Hope all you east coasters were able to stay warm during the so called “blizzard.” I enjoyed the extra days off building snowmen, making snow angels and even going sledding. Hopefully this is the last of winter and the flowers can start growing now. Ok fine, wishful thinking!
Today I am here to share a project I have been DYING to make! This one is strictly for the ladies! I’ve wanted a makeup vanity since forever! When I lived in my apartment there just wasn’t space for it and it wasn’t until we redid the guest room that I noticed the perfect spot to have one. Ladies, you are going to love this! The furniture itself is all from Ikea. The rest of the items needed can be purchased at your local hardware store.
To create the storage part of my vanity I purchased two Ikea Alex 5 drawer units and one table top in high gloss white (47×23). After recruiting some help to put the drawers together, I had this.
Because of where the bed comes out to I couldn’t center it which is why it is pushed all the way against the wall. You can imagine how much that urks me but I have some ideas on filling that space to the right. Now the next part is the fun part. It requires a little bit of electrical work but I promise you can totally do it. Here is what you’ll need:
Ikea Stave Mirror
2 Ikea Musik Wall Lamps
2 Extension Cords
3 Packs of Crystal Clear Round Light Bulbs
Wireless Remote Light Switch or Power Strip
Wire Cutters (not shown)
Wire Caps (not shown)
Electrical Tape (not shown)
Since the lights are meant to be hardwired we need to convert them to be plug ins. The first thing you need to do is remove the socket part of the extension cord.
With your wire cutters you’re just going to snip it right off.
Next, using the wire cutters or a wire stripping tool you need to remove some of the plastic coating and expose the wires inside. If you’re using your wire cutter be sure not to cut the wire, just the plastic coating.
On the back of the wall lamp you will notice three wires, black, white, and yellow. You will be using only the black and white wires. The yellow is the ground wire. You can wrap the end of that with electrical tape.
Now on your extension cord you will notice that one side (wire) is smooth and one side is rigid.
Taking the white wire, you’re going to wrap it around the wire with the rigid side. Once it’s all wrapped, cap it with the wire cap.
Next, take the black wire and wrap it around the wire with the smooth side. After this your lights should work once you plug them in!
Once you’ve removed the yellow wire you can use some pliers to try to remove the piece of metal that is on the back. Since you want your wall lamp to sit flush against your wall you’ll want it as flat as possible.
Repeat these steps for the second light.
Using electrical tape to hold everything down and making your marks you can now screw in your pluggable lights! Just hang the mirror and then place your lights on either side. I plugged the cords into a power strip and just hit the red button when I want to turn the lights on. To say I am obsessed is an understatement. I’m so happy to finally have a place to organize all my hair and makeup products and tools.The drawer units allow for so much storage it’s crazy! I’m not even close to being done organizing it all but I don’t mind spending all my time here!
Do you love it as much as I do! The best part is how affordable it is. The mirror and lights will cost you less than $80 which is great considering similar mirrors and lights like this one go for $400! If you decide to make one, which you 100% should, I’d love to see it!
I’m currently working on a little gallery wall to go above the vanity as well. Stay tune for that!
xoxo
This is such a nice blog post! I love this idea
x
What an amazing post – your Makeup vanity looks fantastic! Love it!! Karen x http://www.confettiandcurves.wordpress.com
Thanks Karen!
So welcome xo
I made this same vanity, but the problem I’m having is that the table top slides a lot on the alex drawers. Did you use anything so this wouldn’t happen? Like glue the table top to the drawers or anything?
Yes! I bought the command strips that are flat and sticky and put them under the table top and stuck them to the Alex! Hasn’t moved since!
Whoa. This is awesome. If only I knew how to put on makeup. Maybe this fancy setup would help?
I’m pretty certain if you sit in front of a vanity you miraculously will be an expert at putting on makeup!
Do you know what size Linnmon table top you bought?
Yes, I purchased the 47×23. There is a link in the post that will bring you straight to it, you’ll just have to change which color you want.
I can’t seem to find the link for the table top and I can’t find the 47×23″ online. Is there anyway you can attach the link below? I AM DYING TO MAKE THIS!
