How to convert furniture to a bathroom vanity

What you need to do:

  • Purchase a furniture piece from us.
  • Buy a sink that fits the depth and width of the furniture piece.

What we do:

  • Apply a water resistant or waterproof finish.
  • Raise the height if necessary
  • Create a backsplash if necessary.

What your contractor will do:

  • Using the template provided with your sink, your contractor will cut the hole for the sink.
  • Adjust the depth of the drawer to fit around the plumbing and sink base. (see instructions below)
  • Marble tops...you will need to find a marble store near you to cut a hole. They will have the special wet saw that is required to cut marble. A marble top can also be replaced with a wooden top at no extra charge from us.
Raising the height
Height suggestions for the vanity top... In general, vanities need to be about 36-37 inches tall to be suitable for most people. If you are using a vessel sink then you need a piece which is about 30 inches tall or table height. Sometimes we can make some height adjustments on the feet, both taller and shorter. Please ask. If you are tall then 38" is best.
There are two ways to raise the height 1. adjust the feet or base 2. add on a board above the drawers under the top
Raising the height by changing the feet or base

We can put on different feet to raise and adjust the height... bracket feet are beautiful and can be made to any height.
We can put on a toe kick.



Or custom design tapered feet.
Adding a board to raise the height
On smaller pieces we can add a board above the drawer....

Do you need a 24" wide vanity?

We have many pieces that have this width but are not tall enough. My husband, Børge can raise the height to 36" or whatever you require.
Here is how we do it..... from this....

to

This can be done with any wash stand cabinet type piece. Look for more possibilities on the Small Cabinets page.

We can adjust the size of the top of course. You can also put on a marble/stone/granite top of course if you wish.

. to this

This piece is sold but it is a an example of what could be done to raise the height of other small cabinets displayed on our Small Cabinets Page.

My husband has also raised the height on Sideboards.

to
Redoing the Drawers

Here is a sideboard that has been converted to use for a sink and which also has been buttermilk painted with Bayberry Green. We have more of these original Danish sideboards c.1860-80 on the Sideboard page. Any one of them can be made into a wonderful vanity like this one. This is how your contractor can redo the drawers...
This sideboard is sold but you can find similar ones on the Sideboard Page.

Conversion by your carpenter of the original drawers which remain useful.:








Inside views of set up:


Examples of Furniture with Sinks

This cupboard was polyurethaned for use in a guest bathroom.

This sideboard is sold but you can find similar ones on the Sideboard Page

 

Here is another example of a polyurethaned sideboard...to be installed into a bathroom...a nice very soft sheen...


This is an apothecary converted to a bathroom vanity. It has been washed with real buttermilk paint mixed to a soft rose color.


Here is the rose buttermilk apothecary showing the plumbing set up...



The drawers have had the backs and bottoms removed but are still quite sturdy to pull out because they are dovetailed at the edges. The top drawer --the front was set permanently in place.

This apothecary has been sold but you can more on the Apothecary Page.

 

The top of the vanity is 24" deep exclusive back splash board which takes an inch of space.

A very large sink!



Sink measures 17 1/4" deep x 22 1/4" wide. The underneath of the bowl required 14", remainder of the sink is for the lip. The faucets are occupying 4 1/2" of space and could be placed tighter to the back if there wasn't so much room.


This is a sideboard with carved doors which has been painted with Tavern Green buttermilk paint and converted to a bathroom vanity.

This sideboard is sold but you can find similar ones on the Sideboard Page.


The top of counter measures 22 1/4" deep from the front backsplash to the front edge. (available surface)

Sink measures 15 1/2" deep x 16 1/2" wide. The bowl requires 12 3/4" underneath.

The interior of this sideboard measures 19 /2".

This sink is big enough but there was room for a slightly larger sink. These faucets don't take up a lot of room either.




This is a powder room vanity painted in an oil base Cabinet Green adjusted a bit.

This sideboard is sold but you can find similar ones on the Sideboard Page.

The available surface space for the counter is 20" deep.

Sink measures 12 1/2" deep x 15 1/2" wide.

The interior of the cabinet is 15 1/2". There was room for a slightly larger sink but this one fits the size of the cabinet very well visually and is big enough for powder room use.





This is a Danish sideboard from c.1870 painted with true buttermilk in a Bayberry Green.



This sideboard is sold but you can find similar ones on the Sideboard Page.

Here is a sideboard that has been converted to use for a sink and which also has been buttermilk painted with Bayberry Green.

Here are photos of the sink and faucet set up...



The available surface area is 21 3/4" deep plus a backsplash of about 1".

The sink measures 14" deep x 17 1/2" wide. The faucets are taking about 6 inches of space because of their shape so we could not have used a bigger sink.

The interior measures only 17" on this piece but it was possible to carve into the front support about one inch with no structural issues.


This sideboard is sold but you can find similar ones on the Sideboard Page.







before...





after! The drawer has been redone for a plumbing pipe.





This sideboard is sold but you can find similar ones on the Sideboard Page.





Here is a sideboard that has been prepared to be made into a vanity. The original top which is oak has been bleached and is now polyurethaned, the base has been waxed light brown.

Finishing the top....

We can polyurethane the top for you if you wish or prepare the piece for your contractor. Generally we would wax the base of the cabinet unless of course you are choosing a painted finish.