Finally, finally finished! Well, except for hanging the clean hand towels!
How is it that I look at all of your wonderful DIY projects and you all write about doing it in an afternoon, or, for a major DIY, maybe it takes you two days?
This seemingly simple DIY took us WEEKS of trying this and that, getting the trim we like, finding the handles and hinges and then finding that what we THOUGHT were identical hinges as the originals, were about an 1/8 of an inch wider, therefore bumping into each other and then hubby having to shave off the closing edge of the cabinet doors so they would close and also having to fill all of the old screw holes and redrill new ones for the hinges, then finding that the cabinet doors still bumped so again shaving off a bit more door, then repainting.
We had to find the right can of paint for the cabinet doors from our basement, then finding out that it now looks different since so much time has passed and a gal cannot then just touch up, but has to repaint the whole front, and discovering that we could NOT find the paint can we just knew we had for the walls. We had to go get more paint from holding up a paint deck and hope for the best and then ended up having to repaint the entire space, because the paint color was ALMOST right, but no cigar…
In other words, simple plan in the beginning. Raise the counter height with a 2×4 on-end box, then the granite guys would come in and install the new granite. Then just trim out where they joined, put on new hardware, install the pretty new faucet and be done!
HA!
Anyway, I am exhausted from complaining! Enough. Here is the final shot (is there ever a final shot?) of the tiny but finished Master Bath sink area, complete with the cool mirror frame that was purchased from our dear Son-In-Law, Matt Moneyhan, at Doors and Fireplaces by Mike in Conyers, GA.
I hope we were able to bring this half of the bathroom into the 21st century and make it the best tiny Master Bath is can be.
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| Which Color Should I Choose for the Towels? |
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| See the Very Simple and Narrow Trim We Added to Marry the Short Vanity to the 2×4 Box? |
It looks great, Kim! Your project sounds like it went much like most of mine do- never as easy as it should be. 🙂
Do you have directions?
So sorry, Carol! We do not. I only show the images for inspiration on this one. If you or someone you know can build the “box” of 2×4 lumber and attach to the side walls with screws, after making sure all is level, it can be done. Please see a previous post to show the actual 2×4 lumber built on end to create the raised box. Carol, I just found my long ago post that shows the 2 x 4 image. Here is the link to that post.
http://aquirkycreative.com/2013/05/granite-vanity-top-upgrade.html
If you cannot find it, then do look under “Project Gallery.” Thank you for reading!Best of luck to you!
Hello, Thank you so much for posting this project. We have the same problem with short vanities. We also have the large mirror just like yours. So it was okay to have the granite cover the lower edge of the mirror? Could you elaborate on how that was done? Did you just butt up the granite backsplash and then put that mirror frame there? Was it flush with the mirror clips there?
Thank you in advance. This is our first bathroom remodel since we built our house back in 1989. I would love to raise the cabinets some but we are afraid because of the mirror. We are working with a contractor so I hope we can do this so it looks as nice as your project.
Thanks for your post, Susan! Yes, we did just have the granite cover the lower lip of the mirror. The difference between your mirror and mine is that our mirror was affixed to the wall with Mirror Mastic. We did not have clips. That is why we didn’t want to remove the mirror. It was stuck to the wall. Since yours has clips, I would think you could remove the clips, and then remove your mirror. You could then DIY your taller vanity, and when you put your mirror back up, you can use the mirror mastic and place it above the granite. The frame then sticks to the mirror face with double-sided strong tape that is provided with the mirror frame. If you use the clips then you won’t be able to add the frame. HTH. Best of luck to you on your project!
I’ve been thinking of doing the same thing with our 2nd bath since we moved into this 1976 “project ready” home. Your pix of the original vanity & sink, colors and all, looks just like ours. Raising the surface height is the easy part, but finding an off the shelf 52 inch vanity top with a sink on the right has proven fruitless. Did you have to get a custom counter-top to complete the project?
Cheers ,
Peter
Peter, thanks for your question. Yes, we did go with a custom top. I will ask hubby if he recalls which company we used. I don’t recall, since it was several years ago! I do remember that the process was pretty easy. We had to fill in the form. Chose “right sink.” Dimensions for length and if we needed side or back plates as a splash guard. Chose the granite. Bowl type. All straightforward and not over-the-top expensive. Better than a complete tear out! I will get back to you if I gather more specific info.
Thanks for the response, and am anxious to see what vendor you used!
We did not use a vendor.
Hi – did you ever find out who the vanity top replacement vendor was?
Oh, gosh, Peter! I did ask him when you first asked. I just asked him again. He reminded me that it was seven years ago. He did look through some past house files, but he tossed a bunch of them after being in this new house for a few years. I just went through some old files, too. I only could find drawings from a bid for our porch at that house! Anyway, he did say that it “must” have been Home Depot or Lowe’s or another big box store. We would not have ordered online due to the heaviness of a granite top. It was a worksheet sort of form that we filled out, measuring how far the sink was from the right side and the back and the front, etc., along with the desired width of the countertop, and if we wanted left, center or right sink. It was straightforward. I keep thinking it must have been Home Depot. Sorry our memories are not better! Hope this helps!
Peter! Disregard the above response from me! I just FOUND in a very old file folder the actual source and invoice for the granite top! It was a REMnant. It was a LOCAL (to Atlanta, GA) Stone company. They are the ones who had the form to fill out. They installed it, too. I can send you the photo of the invoice, to show you the prices. It totaled about $671 or so. Bottom line, find a granite and stone company in your area. Look at the remnants. Go from there.
Thanks for the update on the remnant approach!
Great job!!! What paint color did you use on the vanity?
Kathy, I have used it so much that I thought I would never forget! But, (hanging head in shame) I have forgotten! If I can find it, I will let you know! I just saw your question, too. So sorry to have been of no help!