DIY bathroom updates are so inspiring. One area I like to see how people decorate is the empty wall space above the toilet.
From art, shelving, to an extra towel hanger… there are so many unique ideas. We installed these $20 farmhouse shelves above the toilet for our powder room makeover, and it was the perfect solution on our tight budget.
While collecting inspiration for this vintage cottage bathroom remodel, at first I was looking at shelves and brackets. That is, until I found this beautiful little white cabinet! I love the arched top, glass doors and distressed details.
After finding the hutch top for free on Marketplace for last month’s laundry room makeover, I felt hopeful I could do an affordable DIY version of this cabinet as well! I’m so excited to share this budget friendly DIY over the toilet storage idea!
Finding the Perfect Cabinet
This hasn’t been the year for yard sales and thrifting. On the bright side, Marketplace fills the void…it’s the first place I look for furniture!
Similar to all the affordable lonely hutch tops, are small vintage curio cabinets. Can you picture it? My grandma has something like it filled with faberge eggs.
They may be designed for knick knacks, but they also seem the perfect size for an above the toilet cabinet. I picked this one up for $30 last weekend!
With a little bit of chalk paint and distressing, I hope it will be a beautiful addition to our new bathroom!
Curio Cabinet Paint Supplies
- chalk paint
- sand paper (for initial sanding and distressing)
- painters tape
- printer paper
- drop cloth
- chalk paint brush
- small brush for corners
The Process
First, I cleaned the cabinet with a degreasing cleaner and let it dry.
To tape off the glass, I slid paper behind the wood cross pieces and used painters tape.
Then, I just very lightly sanded the surface, and wiped the cabinet again with a damp rag to remove the dust.
While taping did help with cleanup, it’s not a big deal to get a little paint on the glass. Dried chalk paint scrapes off the glass almost effortlessly.
Now that the prep is finished, it is time to paint! I used this affordable brand of chalk paint, Best Home by KILZ. The color is warm linen, which is really a nice light ivory.
It took me awhile to embrace chalk paint…I finally tried it about 18 months ago. Wow, do I love it! It is covers easily and is so forgiving. Whenever I try go back to latex for a furniture project, I miss chalk paint!
I started by applied the chalk paint in the interior corner crannies using a small shortcut brush.
Then, I finished the rest of the surface with this brush made for chalk paint. It took two coats to get full coverage.
After the paint was dry, I sanded to lightly distress the edges.
Then, peel off the paper and painters tape, and clean up any paint on the glass using a small paint scraper.
To mount the cabinet over the toilet, we used the stud finder to mark the stud location. Then, we mounted it directly to the wall with two 2″ wood screws.
I bought a small knob on sale at Hobby Lobby, and the cabinet is finished!
Here it is mounted on our bathroom wall. I love the cottage charm it adds to the bathroom. Now, I just need to fill it with cue tips, extra toilet paper, and washcloths!
Week 4 Bathroom Updates
It is week four of the One Room Challenge. Our wainscoting is up, and the sink is installed. The plumbing is functional! We are getting close, just all the little details left to finish!
Does anyone else get 90 percent finished a big project, and then get distracted or fizzle out? I know I do! Luckily, this is one big project that will be completely finished, thanks to accountability in the form of the One Room Challenge!
To see what we have been up to in previous weeks, click on a week below!
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6
Be sure to check out the other room makeovers on the ORC blog. From there, you can view both the featured and guest participants!
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