Last Updated on February 21, 2020 by Ecorf
If there’s one thing I look for after years of dorm rooms and apartments, its storage. Years of trying to cram everything I’ve ever hoarded into one city apartments worth of square footage has taught me that if the storage isn’t there, you can make it. The bathroom can be the hardest place to find nooks and crannies to add shelving and cabinets to, but it’s fairly impossible for one person to cram all their bathroom necessities into one dinky medicine cabinet. While there are some storage solutions like over the toilet shelving and shower caddy curtains, one of the best things you can learn to do is how to convert a pedestal sink to a vanity. By creating a vanity around your pedestal sink, you are easily finding adding storage but not having to find a scarce section of floor space or wall space to add shelving to. Here are a few of the best DIY or off-the-rack pedestal sink conversions for you to add some storage to your bathroom:
Table of Contents
For Purchase
Minimalist
The Ragrund wooden sink shelving from Ikea is a simple and easy way to add storage to your pedestal sink. The Bamboo style goes well with a simple modern aesthetic, and provides three shelves per side, six total, to declutter your overstuffed medicine cabinet. Not crazy about the open shelving? Find some cute bins to store your toiletries in style. Try something like these baskets from Amazon.
Modern
The MyGift Under-The-Sink shelving (find it here on Amazon) is a wonderful modern solution to turn your pedestal sink into a modern open vanity. The chrome-plated finish will complement most modern finishes in your bathroom. The open shelving allows you easy access to your day to day toiletries and you can even hang a hand towel on the top rung. Use the openness to your advantage and find some cute containers for your toothbrush and other toiletries.
Classic
The Pedestal Sink Cabinet by Improvements (find it on Amazon here) is a classic and easy way to convert your pedestal sink into a timeless vanity. It features six drawers and a cabinet to neatly store all your bathroom essentials away from prying eyes. The white finish and nickel-plated accents give it a classic look that will fit with almost any home.
DIY
Build Your Own
According to this method at Hunker.com, you can have your own DIY sink wrap in just five simple steps. To start you will need:
- Wood of your choice (Hunker suggests plywood)
- Electric Drill
- 2 inch wood screws
- Saw
- Hinges
This method will call for some building experience and may be slightly time consuming. The benefits of going with this DIY method are that you can control the style and color of your pedestal sink to vanity conversion. You can also pick your own hardware for the cabinets to match the rest of your bathroom perfectly.
Convert a Cabinet
Converting an existing cabinet may be a lower cost, lower stress solution than building a vanity from scratch. Follow a few simple steps to repurpose an existing cabinet into a pedestal sink vanity:
1. Measure your sink and your available space. Keep in mind where you want the vanity to end. Do you want the sink basin to be completely covered by the vanity? This may limit under the sink storage space just FYI. If you want to maximize the storage, consider the sink sitting on top of the cabinet.
2. Pick an existing cabinet (or buy a new one if you want!). Keep in mind your measurements and make sure there is not only enough room to cover the pedestal, but that there is enough room on either side of the sink. You will want to pick a cabinet that doesn’t have a drawer and one that you can take apart in order to easily create the cuts to wrap around the existing sink.
3. Plan your cuts. First, you will want to mark where the sink will sit on the top of your cabinet, and how far the pedestal juts out from the wall. Mark the top of the cabinet, the bottom, and any shelves in between.
4. Create your cuts. For this part, you will need to be able to deconstruct the original cabinet and take off the backing, top, bottom, and all existing shelving. Using a handsaw, you will want to steadily make the cuts following the markings that you created.
5. Reassemble your cabinet.
Give your new vanity a new look. If you want to make your new vanity better match your existing decor, you can always repaint. Make sure to sand your vanity smooth before repainting. You can even create a faux marble countertop with some contact paper. You can also replace the hardware to completely update the look and complement the rest of your space perfectly.
Curtain Method
If you are looking to add an easy to accomplish yet customizable way to convert your pedestal sink, consider the curtain method. With this method, you can pick the fabric that compliments your bathroom’s existing decor (maybe even match it to your shower curtain) and hides your toiletries and towels from plain view. According to Onekingslane.com you just need to follow three simple steps:
- Measure
- Cut and Sew
- Stick it.
|This is a great option for an apartment, it doesn’t require any building or anchoring to walls and they simply use velcro to attach the curtain to the sink. You can either add under the sink shelving or baskets to store behind the curtain and hold all your bathroom necessities out of sight.
If you are looking to add a little more storage to your bathroom and are trying to work with the space you have, converting a pedestal sink to a vanity is a terrific option. You can either go as simple as purchasing a pre made under the sink shelving unit or completely craft your own to suit your specific needs. Remember if you are going to DIY, make sure you are precise in your measurements and put safety first if you are using any kind of machinery. Whichever way you go, converting your pedestal sink into a vanity will modernize your bathroom and add vital storage!