Build a new DIY bathroom vanity with this tutorial.
Say goodbye to your basic bathroom vanity! A new vanity that looks like a piece of furniture is the perfect way to update your bathroom.
A new vanity is a fun DIY project. These easy to follow plans are a great weekend project.
I partnered with Kreg Tools to share the build plans for our 8′ vanity for free. Or you can get build plans for this open shelf vanity in other sizes here.
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.
Open Shelf Bathroom Vanity
You may think you want a closed cabinet to hide away all your bathroom stuff. But an open shelf on the bottom helps to make a smaller bathroom feel less closed in.
This DIY vanity also has plenty of storage!
Under each sink is a large cabinet with room for plumbing as well as storage.
There are also 2 deep drawers by the cabinet. I prefer deep drawers in the bathroom because you can stand containers upright making more room for storage.
Below the closed storage is the large open shelf. The shelf is the full length and width of the bathroom vanity.
You can use this open shelf for tons of storage too!
The open shelf turns the storage into decor. I like to use it to display:
- Towels
- Extra toilet paper
- Hair styling tools in bins
- Canisters for bath accessories
Our vanity is 8′ long, so it is two 48″ cabinets combined. The 48″ cabinet has large drawers, more than I can even fill up!
But even if you do not have room for an 8′ vanity, you can still build your own beautiful open shelf one. I have created plans for each standard size from 36″ to 60″.
All of these plans have room for a single sink and two drawers with the open shelf below.
But best of all, each one is designed to fit a standard bathroom vanity top. You can buy a solid surface vanity top at the home improvement store to update your bathroom fast and on budget!
Classic Vanity Design with Shaker Doors
This DIY vanity is a simple classic design, perfect for updating any home.
The vanity is built like a piece of furniture for your bathroom, instead of basic cabinets. This gives a bathroom a high-end design without a high-end price tag.
The shaker style doors are built without a router. This makes it an accessible build for a newer woodworker.
The cabinet is built with a classic face frame and inset doors. It makes a nice clean design for the bathroom.
Budget Bathroom Vanity
The very best part of our new DIY bathroom vanity might be that is was so much cheaper to build than buy!
The entire vanity cost less than $300 to build! And I didn’t use the cheapest wood to build it.
I used my favorite budget friendly hardwood: knotty alder. It is an easy hardwood for beginners to use and is beautiful. If you stain it, it looks like cherry. You can see the natural color on this DIY dining room hutch.
Find a lumber that fits your budget to make your own vanity. Then learn how to get a professional paint finish on it here.
DIY Bathroom Vanity Build Plans
If you are ready to build your own bathroom vanity, I am sharing the build plans for the 8′ double vanity on the Kreg Tool website.
Get the 8′ vanity build plans here.
Or get the printable PDF plans for this vanity in other standard sizes here.
Off to finish another project!
This post was sponsored by Kreg Tools. All opinions are 100% my own. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.
Christina J Harvey
Saturday 28th of August 2021
We have followed the plans for a double vanity to a T and everything is coming out great, but I didn't see instruction in the build plans on how the drawers were installed or how you installed the drawer fronts? Any tips or suggestions?
Kati Farrer
Sunday 29th of August 2021
I am glad you like the design enough to build it! That was a very early project of mine. Here is a recent post on installing drawer slides. https://housefulofhandmade.com/how-to-install-cabinet-drawers/ I typically make the drawer completed then install it. I have lots of posts on building cabinets and drawers if search through you can get all the info you need.
Shanelle
Monday 22nd of February 2021
Regarding your 8’ vanity... how many sinks did you install & where did you put them (photo of finished project)? We want to build this with double sinks.
Kati
Wednesday 17th of March 2021
Hi Shanelle, I added two sinks. They are over the cabinet (not the drawers). You can see the finished vanity in this post: DIY Master Bathroom Retreat.
Reta
Saturday 31st of October 2020
What about your baseboards? Does the vanity stand away from the wall due to the depth of the baseboard, or did you modify the baseboard or vanity so that it sits flush to the wall?
Kati
Wednesday 16th of December 2020
I left the vanity sitting slightly away from the wall so that the baseboards remained because it is an open vanity. I detailed the whole install process here: How to Install a Bathroom Vanity. Then I made my vanity top just slightly larger to fill the gap behind.
JonV
Thursday 29th of October 2020
Love this, do you have the sketchup file available? Thank you!
Kati
Wednesday 16th of December 2020
No, I do not share my SketchUp files. Thanks!
Steven Morrison
Friday 26th of June 2020
Sorry I can’t post my pictures, but I loved your design and modified the plans to fit our needs. Our double vanity was 88” in length so finding one to fit was not an option and having someone build a custom double vanity was way too expensive. I would like to send you the pics if you’re interested. Otherwise, thanks for the ideas!
Kati
Tuesday 28th of July 2020
Hi Steven! I am so happy you were able to modify the plans to work for your space. Large vanities are so expensive, this is a much better budget option ;) I'd love to see pictures, you can always email them to me or tag me on social media if you share them there.