Look at this beauty! I am so in love with this bench seat. The color, the drawers, everything! You need to see how this started out though. It wasn’t pretty. 😊
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DIY Bench with a Headboard and Vanity
So, this pink vanity…I had painted it in 2019. I never put it up for sale, because I didn’t think it would sell. It probably would have, to some little girl. Who doesn’t pink and gold? Especially with a cute white furry stool. 😊
What do you think of it?
My husband helped me with this one, cutting the legs off of the vanity and then attaching to the headboard. We even put trim on both sides to hide the two legs since they didn’t match in length. Funny how pieces look like a mess until they’re painted the same color. It’s like magic!
I love that the drawers are in the vanity. I thought of covering them up with a piece of wood along the front, but I changed my mind. How many benches do you see like that? Pretty unique.
The buyer also loved the drawers. Since the paint is chalk mineral paint, it could be used outside and weather the elements without a top coat, but she was using it for her kitchen table. How cool is that! I have to admit I almost kept this one for my patio.
The headboard needed something. I tried to fit the many transfers I have, but I wasn’t liking anything and some just were too big. I couldn’t decide if I wanted it from the bottom up, or just at the top. Then I thought of painting stripes, so many ideas. So I opted for the simple but elegant. A nice raised stencil, just at the top for some accent. I liked it. You can see how to do stenciling here, on another project I did.
Two coats of Dixie Belle White B.O.S.S. Primer was applied on this before painting. I waited a good 24 hours before putting on the first coat of Spanish Moss. Such a beautiful color.
To add another element of texture, I cut some wall paper I had found on sale (somewhere in time, ago 😂), and glued it onto the seat sides. What a difference. I like that this paper was thick and raised like the stencil I put on the face of the headboard. This was turning out to be much nicer than I had first imagined.
An 8-oz jar of Spanish Moss chalk mineral paint by Dixie Belle was all I needed for two coats on this bench. And I still had 1/4 of a jar left! This paint goes a very long lway.
Dry brushing this finish just seemed to bring it all together. I used Dixie Belle Drop Cloth for the dry brushing. This picture makes it look like a lot, but that’s the beauty of this paint. I went over areas I thought were too heavily dry brushed with the Spanish Moss again.
Why stop at raised stencils and raised wall paper? Why not add some scroll detail! That’s exactly what I did to the posts on the headboard. Looky there. 😏
These scrolls were purchased at Restore (Habitat For Humanity) for $1.00. Bargain. You never know when you could use these little items, so grab the them when you see them. I used tite bond glue to attach the scroll, then taped to hold in place as it dried.
Funny thing, dry brushing the raised wall paper I attached was so fun for me! I mean, it’s the little things.
This finished piece was perfect!
It’s easy to make these when your pieces are already built, and all you have to do is alter them a little. Maybe some day I’ll attempt it from scratch…🙄
Let me know what you think of this bench and if you’ve ever built one yourself!
Do It With Purpose!
Wendy 🌸
I want to make beautiful things, even if nobody cares! – Sal Bass
This turned out amazing, Wendy! One of my very first DIY furniture remakes was a headboard bench. I’ll always have a special place in my heart for them. Beautiful. 💚
Thank you, Do! I like that a bench was your first. They do become favorites, they’re just so special. 😘