Vanity is IN!!

It always seems like the small finish work takes the longest, so I am glad to report a major completion on our master bathroom - the vanity. This is the part I have been most excited about, and I am glad to say it well exceeded my expectations. I can't wait - here is the photo of the finished product:

For the vanity, Chad and I agreed on a furniture-style vanity. We researched our options at the local home improvement stores and online and couldn't believe the price for the quality of the product. So, we headed out last winter (probably about a year ago) to the Scott Antique Market in Columbus and found the perfect furniture piece for use as a vanity. It was a 1920's buffet/sideboard, about 5 feet long. Of course it came with an entire dining room set (table, 2 leaves, 6 chairs, and a hutch), but the price for the entire set was less than we would have paid for the single buffet on its own. Plus, it was less than the other vanity options we found, and this was an actual furniture piece! It is made out of real wood and has a real history. So cool!

Chad started working on the vanity last year when he sanded down the top, stained it, and coated it with 8 coats of spar-urethane, like polyurethane, but for waterproof applications. He cut holes on each end for the sink and faucets. Then, the vanity sat and waited for yesterday - its installation day.

Fairly easily and without leaks we were able to install both sinks and both faucets with few problems. Very little of the vanity needed cut to accommodate for the drain and water lines. With the exception for a little cut for the right sink drain, everything fit in the door compartments:

Once the plumbing was installed, the top drawers needed cut down for the drain pipe to the sink (they're now about 8 inches deep), and the bottom drawer needed a small cut out of a back corner, but otherwise it was an easy transition from furniture piece to bathroom vanity.

We found the vessel sink and matching faucets from Lowe's, and I think they really fit the look. The only problem we had was that for two "matching" faucets, one was quite a bit different than the other in its water line parts. It didn't make much sense to us, and it cost us a little extra time, but nothing too major.

I am in love with this vanity. It has lots of storage space, and is so classy looking. I just can't believe we pulled this off. In addition to the vanity, we did lots of other finish work this weekend - enough to keep us busy and to feel like there's really not a lot left. We even cleaned out the master bedroom in preparation for our work in there. Next weekend we will have our mirrors for above the vanity; hanging those should be IT!