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Easy Vanity Makeover

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Home Stager with AccentPositives Home Staging 658279

 

EASY VANITY MAKEOVER

Getting tired of all that builder's grade oak?  Don't have the budget to replace or reface?  It's an easy project for just about anyone if you have the time and inclination.  Below is an example of how a little bit of change goes a long way.

Before

      

         

An oil based stain was used for this project instead of paint.  Stain gives cheap looking cabinets a richer look and is easy to work with.  It does smell and takes a bit longer to dry than paint but the look is worth it. As it drys, it gets tacky, so you can keep brushing until you get the look and finish you are pleased with and any imperfections look natural.  This color is Sherwin Williams Bistro Walnut

So how much did this project cost and how long did it take?  Here's the breakdown.

SW Bistro Walnut  1 quart $28 (over half left for touchups down the road)

Paint Brush $1.79

Sponge  .99 cents

5 x Brushed Nickle Drawer pulls @ 2.44 each

Painters Tape    $2.67

Fine Grit Sand Block $3.67

Labor  6 Hours includes sanding, coating and in between coat drying.

Total = $49.32, yes that's right, less than $50.     

Always work in a well covered and ventelated area.  You don't want dust bunnies and bugs in your stain and you don't want to pass out from the fumes!  Make sure to poly coat your stain if using it in areas like kitchens and baths.  Poly can be purchased in a variety of glosses.    

This makeover will be complete once the old track light is replaced.  There are many styles to choose from under $100 or even clearance if you look hard enough!

  

  

AccentPositives provides effective and economical Home Staging consultations on site and online.  We are located in Corona and service the Inland Empire area of Southern California.  Call 951 833 8529.

 

 

 

 

 

Posted by

Home and Life Improvement

Ana Hitzel is the owner of AccentPositives. Visit our Face Book page for more tips and information and don't forget to hit the LIKE button!

AccentPositives Home Staging                  

 

AccentPositives provides Home Staging services for vacant and lived in homes, Pre-Listing Consultations for Agents, Investors and Homeowners as well as Re-design and Decor services.  Voted a Best of Houzz in Service 5 consecutive years 2014 - 2018. We are located in Corona serving the Inland Empire of southern California, Orange county and surrounding areas.

Call: Office (800) 516-5213 or Mobile (951) 833-8529.

Email: staging@accentpositives.com. Visit:  AccentPositives 

      

Remodeling and Home Design

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Comments(24)

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Maureen Bray Portland OR Home Stager ~ Room Solutions Staging
Room Solutions Staging, Portland OR - Portland, OR
"Staging Consultations that Sell Portland Homes"

Ana ~  What a huge and economical update! Did you have to sand in between coats of stain?  How many coats did these cabinets take?

Sep 16, 2009 04:44 PM
Cathy Lee
CL Design Services Home Staging - Danville, CA
ASP, IAHSP, RESA Danville, CA

I cannot wait to try this-seriously!! It is just dynamic!! Thank  you for sharing-fabulous!!

Sep 16, 2009 05:08 PM
Charles Perkins
Charles G. Perkins, CPA - Burien, WA

Nice transformation.  It's amazing what you can do to rehab good quality cabinets.

Sep 16, 2009 05:47 PM
Kathy Nielsen
http://atlantahomestaging.net - Marietta, GA
Atlanta Georgia Home Stager

Well now... you made that look like a million bucks!  The black is so much better and far more sophisticated.  What a great improvement.

Kathy

Sep 17, 2009 12:29 AM
Diana Young
Staging Seattle, King & Snohomish Counties - Edmonds, WA

Wow, Ana, that is a very dramatic update!  The vanity now looks like it came right out of the latest Pottery Barn catalog.  Thanks for sharing the "how to" info with us.

Sep 17, 2009 12:51 AM
Ana Hitzel
AccentPositives Home Staging - Corona, CA
Professional Home Stager Inland Empire

Michelle, thanks so much, coming from you that means a lot!

Maureen, I did only one light sanding.  Working in track homes, I am sure you have found the quality of work can be lacking.  The top coat of poly on these cabinets was very thin and virtually non existant.  A light grit was sufficient to get rid of it and any stuck on gunkies! I sponged on the first coat and brushed on a second and played with it after it got tacky.

Cathy, thanks and thanks for popping in :)

Charles, thanks for commenting.  It is easy with just a bit of elbow grease.

Michelle H.  yes, a sea of oak in so many homes.  It is so BORING!

Hi Kathy, thanks for commenting

Diana, you are welcome and thanks for commenting.

