If you're a frequenter of garage sales and thrift stores, you know how often you can come across some real treasures for a fraction of their original price.
But you also know that sometimes, those treasures need a little coaxing to make themselves apparent, and that coaxing usually takes the form of a little craftiness and a lot of elbow grease.
That's what Imgur user jessieschafer found when coming across an old vanity at a garage sale. The vanity was in pretty good shape, but scuffed, worn, and just in need of some love.
And that made it the perfect DIY material. A new color and some personalized touches can make all the difference, as we saw when one crafter turned her own drab vanity into a rococo statement piece.
Jessieschafer's wife, however, had a specific request: she wanted Tiffany blue.
So it was time to get to work! Check out the vanity's transformation below, and it might just inspire you to try out a makeover on something of yours!
[H/T: Reddit]
This is the vanity Imgur user jessieschafer picked up from a garage sale.
The Art Deco detailing and handles are nice, but the piece was quite worn and banged-up, and it didn't fit with the rest of the decor.
It was also a solidly made piece. No particle board here!
There was also a comfort issue: when jessieschafer's wife sat down, she'd bang her knees on this hanging panel.
So it was makeover time. Despite being a vintage piece, refinishing it wouldn't really result in much of a loss, so they were good to go!
Jessieschafer was new to furniture makeovers at the time, and so he started with the drawers for practice.
Then it was time to sand down the rest of it. Sanding took several passes to get the pieces smooth and uniform.
The hanging panel was also removed to make the vanity easier to sit at and use.
Jessieschafer's wife makes makeup videos, and so would be using the vanity quite a bit.
The Art Deco details, although lovely, weren't what the couple was looking for. But it was difficult to sand off.
A little acetone did the trick, though.
Jessieschafer would later say that learning about the piece's history was just as interesting as learning to refinish it, but that at the end of the day, there were no regrets about the makeover.
As it turns out, pieces like this are actually pretty common.
After the sanding and removal of the decorative elements, the whole thing got a few coats of primer.
And then it was time to paint.
The specified color choice was "Tiffany blue," the aqua color the Tiffany jewelry company uses for their shopping bags and boxes.
Because it would be used quite a bit, the vanity also needed a protective clear coat.
The drawers, of course, got the same treatment.
The handles also got a paint job, and were reinstalled.
Loaded up with makeup and supplies, it looks fun, stylish, and just the right combination of girly and grown-up.
Do you have a piece of furniture in your house that could use some sprucing up? If so, take some cues from jessieschafer's project!
If you think this husband did an amazing job, please SHARE his sweet DIY project on Facebook!
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