Here you go! Good luck! http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/10251347/
Hello, do you find the linnmon table too small since it is only 47″ long? Do you have enough room to fit your chair? Would you recommend the larger size 59″ linnmon table with the 2 alex drawers instead?? Thanks soo much!
It’s not small at all! I think it you went with a 59″ it would be extremely long! I have 19″ of space between the two alex drawers. The chair I currently use has arms that are wider than that so I can’t fit it inside but it isn’t a bother. Ikea sells a clear chair http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20115038/ that fits perfectly inside. I think if you went to the store and grabbed a 59″ top you’d see how long it is!
where did you buy your chair?
I purchased it on Overstock!
We made this on Sunday! Thank you! I love it! We replaced my 10 yr old varinty with this one! Im a makeup artist and have lots of makeup to store. The drawer space is awesome!
I need a new chair I hear it wad purchased on overstock do you remember what style or name of it was? So glad you posted this d.I.y.! Thanks
That’s so awesome! It definitely has tons of storage! As far as the chair, the one I have is not great for the vanity. It’s too wide and doesn’t fit between the two drawers. I am looking to replace it with this chair from Ikea http://m.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/art/20115038/ . The chair I have now if you search white leather office chair you’ll get a bunch of similar ones but I would try the IKEA one!
would love to try this! How much (approx.) would you say you spent on the hardware? drawers, tabletop, lights.
This is so cute! I’m moving in less than a month, thinking of building this myself! The lights might be a bit advanced for me though, but love the aesthetic the general set up gives either way!
The lights really aren’t all that bad! I was a little intimidated with all the wiring but it’s super easy once you have it all in front of you, promise!
Quick question, how did you manage to put the table top and the drawers together? Did it come with screws or something already?
The table top just sits right on top of the drawers…it doesn’t slide or anything. If you wanted to you could probably put some type of grip underneath to stop it from moving but I haven’t had any issues
I literally just laid the tabletop right on top of the drawers but in order to avoid any slipping I put some double sided tape on top of the drawers just to have some sort of grip and it works perfectly. The tabletop has never shifted and I almost always grab it and use it to pull myself closer with my chair!
I am planning on getting the same size linnmon top and two drawers but to make more room for stuff, i am thinking of pulling the alex drawers a little outsde the table top. So basically the table top would sit half way on both drawers. Have you thought about doing that? I haven’t seen anyone do it and i am wondering if there is a problem with balance or sturdiness if you don’t put the draws directly under the table top. Please let me know if that would work cause i haven’t had the chance to go to ikea yet.
When you say pull the drawers out more I assume you mean to the left and right not the front correct? I’m pretty certain they sell an even longer table top. You could pull the drawers out on the side because the top would still sit securely I would just be careful not to pull them out too much…you still need support for the top.
Yeah i mean pull out to the left and right. They have a longer one but its not only longer but deeper. this one is 47 x 23 and that one is 59 x 29. I want it to be more like 55x 23 because its gonna be in my bedroom. thanks for the response im preety certain ill do the linnmon- alex combo.
also is there a gap behind the alex drawers to the wall? cause i dont see a gap but according to measurements the table top is 4 inches deeper than the alex drawers
I love this!!! Could you please tell me the name of the small lighted mirror? I am so going to try and recreate this!
Are you referring to the round one on the table top? I’m not sure of the name but I purchased it at Bed Bath and Beyond…Target also sells them too!
I tried doing the lights and I’m not sure if the bulbs aren’t fitting correctly but also when I did the wiring and plugged it in the power on my wall went out please tell me what I’m doing wrong thx
Are you sure that you matched the correct wires together? I don’t know what would cause that to happen! Also make sure the wattage of the bulbs are not too high that might be the other issue!
Thank you so much for this!i have been looking for a vanity for so long but most are very expensive with 1 or 2 tiny drawers or no storage at all.thank you so much for sharing your awsome idea!
You’re very welcome!
