While many options exist for ready-made bathroom cabinetry, you’ll find that the best looking cabinetry can be very expensive. For far less than you’d pay for custom cabinetry, you can convert repurposed bedroom furniture into distinctive bathroom pieces, add metal tree wall art and attain a high-end look.

Provincial bedroom furniture from the late 1950’s is ideal for a glamorous bathroom design. A low, wide dresser converts with ease into a double sink vanity while the ‘high boy’ offers storage space for towels and linens. There’s even a surprise use for the headboard or footboard, but first let’s talk about prepping the dresser to serve as a vanity.

You have the choice to strip the wood finish on the dresser and put on a new stain if the wood finish on the dresser is damaged. Or you can paint the dresser; in this case you may not need to totally strip it, but you will have to scrap away any damaged, cracked or curling finish and make all surfaces completely smooth; fill any gouges or scrapes with wood putty. Paint will show every flaw in the surface, so you want to make the exterior as perfect as possible before painting.

After the dresser is freshly painted or stained, use a floor grade varnish like Diamond Varathane to seal the wood. The floor grade varnish will protect the wood from inevitable bathroom moisture. You can select either a semi-gloss finish or a glossy finish. Unless you are planning to replace the top with a piece of marble or granite, apply at minimum five layers of varnish on the top and three layers of varnish on the whole dresser. Apply each coat, let it dry thoroughly, then lightly sand with fine grade steel wool; wipe away every trace of dust between coats for a smooth professional looking finish.

To make the most of the inside vanity space and to create designer look, choose vessel style sinks that sit on top of the vanity. You should modify the drawers when putting in plumbing and connecting the sinks so that no inch of space is wasted. They can be notched to accommodate plumbing; hire a local carpenter to do this work for you if you aren’t able to do it yourself.

Keep in mind that if you have a “high boy” to repurpose for the bathroom, you still need to varnish it, just as you varnished the vanity. This will stave off swelling and warping of the wood. The top space of the “high-boy” can be used to display fresh flowers or a silver tray topped with a jewelry dish and atomizers of your favorite perfumes and colognes.

Now onto the headboard or footboard: Use either piece as a basis for a mirror over the vanity; depending on the amount of wall space, one piece may be a better fit than the other. The glass mirrored panels will fit on the flat surface of the wood and the decorative molded wood edging will provide a frame. You may have to cut off the ‘legs’ so that it will fit low enough over the vanity. Stain or paint any cut edges to coordinate with the vanity, and then varnish the whole piece to protect the wood. Once it’s ready take the head or footboard to a glass shop so that they can cut and install mirrored panels to fit on the flat surfaces.

Install your mirror, bring in your fluffy new towels, decorative accessories and accents like copper wall sculptures and metal art work, and enjoy your stylish, unique bathroom.