We are so close to finishing up this bathroom renovation, that I almost can’t stand it!
The awesome power of paint in a makeover never ceases to amaze and, frankly, I love that it is a budget saver. I have painted several furniture pieces but this is our first painted bathroom vanity and I will share some tips along with the new and improved version of this cabinet.
If you don’t remember our builder grade bathroom, here is the before.
But look at this difference!
If I didn’t know better, I would NOT believe that was the same vanity! Now, I am obviously not quite done with this entire process yet as you might notice that there are no countertops, faucets, or mirrors above this beauty. But we are getting very close! So consider this a sneak peek at how this bathroom is going to turn out. Painting this cabinet and adding the hardware just makes the whole room pop though.
Special Considerations for Painting A Bathroom Vanity
The color is Midnight Blue from Fusion Mineral Paints. The above picture is the best reference for what the true color looks like in lots of natural light. However, it does appear darker at night with the vanity lights on (they cast the vanity into a shadow so it looks almost black).
Now you might be wondering if there are any special considerations about painting a bathroom vanity. In any bathroom, moisture is definitely going to be a factor when deciding what paint to use. Fusion Mineral Paint is an Acrylic Emulsion based paint rather than something like chalk or latex which I would never use in a bathroom. While I haven’t done it yet, I do plan on putting a matte topcoat on. The main reason that I am going to add a topcoat is because dark colors tend to show smudges and fingerprints more easily. If it wasn’t such a dark color (in a kid’s bathroom), I wouldn’t worry about a top coat as much. While Fusion is wipeable and easily cleanable, I want to make cleanup as easy as possible. Also, I know my son and I can bet you that I will find dried on toothpaste stuck to this vanity. Ah, the life of a mom. 🙂 I would rather have a topcoat on it just to help me scrub that off without damaging the paint.
You Can Buy Fusion Mineral Here.
When I paint a furniture piece, I usually don’t paint the insides or the drawer sides. It’s just not worth the effort for me but I sort of like how the wood sides match the blue and brass hardware.
SEE OUR FULL BATHROOM REMODEL REVEAL HERE
Three Easy Steps to Painting with Fusion Mineral
Fusion Mineral Paint is one of my all time favorites. For most pieces you only need to sand lightly. I used a 220 grit sandpaper on a palm sander for most of this piece and just hand sanded the edges of the drawers. After wiping all the dust off, there is no need to prime like with most paints. With a brush and microfiber roller, I painted 2 coats and that was all. And that’s it! As I mentioned, I would like to add a matte topcoat to this piece but it usually isn’t necessary. You can read more about my favorite top coats HERE.
Because I wanted to add hardware to this vanity, I drilled holes in each piece and screwed them in just like any other hardware.
Doesn’t really get any easier than that!
So let’s check in with where we are in the bathroom renovation!
So far, here are all of our sources and where we are on the to-do list:
Paint wallsBenjamin Moore Ice Cube SilverPaint trimValspar Pale Bloom (same as the entire house)Build a Custom Shower NicheInstall a New BathtubAmerican Standard CambridgeTile the Shower and NicheRefresh light fixturePaint vanity cabinetFusion Mineral Midnight Blue and the Brass Hardware I used- Install these Glass Shower Doors – mostly done
- Install Countertops and Faucets
- Hang Mirrors
- Decorate
Alright, we are on the homestretch! I have already picked out the countertops and faucets, so my main decisions are whether I should put something decorative over the toilet and by the light switch. What are your thoughts? Picture frame or shelves? What about a nail polish organizer? Wow, I guess the hard decisions aren’t over yet!
Update: See Our Completed Bathroom Renovation Here
Want to see more furniture transformations? Check these out!
- How to Protect Painted Furniture
- The Best Paints for Cabinets and Furniture
- How to Eliminate Brush Marks or Strokes
- How to Ceruse or Lime Finish a Table Top
- How to Paint Old Kitchen Cabinets
- How to Paint a Stair Rail that Lasts
- Executive Desk Makeover
- Military Footlocker Trash to Treasure Makeover
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Cerused Table 
Chalk Paint Desk Makeover The Most Durable Furniture
CC says
I love your mix of metals! I was hesitant to go with brass hardware since my fixtures and faucet are pewter/silver. The brass framed mirror just brings it all together!
