Bathroom Vanity Makeover DIY: Moody paint update
Does your bathroom cabinet need a refresh? Give it a moody paint update with this easy and affordable Bathroom vanity makeover DIY.
Why paint the bathroom vanity (instead of buying new)
Have you ever looked at your bathroom cabinets and realized you just couldn’t bear that tired old colour one more day? Maybe the full bathroom reno is not high up on the priority list but you’d really like a simple refresh to tide you over.
Paint is a low cost, low time investment solution that is one of the easiest ways to get a big bang for a little buck.
Looking for bathroom vanity colour inspiration?
When it comes to paint, deep moody colours are popular these days. Whether it’s a deep navy and sage green, it’s all about what speaks to you.
Personally, I’m a purple girl. In fact, we’ve had a deep eggplant wall in our primary bedroom for the past several years. So when I finally decided to makeover bathroom cabinets, it made sense to carry the deep earthy plum through to the bathroom for a more cohesive look.
You can find more details in my partner post; how to Create a moody romantic bedroom you’ll love.
Bonus: This plum pairs well with many neutrals like cream, grey and white.
Q: What type of paint is best for a cabinet makeover?
For this project, I used Cabinet coat paint from Benjamin Moore. The most popular options for bathroom cabinets are acrylic enamel paint (water based) and alkyd paint (oil based).
A quick chat with a paint specialist at your local paint or home improvement store will help guide you to the best one for your project.
Painted Bathroom Vanity Steps:
1: Gather your tools:
You’ll need primer, paint, a tray, a small roller, an angled brush and painter’s tape
2. Clean:
Wipe down the inside and outside of the cabinet doors and drawers with TSP to ensure a clean surface for the paint to adhere well.
3. Remove or Paint in place:
You may choose to remove cabinet doors, drawers and hardware with a screwdriver. Some people prefer to paint these in place which is fine as long no one is using the bathroom and won’t inadvertently close the doors while the paint is curing. Preferring to keep things simple, I removed only the drawers and painted the doors in place.
Pro tip:
If removing doors, prime backs first and once dry, flip them over and do the fronts
4. Lightly Sand:
Prep the surfaces with 120 or 150 grit sandpaper and wipe away dust with a lint free cloth.
5. Tape things off:
Using painter’s tape, mark off any areas you don’t want to paint (or don’t want to have to clean paint up from later). I taped offf along the bottom where the cabinet trim met the floor. Worth the extra few moments to have a clean painted edge.
6. Time to prime:
Apply primer to all surfaces. My go to primer is Bin Zinsser Bulls Eye. It is waterbased and blocks stains too!
7. Lightly sand again:
Once the primer is dry, lightly sand with 220 grit and wipe again with a lint free cloth.
8. Apply paint:
Using the angled brush and small roller, apply the first coat of cabinet coat paint in Benjamin Moore colour: Amazon soil. I prefer to brush any detailed panel areas first then use a roller for a smooth overall finish. Repeat for second coat of paint once first is dry.
9. Remove and reattach:
While the paint is still tacky, remove the painters tape. Once everything is dry, reattach doors and put drawers back in.
10. Add pretty hardware:
This is a perfect opportunity to add something new to suit the style. New knobs are an inexpensive way to personalize the look. I actually reused the old knobs as they pop much better with this dark colour. (Plus, I’m saving my $$ for the full bath reno I’m dreaming of 😉
For this bathroom project, I simply wanted to refresh the colour until we were ready for a proper renovation. One weekend was all it took and I’m thrilled with how it turned out. For those with a keen eye, yes I did the medicine cabinet as well.
Sometimes a little change goes a long way. That is the transformative power of paint.
Check out more tips on how-to-paint-bathroom-cabinets
Want pretty new cabinet pull options? Check out these gold leaf shaped knobs.
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