What to do with this outdated cabinet...

10 år sedan

We bought our home a year ago and fully intended to renovate this builder's bathroom, but one project led to another, and now it looks like we're going to stick with it for at least another year.

We finally painted it the same color as our bedroom, and we love the color, but it really makes the honey-oak cabinet stand out like a sore thumb. I want to do something with it to make it less of an eye sore, but I can't decide between painting them white or staining them with a dark java stain (and of course, I'll add hardware as well).

The previous owners painted our kitchen cabinets white, and now, a year and a half later, they are chipping. The brush strokes on the cabinets also drive me a bit crazy - I don't know what kind of paint they used, but they definitely didn't use foam rollers! Because of the kitchen, I'm hesitant to paint the bathroom cabinets. I don't want to trade a cabinet that looks bad for one that looks even worse.

On the other hand, I've already stained the cabinets in our other upstairs bathroom and basement bathroom the dark java color I'm talking about. I don't know if that makes for too much dark stain, or if it actually makes for a really cohesive look.

I am attaching a picture of the bathroom cabinet I'm talking about, as well as a picture of the cabinet we recently stained in our upstairs bathroom (the cabinets were nearly identical when we moved in). Your advice is greatly appreciated!

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PRO

Bassett Furniture Design Studio

10 år sedan

The dark java stain is a great contrast to the light cultured marble top. Consider purchasing a premade granite top from Home Depot for an in expensive update. You should add some nice hardware to give the vanity some interest.

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Kommentarer (52)

PRO
Brandon Roberie
10 år sedan
I agree, stain it. The cultured stone will keep the room looking dated though however your base with the stain and hardware really made the vanity look soooooo much better.
Leslie thanked Brandon Roberie
littlehoneybee
10 år sedan
I like the dark stain. I also think a new light fixture and framed mirrors would look nice.
Leslie thanked littlehoneybee
Leslie
Författare
10 år sedan
It sounds like the dark stain might be the way to go. If we framed the mirror, would you recommend something lighter then? Or something dark to tie into the cabinet?

I'm open to suggestions on a new, inexpensive (because it will be temporary) light fixture for over the mirror as well.
Laurie Tillett
10 år sedan
The dark java stain, definitely! very classy and clean looking. it will give you a myriad of future possibilities with paint and/or wallpaper.
Leslie thanked Laurie Tillett
lefty47
10 år sedan
HI -- Oh yes , do the same as the other cabinets. About the kitchen cabinets, - sounds like the previous owners didn't clean ,sand ,and prime ,and spray on the paint . Maybe it was done just to sell the house , so they didn't care about the outcome ! Are you going to repaint ? If so send out the doors to have them sprayed properly and you can paint the rest yourself with more care .
Leslie thanked lefty47
Nancy Travisinteriors
10 år sedan
Either would work for you. You have to prime cabinets before painting and lightly sand them if painting. White wold be nice. I would lose the mirror and lights. That is dating your bathrm and is a easy and inexpensive way to go. I would remove tile round tub and go glass tile. And granite on sinks when you are ready I replace mirror with a dark framed mirror 50" should not cover whole wall like now. But have a order. Lights brush nickel . Half the size of mirror. That will help update this room. Then just stain cab and get long pulls in brush nickel.
Leslie thanked Nancy Travisinteriors
libradesigneye
10 år sedan
Dark stain. New light fixtures - i like lighting direct.com because they have great filters for metal tones and size / number of lights, etc.. You can use some moulding and silicone to make a frame for the mirror stained like the cabinet in the java tone. You can reuse the lighting when you redo - so you may find a sale and something perfect.
Leslie thanked libradesigneye
Leslie
Författare
10 år sedan
Ändrades senast: 10 år sedan
Thanks to everyone who has weighed in thus far!

@Lefty47, you're right about the previous owners - they did not sand or prime the cabinets (nor the banister on the stairs, which is chipping even more than the cabinets! Ah, don't get me started on the work they've created for us!). We hope to redo the kitchen in a three years, so until then we are just hoping the paint holds up better than it has on the stairs.