Emily says
I felt inspired by your post and I’m about to redo my cabinets. I had two questions- Did you use Krud Kutter or any surface cleaner before sanding down your cabinets? Also, what brush did you use for this project? Ive heard so many mixed recommendations. I read your post about brushes, which was very helpful. I’ve also read about Zibra angled brushes and Staalmester oval brushes as well- have you tried either of those? Thoughts? I appreciate your two cents! Thank you!
Rachel says
Hi Emily. Great questions. I usually use TSP (tri-sodium phosphate) and a good degreaser if necessary. Simple Green or Grease Lightening are sometimes what I use for degreaser. However, I am familiar with Krud Kutter and it’s a good product. I have a few Staalmester brushes and they are more of a boutique type brush. I like the oval brushes for the perfectly-imperfect pieces, aging, distressing, old-world, etc. I am not familiar with the Zibra brushes specifically. I will have to look at those. I will say that if there is a project that I want to be brushstroke free and I don’t have a sprayer, I try to use a smooth surface microfiber roller on all flat surfaces rather than a brush. It’s faster than a brush you don’t have as many problems backbrushing over partially dried paint. I hope that helps and I will look into the Zibra brushes.
Jake says
Do you have any tips on removing the original countertop without damaging the cabinets?
Rachel says
The old countertop was caulked around the edges underneath and to the wall, so I simply cut the caulk with a razor knife and lifted it out. There are a couple of different ways that countertops, both kitchen and bathroom, are installed. I have a post that is has good information on removing countertops here.
Leslye Shanberg says
Hi Rachel, are your cabinets real wood? I want to do this to my cabinets but they are like a plastic laminate. Any idea if I could still paint over that? If so, what kind of paint would I use?
Rachel says
Most all of the furniture I redo is comprised of wood, either plywood, solid wood, or a veneer of wood. I have a cabinet that I think is like yours, in that it is made of chipboard, but there is a hard thick plastic coating on it to make it white. In that case, I would recommend either a spray paint meant specifically for plastics or Fusion Mineral Furniture Paint. If there’s any way it can be sanded to at least take off the shine or what I call “roughing it up”, I would do that. You just want to increase the surface area to create a better bond, not remove the layer of plastic. Another type of cabinet that I have seen has a vinyl or paper-like print on it, although it looks sort of plasticky. In that case, I would use a super high-bonding primer, like Kilz Adhesion or Fusion Mineral UltraGrip. I would also very lightly sand something like this, although I have seen most skip sanding because that can cause more problems if mdf is under the print – mdf soaks up water and bubbles easily. Let the primer dry at least 24 hours before painting. I would recommend testing the process out in an inconspicuous place like the inside of the cabinets before going full restoration on everything. I hope that helps and that your cabinets turn out fabulously!
Jenny says
This is amazing! Quick question- did you run into any problems with the grain showing through?
Rachel says
The grain wasn’t bad on this particular set after sanding a little. It’s also a very dark color so that lessens how much the grain shows unless you look for it. If you are very concerned about the grain showing through, I have a post on that: https://www.cravingsomecreativity.com/painting-furniture-removing-wood-grain-texture-to-get-a-smooth-finish/
Mina says
I was wondering the same thing. I plan to use Ben More Hale Navy to repaint my bathroom cabinets in a half bath. I’ve never done this before so your site has been INCREDIBLY helpful. I am definitely nervous and wondering if I should try to remove the grain given the dark color or if I shouldn’t bother (im a little worried I will ruin that.. given how thing the layers need to be to thin out the grain). What would you recommend for a first timer?
