I did it! Check out the pics...How do I jazz up this white KidKraft Vanity?

[ellairiesmom]

I can't believe I did it. I didn't think I could & I actually exceeded my expectations-LOL (talk about confidence issues!) I sanded it down, primed it & then painted it with several coats (pink & orange). I finally got to use this great fabric & covered the bench. I haven't found a new drawer knob that I love yet but have narrowed it down to 2 or 3.

I am so excited! Thx for your help mama!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?ai...3&l=bcd3da9702


We are getting this little vanity for DD but nothing in her room is white. (it is the cheapest, while still being sturdy, one I could find that is in stock) But nothing in her room is white & I would like to add some touches to it. I am not crafty at all so I am looking for how to advice.

I have some wonderful fabric I would love to use (maybe cover the bench???).

If I wanted to stencil a few images on the top, can I just paint right over the painted surface? What kind of paint do I want to buy?

Or maybe I should find some sort of decals/removable stickers? Best place to find those?

Her bedroom is bright pink/orange/sunflower yellow & she kind of has a fairy/owl/butterfly thing going on.

Thx experts!

[sunnysandiegan]

You will need to lightly sand the surface before painting in order for the new paint to adhere properly.

Actually, what is the vanity made of? My advice above is for wood. Different materials will require different approaches.

How detailed is the vanity? Would you want to paint the entire thing to have it blend in better with her color scheme?

A fabric bench cover is great.

There are so many ways to go about this and most of them depend on the construction of the item. Then, personal preference.

If you could share some pictures, that would be helpful. Include one of the underneath of the bench.

Also, different approach, have you considered using a different purpose piece of furniture? For example, I have a vanity in our master bedroom. I could not find what I was looking for anywhere in stores, so I ended up with a piece of furniture from a furnished house my dad purchased in Arizona. It is solid wood and old, but in good shape. It is technically a desk. I changed the hardware and put a piece of green glass on top ($13 at Ikea). The hardware did the trick for blending it in to our bedroom. The glass added function. The piece itself just needed a little cleaning and the color of the wood worked in our eclectic style. I have been purposely choosing various woods in our bedroom within a certain color range and this item fit that scheme. I use a big green exercise ball as my "chair" because I didn't want a real chair to become a place to hang clothes or stack stuff. I purchased a lighted mirror at Costco that sits on the vanity and is "pretty" (brushed nickel...same as hardware throughout our bedroom).

Another example...when our DD was little, she wanted to hang out with us in our family office and do similar tasks. We got an end table in the same finish as everything else in this room (all from Ikea, although not the same line) and attached a plastic drawer underneath. This was her desk for 3-4 years. When she no longer fit underneath it, we got her a student desk at Ikea in the same finish as the rest of the room. We moved her "little desk" downstairs to the living room and used the drawer to hold some function items and kids used the "table" to draw, cook, eat, etc. for another year or so. We still have the drawer (technically a shallow Trofast bin) and got a lid for it and use it for storage or crafts (not sure which exact one ended up where). We gave the table away eventually. (DD is 9 now and we got that table when she was 2.)

Just something to think about.......

[ellairiesmom]

thx for replying! i meant to include a link in my op...duh! here it is...it is wood (kidkraft) it hasn't actually arrived yet but should any day now.

http://www.amazon.com/KidKraft-Mediu.../dp/B0002M6ZLE

we had a small space to work with & didn't want a toy plastic one. i went to ikea (we frequent there ) but didn't find what i was looking for this time.

since we will have to put it together, i am thinking that it won't be too hard to cover the bench & staple gun it underneath but i guess i'll have to see how to attaches to the legs etc.

when i lightly sand it, am i looking to remove all traces of the white?

i was also wondering if spray painting a new base coat would be the easiest 1st step? my 1st goal is to just have a new overall color. then maybe i would attempt (i am sooo NOT creative/artistic) to do some detailing with paints & paintbrushes? (some accents on the legs for example??) and would that be with acrylic paint?

thx!!!

[sunnysandiegan]

Since it is wood, it'll be easy to change the color altogether. Sand it first. You don't have to remove all traces of white, but you do need to scratch it up and make the surface smooth. It has to chemically adhere, but you want a smooth finish.

You don't have to be creative to paint a piece of furniture.

Do you have any paint in the colors in her room? It would be so cute if you painted different parts of the vanity and bench different colors. You'd really create a unique item! If it comes in pieces, it'll be easier to paint the pieces, let them dry completely and then put it together.

I would not use spray paint personally. It is more expensive in real usage and it goes EVERYWHERE with a lot of waste. Plus, to get a good finish, you need more practice than you do with a brush and regular paint. If you've never painted before, get some advice at the store where you buy your paint. I'd start with the legs. If you paint around the mirror, cover the mirror with several layers of newspaper first. Try to slide them underneath the frame to fully protect the mirror. If you get paint on the mirror, use alcohol to remove it if it is dry. Soap and water may work if the paint is still damp/wet.

Take your time and let each item dry completely before moving on to the other surfaces. You could potentially leave the back unpainted if it is going to be against the wall. However, I recommend you start with the back to get a feel for the project.

Good luck and have fun!!!!

[ellairiesmom]

thank you!

oooooooo-i like the idea of painting different parts, different colors. we have no paint left from her room. so i should go to a paint store or home depot for the paint, not the craft store, right?

thx for all the tips!!!!!! i am getting excited about this now.

[ellairiesmom]

bumping to show off my pics of the finished project!
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?ai...3&l=bcd3da9702

[sunnysandiegan]

You did a FABULOUS job!!!

It certainly doesn't look like a standard, run-of-the-mill white vanity any longer. It has PERSONALITY and spunk.

[rere]

That looks great!I love the colors and the fabric that you chose!It really looks unique now.