@libradesigneye and @travisinteriors, I did think about framing the mirror with some pieces of moulding also stained java. I also thought about doing it in distressed white (if the cabinet were stained java, that is) to add some contrast.

I am tempted to resize the mirror as the suggested, because we actually want a mirror above each sink, but I suspect that is a project we will wait on until we redo the bathroom next year.
Leslie
Författare
10 år sedan
Here's another question for you while we're on the subject of this bathroom. We have a beautiful arched window over the tub (which overlooks a lovely farm and forest - we don't want to lose the view). At night, however, this window makes our bathroom a bit of a fish bowl, especially since there is a walking/bike path right behind our house.

The previous owners hung a small curtain on the arched window. They left the plastic rod (you can see it in the picture), but took the curtains! We actually don't need the rod quite so high, so I've considered moving it to the rectangular portion of the window and hanging a white curtain there. On the other hand, I could go much higher - hang a rod above the arch, and put a longer curtain in place. (The plastic rod is not staying - we'll get a nice metal rod and attach it to the wall.)

My neighbor suggested plantation shutters, which can be custom made for arched windows, but I'm not convinced I like the look of them on arched windows.

I am totally open to suggestions - when it comes to the window, I'm not wed to any ideas yet.
sab1948
10 år sedan
What brand and color is the paint. Also, was it flat, satin, etc
Leslie thanked sab1948
dbh
10 år sedan
Ändrades senast: 10 år sedan
Beautiful window. I'm with the neighbor. I think custom shutters make a lot of sense; that way, you preserve the arch itself, since the shutters would presumably be arched as well. With curtains, you'd essentially lose the arch shape itself, I'm guessing, which would be a shame. Plus, I think the shutters would help maintain the nice clean look you have in there.
Leslie thanked dbh
charliebeth
10 år sedan
I vote for the java stain, and I'm usually a proponent of white! :) Good luck with it and please post some AFTER pictures for us. I'm a bit OCD and I need "closure." ;-)
Leslie thanked charliebeth
86redvette
10 år sedan
HARDWARE ON THE SMALL BANK OF DRAWERS BELOW THE SINKS. THEN TAKE THE DOORS OFF THE BOTTOM CABINETS AND THEN EXPOSE DECORATIVE BASKETS . CHANGE OUT THE FAUCETS AND THEN PICTURE FRAME MOLDING TO TRIM OUT THE LARGE MIRROR. TO ADD PERSONALITY, IF YOU HAVE A WELL PLACED ELECTRICAL SOCKET, YOUR PERSONALITY WILL SHOW WITH A LOVELY, SIZE APPROPRIATE, CANDLESTICK LAMP AND LAMPSHADE TO BLEND WITH YOUR CHOICE OF TOWELS, SOAPS AND CANDLES. PLEASE REMEMBER TO ALWAYS UPGRADE YOUR SWITCHPLATE COVERS.....DETAILS...DETAILS...DETAILS....JUST LIKE BUYING A HOME, LOCATION..LOCATION..LOCATION
Leslie thanked 86redvette
Melissa E
10 år sedan
Any local glass place can cut your mirror for you. I had mine cut for $30 to make two mirrors. It was very cheap, then just install the trim molding around each mirror to frame it. It might be just as cheap to go to Homegoods or Marshalls and but two $29 mirrors already framed. I would put wall sconces between the mirrors like the picture below.
Leslie thanked Melissa E
Melissa E
10 år sedan
Well shoot, the sconces were cut off, you have to hold your mouse over the picture to enlarge it so you can see it! I personally don't mind the white counter top with the dark cabinets.
Leslie thanked Melissa E
gabbymt
10 år sedan
Dark stain looks great....what kind did you use? Did you have to sand much prior to applying?
Leslie thanked gabbymt
anne dee
10 år sedan
you could frame the whole mirror as shown in this inspiration pic
House in Sonoma · Mer info
Leslie thanked anne dee
Leslie
Författare
10 år sedan
Ändrades senast: 10 år sedan
@sab1948, the paint color is Valspar Tinsel Beam. It's an eggshell finish. There is no "official" door between the bathroom and master bedroom, so we didn't want to switch finishes.
Leslie
Författare
10 år sedan
Ändrades senast: 10 år sedan
@dianahb, we wouldn't necessarily lose the arch. We were considering curtains that either went to the ceiling (well, slightly below, as the whole house will eventually get crown moulding), like the first picture attached, or curtains that started just below the arch, like the second picture (but not as long).