Rachel says
This is just my opinion. Unless it’s a super deep grain like oak or you have a specific vision, I personally wouldn’t worry about filling in the grain too much. I have done so many furniture makeovers that, for me, it’s just another step I try to avoid if I can get away with it, lol. A half bath cabinet shouldn’t be too much work, so that’s good. Benjamin Moore will usually recommend the advance alkyd paint for cabinets, in a satin. The cabinet above is a matte finish from Fusion Mineral. BM advance has excellent self leveling but satin is going to be shinier than the cabinets you see here, which will reflect light and the grain will be more apparent. Unless you have light (like a window or overhead light in front of the cabinet) shining on it, the grain still won’t show that much because of how dark it is. Since it’s a smaller cabinet, I wouldn’t worry too much about the beginner aspect of it. While sanding is always awful, using wood filler is beginner friendly with the right products. I hope that helps and good luck with your project! It will look great whichever way you decide.
Jessica Ball says
Did you unscrew all the cabinet doors to paint them or just leave them on? I’m getting ready to start this project in my son’s bathroom and then move onto my master bath.. thanks for any info! Love love love the blue
Rachel says
Thank you for your kind words. I did not unscrew the doors in this case since I was brushing them. I usually only take off the doors when I am using a paint sprayer.
Kat says
Hello! I painted my cabinets before reading this post and used a regular semi-gloss paint. It has been a week or so now and the cabinets are still sticky. I was thinking of doing a top coat and was wondering if you have any recommendations.
Rachel says
The paint probably just hasn’t cured yet. The higher the sheen (flat being the lowest and gloss being the highest), the longer they make take to cure or reach maximum hardness. I am not sure of the paint you used, so I can’t say for sure. I would just give them some time. A topcoat won’t make them less sticky. In fact, it may make it worse. Some top coats can take up to 60 days to fully cure in high humidity.
Ellen says
Love your bathroom updates; the navy vanity is so sharp. I have a vanity similar to yours; gotta love builders grade! Like yours, my panel drawers are either crooked or have fallen off. Please share how you secured yours. I’ve tried gluing but they just fall off. Thank you in advance and thanks for sharing.
Rachel says
We had a drawer front completely missing so we cut a new drawer front with a router, which I understand that not everyone has. I kind of really like this idea if you have the room: https://amzn.to/2P8MmLf The trays come in different sizes too. If you don’t like the tray, there are these clips: https://amzn.to/2T0qOl7 I will admit the clips work just ok. I hope that helps!
Anne says
Absolutely incredible, I never would have thought of a dark blue but it looks so good with the gold hardware!
Jeana Coleman says
This looks beautiful. HOW did you get that mirror off of the wall? Did you have to tape and smash it, or did i pop right off? I’m a bit scared about removing mine. My bathroom looks just like this one.
Rachel says
Our mirror did pop right off, which actually scared me! Such a large mirror being held on by nothing but 4 clips seemed a little precarious. I thought for sure it was going to be caulked or glued to the wall.
Amy Richey says
Your bathroom is beautiful! I have a similar vanity that I am installing in my children’s bathroom and will be adding new countertops and sinks.
Are your sinks centered within the entire cabinet(door and drawers) or just centered on the cabinet door? I hope this question makes sense:)
Rachel says
The sinks are more centered on the drawers and door. You can see it better in a photo from our Bathroom Reveal Post. That wasn’t necessarily a design decision, however, as I didn’t want to move the plumbing in the wall. It was just the easiest route. But I do think I would have picked centered over both the doors and drawers better anyhow. Hope that helps!
Lynn says
Bathroom looks amazing. was thinking of doing the same to mine.
where did you get the vanity top and sinks?
Rachel says
Hi! Thank you so much. To make it easier, I put a list of all our sources at the bottom of our Bathroom Makeover Reveal post here.
Clarissa says
How many cans of paint did u use??
Rachel says
For this cabinet, I used 1 quart.
Corrine says
It looks great! How many quarts of paint did you use?
Rachel says
This vanity was less than one quart in total. The Fusion Mineral paint goes a long way.
Lara says
The bathroom is gorgeous! That vanity is so chic!! Thank you for sharing you techniques and the materials that you used for this project.
I’m wondering why you chose to use Fusion Mineral Paint instead of Benjamin Moore Advance, like you used on the stair banister? How you used Benjamin Moore Advanced on cabinetry before? If you have, what’s your option on it, in regards to smooth finish and durability?
