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This is a toddler-scale play vanity: two small 1x12 open cabinets (essentially little nightstands) connected by a 1x2-and-1x12 bench top, with base molding at the feet and delicate 1-1/2" molding trimming the fronts. A hinged or fixed mirror mounts above between the two boxes. It's a fast, satisfying build — the source builder framed, filled, primed, and painted the whole thing in a single afternoon.
Because it's small and light, construction is dead simple: predrill and screw the shelves and tops to the 1x12 sides with 2" screws and glue, keeping outside edges flush. The only cut needing any care is the back panels, which get an angled top — cut one side, flip the board, and cut the other so the two match. Everything else is straight crosscuts.
The molding is what makes it look like a real piece of furniture rather than two boxes: 3-1/4" base molding at the front feet and 1-1/2" molding trimming the front edges, all glued and finish-nailed. The bench top ties the two boxes together — predrill the 1x2 cleats first so screws start easily, and it helps to have a second pair of hands (or assemble it upside down on the floor) when joining the two cabinets. Prime and paint in a child-safe finish.
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| 1x12, 8 ftBoth cabinet boxes and the bench top. | 2 each |
| Base molding, 3-1/4 in (24 in)Buy a short length at the home center. | 1 each |
| Molding, 1-1/2 in (48 in)Front trim. | 1 each |
| 1x2 (24 in)Bench-top cleats. | 1 each |
| Plywood or beadboard, 1/4 in (scraps)Backs, at least 11-1/2" x 20-1/2". | 1 each |
| Wood screws, 2 in | 1 box |
| Wood screws, 1-1/4 in | 1 box |
| Finish nails, 1-1/4 in | 1 box |
| Wood glue and filler | 1 each |
| Primer and child-safe paint | 1 quart |
Overall cost: $$. Lumber prices vary by region, species, and season, so we give a band rather than a figure we would only be pretending to know.
| Part | Qty | T × W × L |
|---|---|---|
| Cabinet sides1x12 | 4 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 10" |
| Cabinet tops1x12 | 2 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 11 1/2" |
| Cabinet shelves1x12 | 4 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 19 3/4" |
| Front base moldingbase molding | 2 | 3/4" × 3 1/4" × 11 1/2" |
| Bench top1x12 | 1 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 16 1/2" |
| Front trim molding (long)1-1/2 in molding | 1 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 18" |
| Front trim molding (short)1-1/2 in molding | 2 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 11 1/2" |
| Bench cleats1x2 | 2 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 11 1/2" |
Buy 4 boards at 8 ft.
2 boards
1 board
1 board
Assumes 8 ft stock, a 1/8" saw kerf, and buying each part at its own width. Change the board size or kerf on the full board plan →
You're building two small open cabinets. Mark the sides inside and out where the shelves land, so you know where to place them and where to drive screws. Predrill, glue, and screw the shelves to the sides with 2" screws, keeping everything square.
Predrill along the sides, apply glue to the top edges of the sides, and screw the top down with 2" screws, keeping the outside edges flush. Do both cabinets.
Cut the angled-top back panels — cut one side, then flip the board and cut the other so the two sides match. Attach the backs to the cabinets.
Glue and nail the 3-1/4" base molding across the front feet of each cabinet. This gives the little boxes a finished, furniture-like base.
Predrill and screw the 1x2 cleats to the sides of the 1x12 bench top with 2" screws and glue, keeping the top flush. The cleats are how the bench spans and attaches to the two cabinets.
Nail the 1-1/2" molding onto the front edges with glue and 1-1/4" finish nails. This delicate trim is what dresses the fronts and reads as detailing.
Join the bench top to the two cabinets to complete the vanity — predrill the 1x2 cleats first so screws start easily, and get a second pair of hands or assemble it upside down on the floor. Fill holes, sand, prime, and paint in a child-safe finish. Add a mirror above between the two boxes.
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