Vanity Toekick Space Step-stool/Storage
A vanity was too short for a customer (31-1/2″) but too tall for their grandkids, so I raised the vanity with a new 6″ toekick (vs. the old 4″ toekick) and built a pull out step into the new toekick space.
The result is a vanity 33-1/2″ in height (2″ taller) for the adults and with the step, it is 4″ shorter for the kids.
The customer wanted to keep this vanity (they had refinished it) so I just made it work better for them.
Tomorrow I will add a piano hinge for access to the “drawer” and I will route some shallow flutes for grip on the step top.
Replies
Nice work.
Thanks,It is an idea that has been done before, but might be useful enough to be done again.Regards,Bass
We looked at something like that once, but without the storage. Sort of curious - do kids get pinched toes or lose their balance if they jump on it barefoot and it starts to slide back in?
-Nate
The step rests on 4 felt feet when extended. It is also rather low and wide for stability. I think it is probably safer than most step stools. I would guess that the most common step stool accidents occur when a kid leans over the sink and the stool slips out behind the kid. This stool can't slip in that direction due to the guide hardware.Stools are often a bother to store and retrieve and this idea solves those problems too.This is the first one I have done, so I am sure the design can be improved.Bass
Nice work, thanks for the follow up!
You get some interesting projects.
Bill
Bill,Glad you like it.What do you "Manufacture & Distribute"?Have a great day,Brian
Hey Brian,
oh wow, guess I should update that a little.
My real Job is Quality assurance inspector for a defense contractor. Machinist by trade.
My source of life is building furniture and doing home repair / remodel type of things.
No real income involved, it would be silly to ruin a perfectly good hobby, and I'd likely starve to death. I just really like hand made stuff you can't get at the store.
I have a woodworking shop set up in my garage and have made probably 20 pieces of furniture over the years. Woodsmith, classic / craftsman type stuff. A few medicine cabinets, a trophy case for a buddy's karate studio........
Some interior doors from scratch, simple but custom wood work.
I'd love to get more involved but work and time limitations keep getting in the way<GG>
Bill
Bill
Thanks, Bass
I guess the key is in the tolerance underneath the box. I was thinking of something that rested on the guides alone and hadn't considered feet that would contact the floor when weight was put on it.
-Nate
Here is the final result:
Looks nice. Good work.
-Nate
I found out today that this project is actually going to be turned into a FHB magazine article. An editor is flying out here in a couple of weeks to do a photo shoot, etc.Dang, now I have to clean up the shop. ;o)Here is the slideshow on the vanity step-stool:http://s436.photobucket.com/albums/qq88/knottree/Vanity%20Toekick%20Step-stool/?albumview=slideshow
Congratulations!
Don't clean up the shop too much - it just makes the rest of us feel bad when we see the pictures.
-Nate
Thanks Nate,My shop is not gonna get too clean... you got nothin' to worry about. ;o)
awesome idea - well done.
Glad you like it.It was a nice little project.
Beautiful work, and a palm slap to the forehead solution for me! My wife and daughters come in at 5', and myself and oldest boy (so far, still growing) at 6' plus. Can't mount our oval mirror any higher, and we "must" use that mirror. And looks to me like the perfect storage for hair dryer, curling irons, etc... if lined with something heat resistant. I admire your simple solution and your craftsmanship!
Thanks,I'll be doing another variant of this in a couple of weeks, with library stool casters that roll when unloaded and lock under a load. Then the stool can be used elsewhere too.Regards