I’m really enjoying your site! Thank you!!!
Rachel says
Thank you Lara for such kind words! I am so humbled you enjoy the blog and projects. I have another post about my favorite paints and why. I use a few different paints for different reasons. While BM advance would work great for a vanity, I liked the Matte finish that Fusion gives with almost the same durability for my particular project. Sheen is very important to me. In fact, I ask clients what sheen they are looking for before I ever ask about color! Fusion is pretty durable. Not perfect and some colors do seem better than others, but for a matte, it’s my favorite. I have scrubbed dried on toothpaste from my son many times and it looks as good today as when it was first painted! Also, honestly, I really liked that midnight blue color.
I have used BM advance on cabinets and highly recommend it. I have also used Sherwin Williams Emerald (I think it is?) and that one was good too, but I dislike SW primer. Kilz premium or pro-bond all the way there.
Danielle says
What matte top coat will you use for these cabinets when you decide to put a top coat on like you mentioned you wanted to do?
Rachel says
I have a list of my favorite topcoats for furniture in this post. I go more in depth of why I like different ones for different uses. However, Fusion Mineral also makes a matte wipe on poly and I do like General Finishes Matte Poly.
Mariane Prato says
Absolutely loved your post and I’m in the middle of painting my vanity the same colour. What Matte topcoat would you recommend? Thank you for sharing!
Rachel says
Your vanity is going to look so good! For this particular vanity, I don’t have a topcoat on it and I am extremely happy with it’s durability. However, I do have a list of my favorite topcoats for furniture in this post.
Pat says
Any recommendations on a paint brand from home depot instead?
Rachel says
Hi Pat, unfortunately I don’t have any paints that I definitively recommend for furniture from Home Depot. Most of the paints there are made for walls, which doesn’t have the durability that a furniture paint needs (in my humble opinion). Most people find that these paints often chip after a year or two around the knobs and other used areas. I have a post on my favorite furniture paints here. However, there is one you could check out. I do not have any experience with it, but Behr does make an Alkyd paint that should be specialized for furniture or cabinets. It only comes in semi-gloss and satin sheen.
Jaime says
Hello,
I know you mentioned you don’t paint the insides or side of the drawers, but what about the cabinets? Do you just paint the outsides of those and leave the insides the original wood color? Trying this for the first time. Yikes! I don’t want to not have enough paint (only have 500 mL). Thanks!
Rachel says
I don’t paint the cabinets inside at all. Maybe it’s laziness, but I just don’t feel it’s worth it, lol. I do paint the lip just inside the door if there is one, but not deep inside the cabinets. I do usually paint the insides of the doors, but sometimes not. No one ever sees that area, so it’s not needed. Good luck with your project and feel free to email me if you have any other questions!
Laura says
About how much paint did it take for the vanity? It looks like mine is similar in size and I’d like to purchase that paint from Etsy! I just don’t want to order too little and then half to wait.
Looks amazing!
Rachel says
I only used one of the bigger sizes and I still have some left over in case I ever need to touch it up. I haven’t in over a year and it is the boys bathroom so I have scrubbed dried toothpaste off a lot and the finish has held up great.
Rachael says
I plan to do a similar scheme so love all your links to products! Do you happen to have the info on the floor tile? Thanks!
Rachel says
Hi! Thank you so much for your kind words and I hope your project turns out great! I have a source list for the entire bathroom at the bottom of this post:https://www.cravingsomecreativity.com/modern-classic-guest-bathroom-makeover-renovation/ The direct link for the tile is here from the Tile Shop. However, I have seen similar tile at Floor & Decor if you have one of those stores near you.
Ashlyn says
Wow!!! This makeover is fabulous. LOVE the navy color. I’m about to tackle a vanity myself so appreciate the tips.
Julia C says
Absolutely Love the makeover!
I’m planning on doing exactly the same in my bathroom.
Thank you for sharing 🙂
Rachel says
Thank you! I love everything about this bathroom. We are gearing up for our master bathroom remodel as well.