Childhood Dreams Coming True
When we built our house, I chose a bathroom design that would lend ease into putting in a custom Makeup Vanity, but surprise surprise, going through the builder was crazy expensive. I spent over a year debating what I should do in that space, (future self is yelling at me for not utilizing that area for more closet space #smh), but finally after going over my budget with my Husband we decided to just go for it. I would've loved to have put in a custom vanity for $700+ buuuut I have a very long list of house projects and I couldn't justify spending that much money on cabinets, let alone adding a few extra hundred on the mirror and chair too.
So after doing a little research on Pinterest and asking my friends, I found some great Ikea Hacks and DIY's for creating a DIY Vanity for under $100. They looked simple, easy, and oh goodness think of all the money I would be saving by doing this all by myself!!! Welp, Im here to tell ya, they are all LIES! Those beautiful picture perfect squares on our Pin Boards sit on a throne of lies. If you are the crafty type, sure you could've followed directions just fine and got the project accomplished...but if you are like me, then it was like running a 5k with your shoelaces tied together. Equal parts hilarious, cringe worthy, and sad at the same time.
DISCLAIMER: I was, and still am, intimidated and overwhelmed with the idea of DIY's, I don't like to craft, I'm not creative with my hands, and I hate following directions. Aka I'm a recipe for disaster. Guys I got way over my head. It wasn't till after I sent out a million Marco Polo messages freaking out to my friend that I realized, just like Gob Bluth, "I've made a huge mistake."
After many failed attempts at Ikea, Lowes, and Home Depot all in one day; I said screw it and gave up on trying to make my old desk the perfect/cheapest make up vanity. I had a specific look in mind for this project, and no "hack" was going to give me the results I wanted. Once I made up my mind about how I was going to go about my project, I finally took a breath in and started to enjoy the experience.
When I went away to college my parents bought a cheap twin bed frame with a matching writing desk off of craigslist. It was creme colored and had hideous flower details on it (very early 90's look), but luckily my Mother is a spray paint wizard and was able to turn it into something worth an 18 year olds approval. It really turned into a beautiful bedroom set and for years I loved it! I still get great use out of it since the bed is currently in use in my sons bedroom and the desk has been used as a work desk in my basement ever since I graduated from school. I love being able to give new life to items I already have at home, and I knew if I worked hard enough, I could make my own spray paint magic happen. So heres a glimpse of the Before and After's of my DIY Makeup Vanity.
Materials
Mercury Hardware $20
Cabinet Pull $10
Glass Tabletop $70
Vanity Mirror $32
Total Cost Of DIY: $204
BEFORE
AFTER
Once I decided to follow my own vision, starting and finishing the project became a breeze. I sprayed primer and white finish on my writing desk and left it to dry for 24 hours. I followed this up from knobs and hardware from Lowes and Hobby Lobby, which I thought would be fun, but honestly it was just plain annoying having to make multiple visits to each store. But despite the push and pull, it led to a shopping spree at my local Home Goods store to find a vanity stool and mirror. That was the BEST part of my entire project. Lastly I reached out to a local Glass company and had a table top custom made to fit my vanity. I cringed about the expense, but after the big chain companies let me down I decided it was worth getting exactly what I wanted then something that doesn't fit correctly but cheaper. Quality over quantity.
Side note, despite Lowes's claim to cut glass, they didn't carry glass large enough to cut and then their saw blade wasn't in store. It was on backorder and they had no idea when it would come in. Home Depot was the same story. I tried (and failed) to go to Ikea to pick up a glass top but after I purchased it I realized it was tempered glass and you cant cut through it without the whole piece shattering. So many fails and just like Lucile Bluth, after that failed DIY experience, all I wanted to do was "Set myself on fire". Sooo good times.
After everything was said and done, I just went out one night and bought all the extra materials I would need and went for it! I dove right into my DIY and I was so happy with the results. By repurposing my old College Desk and using a little bit of paint, new hardware, and a glass tabletop; I was able to walk away with a whole new Vanity. I love how my project turned out and even though I wasn't able to Ikea Hack it like the fabulous tutorials you see all over the internet, I was able to make my vanity my own. I love the little details, especially how I chose to decorate the vanity, but what I'm looking forward to most is all the memories I'm going to make in my little corner of the Bathroom. I envision curling my daughters hair for church on the vanity stool, painting her nails, and even sitting her on my lap for Mommy Daughter makeovers. So many memories are just waiting to happen at my little Vanity and I cant wait to share them with my daughter!
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