Sep 17, 2009 01:45 AM
Michelle Minch
Moving Mountains Design Home Staging, Pasadena, CA - Los Angeles, CA
Home Staging Los Angeles and Orange County, CA

Ana: This inexpensive upgrade made the vanity look new and as if the whole bathroom had been renovated. Brilliant idea and well written post. Thanks!

Sep 17, 2009 02:10 AM
C. Bartch
Newark, OH

Hi Anna, love, love, love the updated look you created with the blah oak! Thanks for including all the steps, I particularly like how you told us to get rid of the gunkies :) This  posted is bookmarked for sure!

Sep 17, 2009 03:06 AM
Lori Donegan
Ready 2 Stage - Cleveland, TN

That looks so much better and completely updates the look.  Thanks for sharing

Sep 17, 2009 04:02 AM
Debra Valentine
Designing Details ~ Staging & Design, LLC - Bountiful, UT
Utah Home Staging for, Bountiful, Salt Lake & Surrounding Areas

What a difference Ana! You did a great job in choosing the stain and the outcome is wonderful. I see way too many of the exact same cabinets here and can't wait for an opportunity to try it out. Thanks for the cost/time breakdown as well.

Sep 17, 2009 09:00 AM
Ana Hitzel
AccentPositives Home Staging - Corona, CA
Professional Home Stager Inland Empire

Michelle, Thanks so much, I can't wait to put the light up!

Cynthia, aren't bathroom gunkies the scariest, my kids bathroom has me running for the hills when I work up the courage to go in! :) Thanks

Hi Lori, Thanks for stopping by to comment

Hi Debra, your so welcome and thanks very much, I forgot to add if you are messy like me, mineral spirits will get all the stain of your hands, feet and legs!  I was dumb, I did this in shorts....

 

Sep 17, 2009 09:35 AM
Cathy Brosius
Arranged Smartly LLC - Saint Louis, MO
Home Staging St. Louis region

That vanity really looks rich now Ana! You're right, you see that oak vanity everywhere. I've recommended clients paint them in a coffee color, but I really like the idea of the stain. Thanks for the color and breakdown. I bookmarked you too!

Sep 18, 2009 02:41 AM
Wendy Timmons
Move Home Realty - Temecula, CA
Temecula Realtor

Great post Ana! Love the new look! You are bookmarked :)

Sep 18, 2009 08:42 AM
Ana Hitzel
AccentPositives Home Staging - Corona, CA
Professional Home Stager Inland Empire

Thanks Cathy, it can be such a big change for so little money but it is hard to talk people into doing it.

Hi Wendy, have fun with it!

Sep 18, 2009 02:01 PM
Kimberley Hawley
Hawley Interiors & Staging - Caledon, ON
Hawley Interiors & Staging

Fabulous, It looks amazing and so inexpensive. gret job.

Sep 19, 2009 10:26 AM
Ana Hitzel
AccentPositives Home Staging - Corona, CA
Professional Home Stager Inland Empire

Thanks Kimberley :)

Sep 19, 2009 05:58 PM
Allegra Dioguardi
Styled and Sold Home Staging and Staging Training - Westhampton Beach, NY
Home Staging & Training, Suffolk Co. Long Island

You just taught an old dog a new trick. I am very impressed! I never knew you could simply sand those oak cabinets and stain them. I've been painting them with Melamine paint all of these years. Bravo! And thank you!

Sep 21, 2009 01:19 PM
Laurie Logan
Keller Williams Realty, Inc., Broker Associate - Madison, WI
South Central WI Real Estate

The results are amazing!  I kept going back to the Before picture, to confirm that only the cabinet color had changed.

Everything else was the same, yet the cabinet change makes every other aspect of the area look richer.  (I'd love to see the new light!)

Thanks for the detailed directions and budget!

Jan 04, 2010 12:06 PM
Michelle King
Home Harmony - Kirkland, QC

Great job Ana. I LOVE these cheap makeovers. In fact most makeovers can be done for very little.

 

Thanks so much for sharing.

Jan 04, 2010 12:09 PM
Ana Hitzel
AccentPositives Home Staging - Corona, CA
Professional Home Stager Inland Empire

Hi Laurie, the green had to stay so I just had to work with it.  Sometimes you can end up with the best results with just a little tweek.  The green looks richer and not like pea soup any longer:) 

Hi Michelle, Thanks,  I get inspired by all the makeovers I can catch here on AR:)  As you said little changes can make all the difference without major cost:)

Hi Allegra, don't know how I missed your and Susan's comments but thanks and how's the ebook coming along?

Hi Susan, try it it's super easy:)

Ana

 

Jan 06, 2010 07:44 AM