How HGTV's Jenn Todryk Gives Bathroom Vanities A Sleek Custom Look

Have you been wanting to give your old bathroom vanities a sleek new upgrade without tearing the whole thing out and starting over completely? Doing so could be easier than you think! One way to do so is by adding a fluted design to vanity drawers before repainting, which both elevates the design and helps draw the eye away from anything that might make it look a bit dated.

Jenn Todryk does a great version of this in Season 3, Episode 9 of "No Demo Reno," where one couple's bathroom is more than a bit outdated. The vanity has a wider plank on the face of its cabinets, which Jenn says gives more "country farmhouse," while midcentury modern decor (which has thinner reeded paneling) is more popular. That means that the old paneling has to be removed and replaced to modernize the look.

The first step is to remove the frame on the outside of each cabinet face, then remove the lined paneling behind that. Swap it out with some thinner reeded panel, then replace the outer frame before staining the vanity to have a deeper oak appearance rather than the earlier unfinished wood look. You might not need to do this step depending on the color and style of your vanity, but doing so can help hide imperfections and make everything blend more seamlessly. Todryk finishes the whole thing off with new vintage brass hardware to tie everything together for a gorgeous and totally updated look.

Luckily you don't have to stick to just one way of giving your vanity drawers a new look. While reeded paneling is a popular choice, another option might be to use pole-wrap — originally designed to dress up basement support columns — as an equally stylish and flexible alternative. This flexible covering can be manipulated with relative ease, making it a potential solution for those of us who might be a bit more worried when it comes to breaking out a saw for cutting down reeded paneling. Simply take measurements, cut the pole wrap to fit your drawer fronts, and adhere it using strong, waterproof adhesive for a seamless finish.

But what if you want to go in a completely different direction? Why not get crafty with some jumbo-sized craft sticks and create a bold herringbone pattern instead? Start by cutting the sticks to the desired length, keeping in mind the angles for your herringbone effect. You can either leave them as-is if you are repainting the whole vanity, or stain your sticks in two complementary wood tones for a truly stunning contrast. Lay the sticks out in the herringbone design before adhering them; this will help you visualize the end result. Once you're happy, it's time to glue those sticks down with waterproof adhesive. Trim the edges and replace the frame boards, and you've got yourself some gorgeous new vanity faces!