DIY: The Vanity is Officially Finished!!

I'm really happy with how this turned out.  Here are a couple of pics of the finished masterpiece!

What do you think???

Although this is not the first piece of furniture I have refinished, I learn something new with each project.  Lesons learned with this project:

   ~ I heart Benjamin Moore melamine paint.

   ~ A good electric sander saves time and sweat, and increases the quality of the finished product - worth it's weight in gold.

   ~ Ditch the brush (even the expensive ones leave streaks) and use a small foam roller whenever possible.

   ~ Take more/better 'before' pictures.

I can't wait for my next furniture refinishing project! 

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DIY - Vanity is Almost Done!

Just like the weather man promised, it was a sunny day in Toronto today.  I took the opportunity to finish painting the vanity.  It still has to dry thoroughly, so it's in the garage at the moment.  The sales guy at Benjamin Moore told me that for best results, I should let the paint cure for about 1-2 weeks before I use it.  Just as well...I can postpone the necessary organization and cleaning to get all of my beauty products moved in.

Here is what the vanity looks like after two coats of paint with sanding in between.

I tinted a small portion of the paint with purple artist's oil paint, and painted the flower accents to bring them out a bit more.

I used Benjamin Moore melamine alkalyde (oil) paint.  It comes in a limited collection of colors.  I didn't like any of the premixed colors, so I bought a can of white and had them tint it their 'Antique White' color.  I have to say, I really like this paint.  It went on well with a foam roller and did not leave any bubbles.  It went on more streaky with a paint brush, I think because it's so thick.  So I say, edge with a brush, but then switch to the roller.  There were subtle roller marks at first, but they faded away as the paint dried. 

The paint dries to a non-shiny semi-gloss. And even though oil paint is a pain to work with, I would definitely use this paint again, especially on kitchen cabinets or other furniture that takes some beating.  I like the quality, the durability and the finish.

Oh yeah - and I ended up getting drawer knobs at Anthropologie today.  These beauties were the clear winner:

I can't wait to see it all together.  And I'll be sure to take lots of pictures of the finished product.

For the full story, check out the rest of PROJECT VANITY.

DIY: Drawer Pulls for the Vanity

It has been raining the last 3 days, so the vanity refinishing has been put on hold.  However, the weather is supposed to clear tomorrow, so I will be able to finish the project.  In the excitement, I have spent a ridiculous amount of time looking at drawer pulls.  I have decided on Anthropologie - they have the most unique (and still reasonably priced) pulls I could find.  The above are the top contenders (the vanity is painted antique white).  I think the ceramic flower (top left) is my favorite.  I will have to see it in person to decide for sure.

Which one would you choose?

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DIY - Refinishing the Vanity Day 2

Today I filled any holes and after the wood fill dried, I sanded it down.  I then wiped the whole thing down again really well and let it dry.  The first coat of paint also went on.  The guy at the paint store recommended Melamine Paint by Benjamin Moore.  It's an oil based paint, which is not my favorite to work with. However, I am really impressed with the way this paint went on, and the satin finish it's giving me.  I had it tinted to an 'antique white'.  The drawback to this paint is that it does not come in a huge variety of colors, and the colors are premixed.  I was told that a light color can be custome mixed, but they can't guarantee a match.  Since I wanted something off white, I wasn't too concerned.  I bought he paint because I was told it's very stain resistant and durable. 

Tomorrow, more sanding, then the second coat of paint.  Then finishing touches!  Oh, I can't wait!

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OOH, and I have an appointment for some makeup at the Bobbi Brown counter!

DIY: Refinishing and Painting an Old Vanity

I bought this really cute vanity at a garage sale for $25 and it has spent all winter waiting to be refinished.  It's pretty beat up, and there are bits of the drawers that have broken off (luckily the previous owner saved them so they could be glued back).  I really like it though, and I will be able to fit all of my makeup into it.  It's one of those vanities that has a flip-up top with a mirror inside.  I love how girly and cute it is, but the yellow chipping paint had to go.

Now that the weather is getting nicer I was able to get on with this project.  I spent all day today sanding and gluing.  Tomorrow I will fill everything with putty, sand again, then paint.  Above is the BEFORE picture.  I will keep you posted on the progress.

For the full story, check out the rest of PROJECT VANITY.