Love this!! One question… How do the cords hang after you mounted the lights to the wall? Do they hang down the back of the mirror? I hate seeing cords lol
I had to actually go check because I couldn’t remember off the top of my head! So they go straight down under the light fixture and behind the table top. You won’t ever notice it though bc you’ll most likely have things on your vanity that will block them and it’s only like 3″ between the bottom of the light and the top of the table!
Thank you so much!!
I’ve been dying to make a vanity came across this and you are for sure my inspiration! ButI don’t think ikea makes this set anymore
online and at the ikea by me they have the alex but its 9 drawers high. Any other suggestions?
Really? Where do you live? I was able to find it online here: http://m.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/art/10192824/
If not there I know that Michael’s also makes something very similar. It comes on wheels but you can remove the wheels
How did you get the lights to stay flat on the wall without the wires being in the way?
You can tuck them behind the light…there is a hollowed out section where I stuffed them all into.
I just bought the stuff to make this and can’t wait to get it together. How did you attach the table top to the drawers?
Reblogged this on voguehearts. and commented:
WANT!
Can you please tell me where you bought your “C” decor? I love it ?
I believe I got it at TJ Maxx or Marshalls…they always have them there! I sprayed it gold though because it was originally white
Absolutely love this!! I plan on getting the stave mirror, can you tell me what size it is?
Hey! I love these lights and I followed your instructions and double checked that I used the right wires and I bought the same bulbs as you and it didn’t turn on when I plugged it in! Not sure if you can help me out?
Hi Emily…have you figured it out yet? That’s so bizarre! Maybe the outlet is hooked up with a light switch that needs to be turned on?
I did thank you!! I did everything right but I had the wrong type of bulb.
What size stave mirror do you have? There is one showing 70 x 70 and another one as 27 1/2 x
27 1/2
It’s 27 1/2″ x 27 1/2″…the 70 x 70 is the same thing that’s just measured in cm
hi!
I think i missed the part in your blog where you hook up the wireless remote?
I ended up hooking everything up to a power strip instead and I placed it under the desk so when I want to turn on the lights I just hit the button on the strip with my foot!
hey I’m actually about to go out and purchase all these things to make this vanity table! BUT how much did this cost? like the ENTIRE project (drawers, table top, mirror and lights, etc)?
Roughly $240
My husband made this for my daughter and she loves it!! Wish I could share a pic. Thanks for the step by step instructions!!
You’re very welcome! I’m sure she absolutely loves it!
Hi, so I found the 5 drawer ALEX unit at IKEA $79 to be 14 1/8 x 27 1/2 and the tabletop high gloss white to be 47 1/4 x 23 5/8. The drawers are longer than the tabletop. Do you have this same problem?
Hi Cindy…I don’t have that problem. In fact my drawers are a little less than 23″ deep so the table top is slightly deeper. I wonder why the ones you found are 27″. You could always use that space in the back to hold all your makeup organizers though
Girl! I literally just ordered everything on here! This is so beautiful and inexpensive. I’ve been searching for months for a cheap way to build a vanity and I found it with just one click. Thank you so much!
I totally need this in my life! the townhouse I’m moving into has a vanity area with a mirror built in before the walk in closet. I plan to measure the length of the mirror to see if these lights would work. I’m sorry if I missed it but what is the length of the lights and have you thought about running the light fixture across the top?
The lights are 24″ long. Having them on the sides gives plenty of light so I didn’t want to also do the top but I certainly could have!
Is there a specific size wire cap to use?
No I just used the standard size cap
Thanks for the writeup, I used it to make one for my girlfriend’s birthday
http://m.imgur.com/6Gc45O3
Awesome! She’ll love it!!
Absolutely IN LOVE with this!!! Thank you so much for the idea, I’m redoing my room and have been looking for an inexpensive vanity and I found it thanks to you! Quick question: where is your table top mirror from? Thank you!!
Yay!! The table top mirror is from Bed Bath & Beyond! Target also sells it!
Thanks for the idea it’s great. Where did you purchase your little acrylic storage drawers?
Thanks! I actually got those from the Container Store!
