Vanity Toekick Space Step-stool/Storage

basswood

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 yesterday, I just made it work better for them.

Today I will add a piano hinge for access to the "drawer", pull hardware, felt feet, and I will route some shallow flutes for grip on the step top.

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bwalley

Very good idea, I will keep that in mind for future use.

cleveman

Nice deal.

The last vanity I made was 36" high and I love it, but it doesn't have a pull-out for small people.

SDC

good idea
Can I steal it

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neolitic

Cute.
Thinking under-the-box!

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TBFGhost

...nice strong roller bearing drawer slides....but what keeps the step in the "out" position? Don't want that nice step to go flying back when a small kid leans the wrong way....ouch... None the less...that is a great idea!

basswood

Thanks, you do need a flat floor for it to work well, and for the guides to be aligned with the plane of the floor.

Glad you like it. I will try to add this feature into any vanity I build, and will offer to add it to off the shelf units too... if this one proves to work well.

Anything for the good of the cause. The basic idea here has been done before, so I can't get a patent for it, in this form.

I try to think on all sides of the box.

Thanks, you bring up a good point, the execution of the design has to be right on. I have four heavy felt pads on the bottom of the stool, that grab the floor when you add weight, but skim the floor lightly as the stool moves unweighted. Tight tolerances though.

It should be safer than most step stools, as it can only move back in (can't slip sideways or back). I bet most accidents occur when kids lean forward, over the sink, and a free-standing stool slips backwards, out from under the kid, who then falls.

KMac

Neat idea - never saw that before.

basswood

KMac,

Thanks.

Here is a link to a mini-slide show on this project so far:

http://s436.photobucket.com/albums/q...view=slideshow

I will add a few more pics next week.

Later,

Bass

Mitchell Const.

That is too freekin sweet!

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DBCoop

Hey Bass, thanks for sharing your tips and knowledge! I find your photos exspecially beneficial.......they can be great food for thought as how to improve one's own system and thats a great thing.

basswood

I'm gonna do another, better looking, new vanity with this feature this spring.

Glad you like it,

basswood

basswood

Good to know some things I post are helpful. If you feel like it, let me know what is useful to you.

I have been asked to write an article for Fine Homebuilding on this step-stool idea, so this thread is part of my process of figuring out how to write this stuff up.

Cheers,

Bass

Bodger

Looking good Bass. Always fun to see what you're up to.

basswood

Thanks Bodger,

Today I think I landed a job building an entertainment center with pilasters that hide CD and DVD storage. Kinda like this, but without the arched crest on top (and just paint-grade):

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Gus Dering

I like you Mr Bass
You do nice work.
Is that et center yours?

basswood

No. Not mine. That is one in Philly, PA.

I designed one like it today and then found these pics on Google images... way nicer than the one I will build.

I have two weeks to do a drawing and price it. If it sells, I'll build it in April.

Gus Dering

Give me a sketch and I can draw up something for a 3d rendering for you. Something like one of these?

Giron et center 3d .pdf

Teran. revised 3d.pdf

Bodger

Gus, what do you use for your renderings, Sketchup?
You've probably stated it somewhere, I'm too lazy to do a search.

Gus Dering

Cabinet Vision, lazy butt.

Screen to machine. It's still amazing When the job is ready for a rendering it is completly cutlisted. Including face frames, doors and drawers, the works. Sheets are optimized and ready for the cnc.

Check out the Taran pdf in the last post. It's not a bad representation of the real thing. If I spent more time on it I could add all sorts of other items. I have not done it but some guys take a photo of a room like this one before the cabinetry and use the photo as a back drop for the rendering of the cabinetry.

That stuff is cool but takes me alot of time. So far I have good luck selling jobs without the extra work on a rendering. But it's nice to know it's there if I get my lazy butt into gear.