We've been desperate to redo our downstairs powder room since we moved in. It sports the same orangey-oak cabinets as our kitchen, as well as the same (original) 35 year old carpet. In case you missed it, I just said CARPET. A little perspective: the people we bought our house from had boys. It's dis.gust.ing.
But, the time has finally come. We've saved up enough money, we've invested in hazmat suits, and we're finally ready to tackle this sad little room. Good intentions, right? Yep. Stay with me.
A few months ago, I found this huge, beautiful antique vessel sink at a neighborhood antique fair. My sad, late night pictures really don't do her justice. She's glorious. And absolutely perfect for the powder room renovation we have planned.
I especially love the production stamp on the front of the sink. I had a new vessel sink all picked out, but I think this adds so much more character.
I also found this iron table base. It's the perfect size for our little downstairs powder room, and I knew instantly I had to have it for the vanity base.
The best part? I snagged both of them for under $50! All I needed was the perfect top for the base. Easy, right? Wrong. I looked and looked, but I couldn't find a piece that was just the right size with enough character to bring some charm to our little space. I wanted it to look like a piece of furniture, like it was custom made for the space.
I was getting a little hopeless. I even started to reconsider the base, and maybe just find a cute old table to use instead. I was just about to give up and rethink the entire room. And then the clouds parted, a choir of tiny angels began to sing, and a gleaming ray of sunshine burst through the heavens, pointing me in exactly the right direction.
Enter this beauty: an antique walnut desk I spotted buried under mounds of linens and knick-knacks at a local antique store. It was calling out to me: Pick me! Pick me! At $80, it was more than I wanted to spend for a vanity top (No, seriously, we're on a very tight budget), but I just couldn't pass it up.
It's the perfect size, and exactly the rich, dark color I wanted to warm up the white beadboard walls and hexagon tile. Isn't it beautiful? Isn't it perfect? Doesn't it make you want to go running through the Swiss Alps belting out "The hills are aliiiiiiive..."
Wait. What's that you say? What's that little gray spot on the side? That odd blemish that's so perfectly placed right on the edge so that it could never be covered up by a conveniently placed hand towel or interesting display of soaps? Yep, that's the one.
Ah, yes. That would be the first step on our little journey to DIY bathroom vanity hell. That's the spot where one very sweet, well-meaning husband who shall remain nameless was in a hurry to disconnect the tabletop from the base and quickly cut the hole for the drain before the plumber arrived to install the sink.
One false move with the jigsaw, and the angels packed up their choir robes, quickly patched up that pesky part in the clouds, and wished us luck. Feeling awful and desperate to cover up the small blemish he made with the jigsaw, my poor hubby sanded the whole spot, and tried frantically to restain it. Unfortunately, this little beauty is made with wood veneer. This fix would require completely sanding down the entire top and restaining the whole thing. I may try it someday when I have a chance, but we're mid-renovation with full time jobs and a toddler. Ain't nobody got time for that!
Not to worry, though. This little story comes complete with a happy ending. I (or possibly my dad, who knows for sure?) came up with an absolutely brilliant solution. I'm really excited to share this one; I think you're going to love it! I'll have the next chapter in our little saga posted soon. Stop back by and check it out!
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