Do you have any advice for someone who can’t hang things? I rent a house with adobe walls and they are really hard to drill into. Can I just place this on top of my table? Any help/advice is greatly appreciated!
Did you ever use the wireless remote?
I actually ended up plugging them all into a power strip which I keep under the seat so all I do is use my foot to hit the on switch on it which turns all the lights on!
I recently got a vanity mirror but am having the hardest time finding the right lightbulbs. Where did you get yours?
I found mine at Home Depot!
About how much did you spend all together?
It came out to around $230
I absolutely love it!! Can you please share the link of the table top i cant seam to find it. Thank you!!
Here ya go! Just check the measurement of the one you choose. http://m.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/art/20251356/
Thank you! Would you mind giving me the measurements of the table top you purchased?
Hi, what did you use to get the mirror to hang on the wall or what do you recommend?
I just used long nails. I measured the distance between the holes and marked the wall!
Hi!
I’m having trouble finding these light bulbs. Do you think the clear work best or should I go with frosted bulbs? My husband thinks the clear will reflect too much and cause glaring?
Thanks!!
I found mine at Home Depot. I personally love the look of the clear bulbs but I will say when I place my stand up mirror in front of me the light does create shadows on my face that frosted bulbs may not do as much!
Good to know, I appreciate the help!
My Ikea was out of the stave mirror, so I am going with the plain Kolja mirror. My husband is trying to figure out a way to maybe put the mirror and lights on a piece of plywood that way it’s all together to hang on the wall. We currently live in an apartment so don’t want too many holes but need it functional too. I can’t wait to see the final product! If you have any suggestions I am open to any ideas 
Thank you so much. I was stumped on what to get my 14yr old for Christmas until I saw this idea! I love it and so will she!
Love this idea! Can you send me a link for the exact table top please? Would really appreciate it! xx
Here ya go! Just make sure you order the correct size for your space! http://m.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/art/20251356/
You star! Thanks very much, I will xx
Where did you get the chair for your vanity? I love it btw, the vanity looks fabulous!
Thanks Sarah! I ordered the chair on overstock but I since have replaced it since the arms don’t allow me to push it all the way in. If you search white leather desk chair you should come up with similar options!
I just wanted to let you know that my fiancé used this blog post, bought every single thing on it (including the wireless remote, so cool), and gave it to me for Christmas. Now I’m the happiest little twerp that’s ever walked the earth !! Now I have my dream vanity and I’ve never been more surprised by this man. I can’t believe he managed to get everything from ikea / Home Depot into this house without me seeing. Thank you SO MICH for being his inspiration !!
That’s amazing and what a great man you have!!
I’ve been looking recently to built the exact same vanity, and ended up in your blog. Thanks so much, it’s so in depth!
Wow! What a great idea! Thank you so much for sharing. I will make my own vanity! I love how it looks so nice and functional.
i was just wondering what the total cost spent would be (withouth the desk) on supplies. And thank you so much i have always wanted a broadway style vanity diy!!
Where did you get that vanity table from? I’ve been looking everywhere!
Hi! So I just recently finished with my vanity lights from IKEA but we couldn’t find 25 watt bulbs so we got 40 watt. As soon as I turn it on it feels hot. The Musik lamps say the max wattage is 40 so is it normal that they feel kind of hot?
Yeah, mine get hot too! Sometime I leave the room and forget to turn them off for awhile but I have never had an issue!
how much what the table not and drawers all together ?
Is the light good for applying your makeup with this?
It’s fantastic! The lighting is perfect for me!
What are the measurements of the mirror??
It’s 27 1/2 x 27 1/2
Just curious, all the Ikea furniture that I have bought in the past tends to scratch very easily. Do you have any issues with that on your design? Does the high gloss prevent that or should I invest in some type of custom plastic cover for the table top? Thanks in advance!
I have no scratches on the high gloss! It cleans beautifully
Thank you so much for sharing this! I drove 2 hours to Ikea just to recreate this gorgeous vanity. I followed everything you did to a T and it came out beautiful. This was my dream vanity, and I thank you for showing us how to make it!!!
Love it!! Why are all Ikeas so far!? I mean they really need to do something about that!