The price difference between plantation shutters and curtains, as I'm sure you can imagine, is pretty steep, so we would really want to be 110% sure about the shutters before we put them in.

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Leslie
Författare
10 år sedan
Ändrades senast: 10 år sedan
@86redvette, I love your idea about removing the doors, but unfortunately these cabinets are full of sliding trays/drawers on the inside, which we rather like for now! When we take out the vanity though, we definitely want more open storage.

I loved your idea of adding some decorative elements to the countertop though. I hadn't thought about a small lamp, but that's definitely a good idea. I would love to have a decorative tray or basket on the counter as well.
Leslie
Författare
10 år sedan
Ändrades senast: 10 år sedan
@gabbymt, I used General Finishes Java Gel Stain (I bought it through Amazon, as we don't have a Woodcraft store near us). It is an amazing, easy-to-use product. I bought the 1/2 pint and it was enough for the entire upstairs vanity, which you saw, as well as the vanity in our basement bathroom, which is about half the size. A little goes a long way! I definitely recommend the product though.
Leslie
Författare
10 år sedan
Ändrades senast: 10 år sedan
@howellmsue, thanks for your advice. I didn't realize it was so inexpensive to cut mirrors. What about the wall though? Did you have a lot of repair once you took them off? That's my biggest worry!

Eventually (in about a year), we want to replace everything with something that looks more like this...

Presidio Heights Pueblo Revival - Bath Vanities · Mer info

Bellagio Place · Mer info

Bethesda · Mer info

Our plan is definitely to swap out the light for sconces, remove the medicine cabinet, and replace the vanity/countertop. We also want to add a hutch to the counter for added storage. This bathroom "remodel" is really just something to get me through the next year without sighing every time I walk in there! (And some more privacy at the window.)
Leslie
Författare
10 år sedan
Ändrades senast: 10 år sedan
@howellmsue, I should add that I have been toying with the idea of doing the sconces now, rather than in a year. I've been looking at some rustic barn sconces ( http://www.lampsplus.com/products/barn-wall-urban-galvanized-outdoor-wall-sconce__w4595.html), but don't feel they are totally right for the direction I want to go in eventually.

The thing is, my husband and I gravitate in different directions, decor-wise. He loves brushed nickel, stainless steel, etc. I like things that are vintage and distressed. We try to blend the two styles as much as possible. For example, we installed a barn door in our bedroom (leading to the bathroom), which is obviously rustic, yet went with modern steel hardware. I also agreed to the ceiling fan he wanted, the Acero from Restoration Hardware. So we end up going for what I would call "vintage industrial" meets "comfortable cottage." I already know the fixtures and hardware in this bathroom will be brushed nickel, so find the right light fixtures is a challenge.

