Couple Convert a Midcentury Dresser Into a Knockout Vanity

Photo by Sean Jorgensen

Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: Ivana and Sean Jorgensen
Location: Las Vegas
Size: About 60 square feet (5.6 square meters)

Las Vegas homeowners Ivana and Sean Jorgensen hadn’t planned on remodeling their master bathroom for a few more years, but a crack in the bathroom’s original copper plumbing accelerated their timetable. The water leaking from the pipes led to mold in the surrounding walls and an infestation of springtails — a type of insect that thrives around sitting water. Luckily, the Jorgensens had recently remodeled their guest bathroom, mostly by themselves, and felt confident they could tackle the master bathroom with some expertise under their belts.

Since the Jorgensens had just spent a chunk of their savings remodeling the guest bathroom, they took out a loan for $10,000 to pay for their master bathroom makeover. The first step was to rip out all the old drywall and tile, taking the room down to the studs. “Thankfully, the mold didn’t penetrate too far. We only had to replace one section of a stud,” Ivana says. The couple then called a plumber to replace the original pipes with new copper ones.

How to Get Rid of Household Mold

Before. The original bathroom featured a double vanity with granite countertops, beige ceramic floor tiles and a stall shower with a frosted glass enclosure.

After. Ivana had always wanted to add a vanity made out of a piece of furniture to the master bathroom, but when she looked for dressers turned into vanities online, she quickly realized they were out of her price range. She and her husband decided that if they couldn’t buy one, they would have to make one themselves.

Ivana found a midcentury dresser online in great condition, and after some research, the couple transformed the piece into a functional vanity topped with a white vessel sink. “We polished up the original brass hardware on the dresser and added some waterproof varnish to the exterior,” Ivana says. “The center top drawer is unusable because of the sink plumbing, but the rest of the drawers we use for storage.”

You Can Turn That Into a Bathroom Vanity? | Find midcentury-style vanities

The couple chose small white hexagon-shaped tiles to cover the floor and backsplash. They took advantage of the need for new pipes by having the plumber reconfigure the sink plumbing, allowing the couple to add a wall-mounted brass faucet.

Faucet: Kingston Brass; browse hexagon tiles

Before. The original shower stall included a frosted glass sliding door and an adjacent wall of frosted glass.

After. Sean’s one request for the bathroom was that it have a shower covered in black tile, Ivana says. His wish was granted with the inclusion of thin matte black subway tiles that cover the shower walls and floor.

Two shower niches, one on the back wall and another in the pony wall that replaced the frosted glass wall, provide storage for bath products. The new frameless shower door adds a contemporary look.

Browse black subway tiles

Ivana is seen here putting on makeup while leaning against the dresser-turned-vanity. “In the end, I’m actually glad the old pipes were leaking,” she says. “It’s such a nice, bright space now. And we even came in nearly a thousand dollars under budget.”

More
15 Design Tips to Know Before Remodeling Your Bathroom
Bathroom Workbook: How Much Does a Bathroom Remodel Cost?
Find bathroom designers