Just a thought. That metal tab you are removing is for ground.. which if any of the electrical in the lights grounds out – you want to go there (preferred) instead of through you (not preferred). You can modify that by using a 3-wire extension cord for the project or just buying 3-conductor wire from Home Depot or Lowes. As far as getting the mount flush – thats a little harder. You could get a small chisel and work a pocket into what you mount it onto account for the tab and wire. Another option would be finding a “gasket” or “o-ring” so it mounts high enough. You could probably hack something up to accommodate this.
Anyhow – nice project.. hopefully my wifes vanity will com out as nice..
Thank you so much for this comment! I’ve been trying to figure out how to use that third wire…
How did you manage to hide the wires??!
There is a part of the back that sinks in so I just tucked it in there and the actual wire that goes to plug in hangs at the bottom but it’s so close to the top of the table you don’t ever see it plus my makeup products hide it!
Where did you buy the small mirror?
I got it at Bed Bath and Beyond!
Thank you so much for such simple directions on the vanity mirror lights! My husband is an electrician, and I’m certain to blow his mind using your instructions. ? Btw, did you finish the ensemble you were going to put together on the wall above the vanity? I’d love to see your ideas!
Thanks Toni! I’m sure he’ll say I’m doing something wrong but it’s never given me any issues! Here’s a link to a picture I posted on IG the other day! https://www.instagram.com/p/BDGR7EZifly/?hl=en
Did yours come with the wall mount? Because I just bought mine and there isn’t one in the box.
went and got the stuff for this yesterday and put it together im in love! Would have never known without your help! Thanks for the great post(:
hi, can you tell me the exact measurement of the top? I’m planning to do the same vanity you did. Thanks!! I love how you did yours. It’s simple!!
I need this so bad!!! Where can I get it ??
Tykeesha, if you read the post all the details are there! ?
Where did you get the table top from? Ike’s also? My daughter is wanting this look in her room.
Yes, the link to the table top is in the post!
I honestly can’t even understand what you’re doing. I really want to do this but I’m beyond confused here.
Really! Ok well my suggestion would be to buy the supplies and once it’s all in front of you it might start to make sense. If not Partick Starrr also has a video on YouTube that is very similar! Hopefully that helps!
I just wanted to thank u for this post…ive been searching for the right vanity for months!!! I only spent $172 and it looks so pretty!!! I wish I could send u a pic….i even flipped my old vanity chair, spray painted it gold and added fur!! Thanks again u r awesome. Oxox
That’s so awesome! The chair sounds like it turned out fantastic!! xo
I love love love this idea it’s simple and sooo pretty
canny wait to try this 
but where did you purchase the remote ?
What are the measurements for your Alex drawers? I can only find one that is 14 1/8″ x 27 1/2″. That would be too long for the way I’m building the vanity.
That’s the one I used! It doesn’t come any smaller than that unfortunately!
I love this set up so much!! i am going to Ikea for everything
I just can’t find the musik wall lamps on the Ike website. Can you please help me find them?
I just did a search for them and it looks like they don’t make them anymore! Good news is you can get the same idea from anywhere…these are from Wayfair and are very similar http://www.wayfair.com/Progress-Lighting-Broadway-4-Light-Bath-Bar-P3298-15-L6116-K~PG1796.html?refid=GX71596707150-PG1796_10728685&device=m&ptid=146234254636&PiID%5B%5D=10728685&gclid=CjwKEAjwltC9BRDRvMfD2N66nlISJACq8591Ed_QmGmlBsbKL5tg5jtgAPceS80H7Ejjuh6oZvlHxxoCWxDw_wcB
Thank you! I have searched everywhere (amazon, home depot, lowes, local lighting stores) for the 5 bulb strip but they are all 30″ as opposed to 24″. i ordered the 5 bulb 30″ ones and if they look strange, I will return them and get the 4 bulb ones that are 24.” Did you hang them on the wall with the command strips? Also, did you hang the mirror with the strips too?