Anyone have any ideas? Should I hold off on the sconces until we redo the whole bathroom? Or should I start shopping for something that will fit the eventual space? If so, what do you recommend?
dbh
10 år sedan
Hi Leslie. I see. Thanks for the pics; that's helpful. I think the curtains on the arched window you show looks good mainly because it's a very big window so the curtains look quite elegant like that-- and are long. With a shorter window, over the tub, I just think to put curtains there would seem odd. I still think the shutters would look and fit the room/window better. While any shutters will be more expensive than curtains, you might consider hiring a local (good) carpenter to custom-make them for you. Not only will you get exactly what you want, but that route will be less expensive than the 'plantation' shutters.
Leslie thanked dbh
berte778
10 år sedan
We had essentially the same cabinetry in both bath and kitchen in our little place in the mts. We had our contractor add thin bead board to the recessed front on the doors and paint it a dark mocha in bath and dark sage in kitchen. We bought a piece of scrap marble for the countertop in bath and got an inexpensive vessel sink for the top. I've attached photos of bath and kitchen bfr and aft. We were very pleased with the outcome.
Leslie thanked berte778
qam999
10 år sedan
If you use shutters, make sure to use the moisture-resistant kind - a sort of composite rather than real wood, to avoid warping etc. And consider whether you have enough room to operate shutters in that tight area. I'd be tempted to go for a simple curtain hung above the arch myself. You can leave it open most of the time and it will frame the arch nicely, not conceal it.
Leslie thanked qam999
charliebeth
10 år sedan
Leslie, I'm so inspired by your bathroom vanity redo, that I just wrote down the stain brand and color. :) I have an identical "builders" vanity in my rental and I'm going to beg the landlord to let me stain ours. I've painted the entire inside of the house for him, and he likes the improvement, so maybe he'll bend to my wishes. Lol! Thanks for posting the color, etc. You're getting some good ideas on here. Please post the AFTER pics. :)
Leslie thanked charliebeth
PRO
Amy Canary
10 år sedan
Paint vanity and add handles, plantation shutters, big artwork next to mirror and different lighting - will really change the bathroom. I'd look at the entire space not just the vanity.
Leslie thanked Amy Canary
cdigneo
10 år sedan
Heads up--if you take down the mirror to cut in half and rehang make sure you use the proper mirror glue. When I rehung my mirror I did not know any better and used construction glue which eventually ate through the back of the mirror and destroyed it. I later found out that there is a glue just for mirrors. I also attempted to cut the mirror myself with a glass cutter. Half broke into pieces and the other had a jagged edge. Not very professional. Spend the $30.00 at Home Goods and purchase an already framed one ready to hang!!
Leslie thanked cdigneo
charliebeth
10 år sedan
Ändrades senast: 10 år sedan
There are independent hardware stores who will cut glass and mirrors for you and it is usually very inexpensive.
Leslie thanked charliebeth
Amy Stanley
10 år sedan
Ändrades senast: 10 år sedan
I have been thinking about your bathroom..I think a dark stain will be too dark for the color scheme you have going on. Since you love distressed what about doing an antique white/white finish on the cabinet with some rubbing to distress it- mix your two tastes so give him the nickel/steel fixtures but you could find them in a more vintage style?
Leslie thanked Amy Stanley
Leslie
Författare
10 år sedan
dianahb and soberg, I think that's very good advice about the shutters. Here is a question for you (and Amy Canary, as she also recommend the shutters): there will not be another room in the house with plantation shutters. We like the look, but typically prefer drapes or shades at the window. So will it look strange to have plantation shutters in the bathroom, but no where else?
Leslie
Författare
10 år sedan
charliebeth, I will definitely post some after pictures. If you're going to ask the landlord (your landlord sounds a lot like one of ours, who also got a free paint job out of the lease!) to let you stain the cabinets, you should definitely use these two tutorials I followed:

http://imperfectlypolished.com/2012/07/10/stained-master-vanity-a-tutorial/

http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2012/09/bathroom-cabinets-makeover-my-first-ever-grown-up-diy-project.html

The second one recommends letting the stain cure for five days, and having done it twice now, I can tell you it is NOT necessary.
Leslie
Författare
10 år sedan
One last post before I run some errands this morning! This one is for the two Amys. I agree, I infinitely prefer the look of a white vanity (and would love to have it distressed), but am worried about how it will look, as the kitchen cabinets look horrendous in person. So my current thinking is to stain now, but keep my eye on the prize, which is the remodel next year. I hadn't even thought about having our cabinet maker distress the vanity, but I think that's a great idea. And I'll see what I can find when it comes to hardware!

