Wedge more storage into bathroom corner

Read article : Wedge more storage into bathroom corner

My “Room by Room” co-host, Shari Hiller, and I have decorated numerous bathrooms, and all of them share one common problem – not enough storage. Typically, the only places to store items are the medicine cabinet and under the vanity, neither of which offers much space.

We recently decorated a bathroom that had no storage whatsoever. The sink mounted directly to the wall, so there was no vanity. There wasn’t even a medicine cabinet. This bathroom needed help.

Shari helped by creating a skirt that attached to the sink and provided some covered space to “hide” things. Unfortunately, more storage was still needed.

I decided to build a tall corner cupboard, which would offer plenty of storage while taking up very little space in this small bathroom.

The materials I used:

• 1/2-inch plywood
• Circular saw
• Wood glue
• Nail gun (or hammer and nails)
• Large square
• Pencil
• 1-inch cleats
• 1/2-inch quarter-round molding
• 1×2, 1×3 and 1×4 poplar lumber
• Jigsaw with scroll blade
• Hinges and hardware
• Tape measure
• Wood filler
• Sandpaper
• Primer and paint or stain

Measure the corner of the bathroom where the cabinet will be placed to get the desired dimensions. The featured project’s one side is 18 inches wide and the other is 18–1/2 inches wide (when attached together, each side will be 18–1/2 inches because of the plywood’s thickness).

Since the piece is angled, the sides and cleats need to be mitered at the front so the front facing will lie flush. Set the circular saw at a 45-degree angle and cut the plywood sides using a guide to keep the saw straight. Cut the cleats to size, being sure to miter the front ends.

Lay the sides next to each other on a flat surface. Use a large square to draw lines across both boards to mark where the 1-inch cleats will hold up the shelves. Run a bead of glue along the cleats and nail each in place. Assemble the two sides together using a butt joint, wood glue and nails.

Measure the inside of the cabinet from outer corner to outer corner and cut the shelves to size using a circular saw. Tip: When cutting plywood with a circular saw, cut with the finished (good) side down so chips don’t ruin the exposed surface.

Install the shelves to the inside of the cabinet by nailing each into the cleats and dress up the inside top edge using -1/2-inch quarter round. Cut 1×2 facing pieces to length to cover the front of each shelf.

For plain cabinet doors, measure the bottom opening and add -1/4 inch all the way around. Cut two doors this size.

Fill all nail holes with wood filler and let dry. Sand the entire piece and prime it if necessary. Once dry, paint or stain the piece as desired. Once completely dry, install the doors with chosen hinges and hardware.

Place the cupboard in the corner and make sure that it is secure. In the room we were working in, the floor was somewhat uneven. We found that our cupboard needed to have a few shims placed under the front edge to make it completely stable.

I was pleased with the project because it provided some much-needed storage. Shari was pleased for an entirely different reason: There were four shelves that needed accessories.

She added greenery, towels, decorative bottles and baskets. The accessories added color and texture to the piece, and gave the piece a nice, finished look.

This tall corner cupboard was just what this bathroom needed. Does your bathroom need a bit of extra storage? Why not give this cupboard a try? I guarantee: You’ll love the results.