I screwed the lights in and used nails for the mirror…I just want to make sure it doesn’t go anywhere bc the lights will warm up and if I only used command strips they might peel off from the wall! Good luck with the lights! I’m sure they will look great
Looking for wall lamps…ikea no longer sells them!
Hi! I have been dying to get/make this vanity for so long, so thank you for making this post. Is the table top the same depth as the drawers? Does it hang off at all? Thanks!
It does hang off a bit but I made it hang off in the back so it sits flush in the front and I used sticky command strips under the table top to avoid it from sliding around!
Can you please find the link to the wall lighting. I can’t find it anywhere, I’m in the USA by the way. And I need everything for my vanity. Great job by the way!
Hi There, do you have a link for the light strips? I cant seem to find them on Ikea. Thanks!
It turns out they have recently discontinued them! Good news is you can find light strips like that at Home Depot or Lowes!
Can I get these light bars in America? I can’t find them on ikea.
Yes! If you go to any home improvement store like Home Depot you should find them there!
This is a great post!!! I am def doing this!
How to you make your lights stand up? Did you glue it or something?
I screwed them into the wall!
I can not seem to find the Musik wall lamps could you possibly leave the link?
Unfortunately they just recently discontinued it! You can easily find the same type of lights at any Home Depot or Loews
I feel like you may need to put that into your original post, or you may be answering a lot more of that same question lol
Thank you for a thorough and helpful idea to make an amazing vanity
i’m so glad you made this blog, even two years from when you made yours it’s helping because this is exactly what i wanted but didn’t know where to get the drawers and table top. if you could help me, i would appreciate it! i don’t live near an Ikea and the table top size you used isn’t available for shipping.
so, i was wondering if it mattered what size table top i get? because other sizes are available for shipping.
thank you so much!!
Aww thanks! I’m so happy you found me! The table top size shouldn’t matter as long as you don’t get it smaller because then you won’t have enough room for your chair and legs it fit comfortably! If it’s longer then you can just adjust the drawers to hold the top plus you’ll have more counter space!
I know this post is 2 years old but I’m LOVING this vanity! I have a question though. How was the lighting for photography or videography? Was it as good as natural lighting and show the true colors of things or was it like any other bathroom lighting and was yellow tinted?
Thanks Heather! So I filmed a few videos in front of it and only used the vanity lights. You can see one of the videos here just to give you an idea of the lighting. https://youtu.be/vm7hmqzZ5Ww
I love this! You did an amazing job!
Where did you get your mirror and lights from?
All of that information is in the post
hello! i am dying to get the same table top. but cannot find the high gloss version. is ikea still selling that same exact version? if so, can you send me a direct link? the one you posted doesn’t seem to take me to the exact product.
Hey Kelly…I just went on the IKEA site and I’m not sure why they don’t give the high gloss option! Would you be able to go to the store? I can’t imagine they discontinued it but that might be the case or they just don’t offer it online.
the closest ikea store for me is 3 hours away. :'( so saddening. i might give them a call sometime and try to figure it out. i would love the high glass option too since my makeup area tends to get pretty messy. :’)
where did you purchase the drawers at?
I’m trying to find that mirror at ikea, and it doesn’t seem to show up. Can you give me the link to this mirror?
I believe that mirror was discontinued but this is similar if not the same…
http://m.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/art/20320312/
Thank you so much! This mirror is perfect
Hey! Can you tell what store you went to to buy the extension cords, light bulbs, wire cutters, electrical tape, and remote light switch?
where did you get the actual dressing table someone said it was from IKEA but i cant find it anywhere on there site x
Do you mean the table top? I’m not sure why the link isn’t working but when you go to the Ikea website you can search “Linnmon” and it should come right up! Make sure the order size!
I love this idea! I have all the items in my cart, but I have a question. My bedroom furniture is brown, should I still pick a white vanity? Thanks!
Yes! I only say that because I love how clean and crisp it is in white!
How do you choose the high gloss option when buying the table top from ikea?
So I just went on the site and it doesn’t seem that they have the high gloss as an option! That might be different in the store itself. I’m not sure if you are close to one but you can always call and see if they have it in stock.
What size mirror is this?