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A French-Inspired Garden and Home by Judith Stringham

Master Bath Small Vanity Progress

Thursday, April 19, 2018


When you last saw the master bathroom's small vanity area, the vanity was its original lightly stained wood finish, turned reddish, from thirty years ago. Finally, this spring work began to update the old vanity area from its American Country look. 

Here we are, 5 weeks after work began. 

Master Bath Small Vanity A F T E R Painting 

the FINAL coat of white paint 


The first of several planned changes this spring include painting the vanity white, but the number of times the vanity would be painted and the number of colors of white were not listed in the published plan I recently shared.  

Why not? 


I should have made better plans. Ones that did not require the vanity to be painted and repainted as I changed my mind about the color of white and the style of the paint finish.  


Master Bath Small Vanity B E F O R E Painting 

a look at how the vanity looked before the first coat of white 


The power of paint can never be explained better than a set of AFTER and BEFORE photos.  




The first coat of white paint was a primer. Then the second coat of paint was Valspar Honeymilk in eggshell finish. The white is creamy colored, not a bright white. 

While the paint was left to dry, I had a lightbulb moment. Something else to do to update the vanity. 

Add a piece of baseboard trim to the base of the vanity's side! A brilliant idea. We had left over scrap baseboard from years ago. We found a piece long enough, cut it to fit, cleaned the dirt, and sanded it. 


I love the baseboard trim! 


Then I had second, third, fourth,...  thoughts about the vanity's new white color. Was it too creamy? Should it be brighter? Should the paint have a little more sheen... satin finish instead of eggshell? 

The white painted beadboard wood under the window, the posts, the door frames, and the old baseboard trim were already a similar shade of white with just a hint of sheen. 


Where was KariAnne's DIY Home Planner when I needed to use it all those years ago?


I could not find recorded anywhere in my random notes from yesteryear that color of paint used and could not find an old can of it to find the name, brand, and sheen level. Was it Glidden? Swiss Mocha rings a bell... vaguely.  

The paint looked good. But, that cloud of doubt won, and I bought more white paint... brighter white and higher sheen level.  

Valspar Du Jour in satin finish. The name, Du Jour, French for 'of the day,' had to be a sign that this was THE color of white paint for my French Country bathroom. 




The vanity and new baseboard were painted in Du Jour. And we waited days for the paint to dry thoroughly before attaching the new wrought iron hardware. 

Uh-Oh! 

The new wrought iron hardware was bought and painted at the same time the master bathroom's double vanity was updated three years ago. (Never accuse me of being in a hurry to finish any project.) 

The new wrought iron hardware matched the first paint color, Honeymilk, much better than the second paint color, Du Jour

Yes, we repainted the vanity and baseboard using Valspar Honeymilk. Then waited for several more days for the paint to dry before attaching the new hardware. 




Here's a look at the project to this stage. 

Progress 

  • √ Vanity painted (and painted, and painted, and painted) 
  • √ New hardware attached 
  • √ New baseboard added 
  • ½√ Faucet cleaned -- most of the mineral deposits are gone, but needs more work 
  • ½√ French towels and accessories added -- more French toiletries needed 
  • ½√ New mirror -- bought, but not hung. Catch a glimpse of it on the left in photo above. 

Still To Do 

  • Move existing wall plug to the right -- electrician scheduled for next week
  • Change curtains to a new French style -- need to call the seamstress 
  • Paint the sheetrock -- after the electrician moves the plug -- scheduled to begin the week after the electrician finishes 
  • Hang the new mirror 
  • Find a new medicine cabinet 

The question is, "When will this project be finished?" 

... depends on how many delays from the painter and electrician... AND the medicine cabinet.. AND how many times I let doubt take over the plan. 

Stay tuned. You will see the final results... one day. 


~~~~❦~~~~

Paint Final List 

Vanity paint color --- Valspar Honeymilk, eggshell at Lowe's  
Hardware paint color --- Rustoleum Heirloom White spray paint at Home Depot 


P.S. I am writing down the paint information in my personal, signed copy of KariAnne's The DIY Home Planner.