Vanity Redo: Craftsman Style

Hello my friends,

 

 I have a love for craftsman style.  So when I was asked to share this article by Merri Cvetan, a Wisconsin interior designer I was more than willing!

 

(I did not receive any compensation for sharing)

 

 

Every room should have a focal point—even your bathroom. The focal point can be an architectural element like a fireplace, or a great piece of furniture like a baby grand or Aunt May’s Chippendale armoire. It can even be the view, if you’re lucky enough to see mountains or a sandy beach. In the bathroom, the vanity is generally the focal point. It’s front and center, supports the sink and fits right under the mirror

 

 

Sometimes, it needs a little facelift. It is possible to update and refresh the bath without major remodeling. Paint and new hardware are obvious solutions, but I Iike to go a step further. It’s easy to not only change the cabinet front, but give it a whole new personality.

 



The craftsman movement in America was an architectural and interior design philosophy from the end of the 19^{th century through the 1930s. Wood paneling was an important design element of this period. Installing wainscot paneling in the bathroom would be a big project, but I can get the same look just by adding beadboard paneling to the vanity cabinet.}

Since this basic, traditional cabinet has a flat panel door, it was easy to cut the wainscot to fit using a table saw. After sanding the edges smooth, I glued it to the door with Liquid Nails, a paneling construction adhesive.

 

 



The next step was to pick paint colors. Olive green was a common color a hundred years ago in a Craftsman home. It’s a cool color that nicely complements the warm wood stain tones from the era. I choose Behr’s "Dried Chive." It has a vintage feel but a fresh look. When painting cabinetry a strong color, I suggest sticking with a warm neutral on the wall. Choose something like Glidden’s "Mushroom Cap" and "Gentle Fawn" as an accent color. (In my next career, I want the job of choosing paint color names!) You can also view some additional vanity style inspiration here.

Finally, for the door pull, I went with a traditional spoon foot pull in bronze with copper highlights. I like the contrast of the dark bronze with green paint.



 

In just a few hours, you can transform a ho-hum bathroom into a fabulous Craftsman-style retreat.

I hope you enjoyed this article by Merri.

 

hugs,

Jann

Merri Cvetan is a Wisconsin interior designer who enjoys incorporating her crafting skills into her decor projects. Merri writes on both design and crafting for Home Depot. If you are planning to try your hand at a DIY bathroom vanity renovation, you can find a wide selection of cabinet materials on Home Depot’s website.