The wall above the tub used to have a towel rod above it, but it wasn't centered and we really didn't use it since the tub leaks (and it's a long reach from the shower). You can see how we found the bathroom when we moved in below. We have since thought about rehanging a towel rod, but I like the idea of large artwork though, especially since any other plans are at least a year off. I'll get looking for something that fits our style.
dbh
10 år sedan
Hey Leslie, I can't imagine it would look strange to have shutters on that window in the bathroom, even though you have shutters nowhere else. I feel like the bathroom is different from the living room, the kitchen, bedrooms, a sunroom, etc. I mean, do you have tile everywhere? Sinks everywhere? Arched windows in every room? I have a window in my bathroom with privacy glass; no other window in my house has that. I personally feel that curtains in a bathroom, especially in that particular beautiful window, would seem a little out of place-- as though you're trying to make it into a formal room. Of course, I find it odd that people put chandeliers in a bathroom, but that's just me. But if it were me, I'd probably put nothing on it, unless walkers are walking by at night all the time. But if I put anything, it would be shutters. :) It's a great bathroom.

Alternatively-- with those smaller 10 panes at the bottom there, it might not be too difficult or too expensive to have someone replace those with privacy (maybe reeded?) glass. That way, you can still see out with the above glass, but the viewing area (those last panes) would provide privacy. Would that provide enough privacy, do you think? Sometimes replacing those panes doesn't cost as much as you think it might.
Leslie thanked dbh
charliebeth
10 år sedan
Thanks, Leslie!
Leslie thanked charliebeth
PRO
Canary Closets & Cabinetry
10 år sedan
I also think you can treat the bathroom window differently than other rooms especially since privacy is most important in that space. I saw a note above about moisture and agree that I'd only use plastic plantation shutters since the bathroom will get moist. Be sure they are all plastic and do not have an MDF core. Another option is to apply a film over the windows for privacy instead of the expense of shutters or replacing glass. This is a much more economic way to go and then you could also use fabric in some way. Maybe you could place a film on the lower portion of the window to still allow natural light in. See blog post about window films. http://www.designsponge.com/2007/10/window-films.html
Leslie thanked Canary Closets & Cabinetry
PRO
Canary Closets & Cabinetry
10 år sedan
Lighting? Restoration Hardware - great options and great prices. Also think about the mirror - frame it or replace with maybe the restoration hardware pivot mirror and then of course the sink and tub faucets if budget allows could be updated as well.
Leslie thanked Canary Closets & Cabinetry
Leslie
Författare
10 år sedan
dianahb, you raise a great point about frosting the windows with some sort of privacy filter. We've used the film Canary Closets & Cabinetry suggets in our other bathrooms, but hadn't thought about the lower panes of the arched window. I may give that a go while we decide whether to bite the bullet and install plantation shutters in the bathroom. At least no one will be getting a bird's eye view from the bike path below!

I'm going to get to work on the cabinet and see where we end up on the rest. I'll be in touch when I have a progress update. Thanks everyone - I appreciate your input!
dbh
10 år sedan
Ändrades senast: 10 år sedan
Hey Leslie-- another point, which you've no doubt done-- but you might want to just go out on that bike path and different times to see just what you can see through that window. Maybe the bike path is too far away to see anything, obscured by trees and all? (I think it was Canary Closets that suggested the film over the windows; I really like to spend money, so I suggested replacing the lower panes with privacy glass.) ;)
Leslie thanked dbh
PRO
Granite Transformations Of Seattle
10 år sedan
Good Afternoon Leslie, Have you thought about cabinet re-facing? It is a simple process and doesn't involve any demolition...This may be just the change you are looking for! You can also add a backsplash to the vanity area which would give you some creative flexibility...As for the countertop, our company offers a Granite option as well as a Recycled Glass alternative that may be of interest to you...If you have any other questions or are curious you can visit our website at: www.GraniteTransformations.com...Best Wishes, Brandy
Leslie thanked Granite Transformations Of Seattle
Leslie
Författare
10 år sedan
dianahb, I want to throw some major gratitude your way. We have looked at the bathroom window from the bike path previously, and we knew that the entire bathroom was visible from the ground. Tonight, however, I went down there after dark and looked at the window VERY critically to see where the visibility ended. The problem really is the lower 10 panes of the glass - if those were covered, I think we would get the privacy we want. So, I then came back to Houzz and came across this picture,

