, 2019

    Can this be done on the cheap contractor grade white veneer cabinets?

  • B B on Aug 05, 2019

    What’s the difference between painting cabinets with chalk paint vs regular paint?

Comments
Join the conversation
2 of 12 comments
Next