We are remodeling our master bathroom and while I enjoy doing things the frugal way, I didn’t have the energy to paint or refinish the old vanity.  But then I had a hard time just taking it to the Re-store or tossing it away.  So I told my dad what I was thinking of for our living room: a storage window bench.  Dad is a can-do guy and can build basically anything Mom and I envision.  He used a circular saw to cut off the base sides and kick-board as well as the top drawer area, making it bench height.  Then he sawed the back 5 inches off to make it a narrower length from front to back; then we reattached a back.  We had a sturdy scrap of plywood for the top, which we glued and screwed on, and to which I upholstered this heavyweight fabric over an old blanket and batting.  It’s a great stash for the kids’ books and toys in baskets I found at Aldi.  (But the kids just want to hide inside it.)

*Update: We have moved states since this project, and it held up well and is now used as a shoe storage location near our exit for a tidy solution to kids’ shoes.  I simply put a two-tier shoe shelf inside.  I also keep a little hand broom and dustpan inside in case they track sand inside for quick cleanup.