Master Bathroom · Mer info

which has now become another one of my aspiration photos. I think we could do plantation shutters on the lower half, but not the arch, which would still give me that beautiful view I want.

So thank you, because if you hadn't said anything, I would not have gone back out there to look at the window with a sharper eye, which has made a big difference.

For now, we might try a privacy film, but I think the long-term goal might be those plantation shutters after all. Cheers to everyone who vetoed the curtains!
Leslie
Författare
10 år sedan
Granite Transformations Of Seattle, I have thought about cabinet refacing in the disastrous kitchen, but in the bathroom, the laminate on the side of the cabinet is peeling, and frankly, it's just not as functional a cabinet as we would like (we would prefer more drawers, less doors).

If we do decide to replace the top, I will definitely take a look at some of the granite and recycled glass options you mentioned!
dbh
10 år sedan
Ändrades senast: 10 år sedan
Hi Leslie-- Wow-- that's so great! Thanks so much for letting me know. I'm glad you went out there again. I couldn't imagine people could see above those 2 rows of panes-- and it is such a beautiful window-- so I'm glad you did that. I've never seen or used the privacy film, but people seem to like it. Again, too, check out a local carpenter about making custom shutters for you. We had a Victorian, many years ago, and we wanted shutters on the windows. The windows were large and not standard, and the plantation shutters were way too expensive, so I had a local carpenter make shutters for us-- so much less expensive-- and I got exactly what I wanted. They were beautiful. We moved out of that house 20 years ago, and I know the shutters are still there. Anyway-- so happy for you, and thanks again.
phylda
10 år sedan
For windows not for viewing the outdoors consider glass paint. Michael's has a great selection and there are different degress of opaqueness (or none) available.
Leslie thanked phylda
bschr
10 år sedan
You did a fantastic job with you 2nd bathroom cabinets! I think you should repeat in this bathroom. I used the film in my bathroom that overlooked an alley way. It worked out great, couldn't see in at anytime of day. Have you thought about changing your faucets? There are tons of price points and with the rest of your updates I think you should include this option. After all it's been said that faucets are the" jewels" of the bathroom.
Leslie thanked bschr
Leslie
Författare
10 år sedan
bschr, we have thought about replacing the faucets, but they are single-hole faucets, and down the road, we would prefer three-hold faucets. it's just one of those things we might have to live with for a year. :-/
Leslie
Författare
10 år sedan
dianahb, I will check with our go-to carpenter to see what the price would be for custom shutters. I know from our neighbor (who has the same floor plan) that the entire arched window was coming in at $1200 for faux plantation shutters, but she never got a quote for just the lower half (she overlooks another house, so she probably needs the upper as well). Yikes. We'll see what the options are for just the lower 10 panes.

Thank you again for your suggestions/help! I'll let you, and everyone else, know how we progress!
Dee F
7 år sedan
I love the java, it really makes a statement. We are having to remodel a bathroom (this was not part of our original plan), we were just going to add on to our existing space. encountered an issue in our existing bathroom. I wasn't sure how to marry the look of the old and new in the unintended bathroom but your update head speed new thoughts and Direction. Thank you!
Leslie
Författare
7 år sedan
I thought I should give an update - thanks to all of the suggestions we received, we completely redid the bathroom at the end of 2015. Here is that same bathroom now!