Turn Old Frying Pans Into Gorgeous Bathroom Countertop Storage With This Fun DIY

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It's easy to build up a collection of unused kitchenware over the years. If you have extra unused cookware, it's likely taking up valuable space in your cabinets. So, give your frying pans new life as a chic countertop storage solution, so they stop wasting space and start serving a better purpose in your home. The YouTube account Evrim Taşer Yılmaz shared their "how-to" for transforming two modest frying pans into double-tiered bathroom countertop storage.

Old frying pans are often made of sturdy materials, like cast iron and stainless steel. Their heavy-duty makeup is built to last with exposure to heat and moisture, making them ideal for storing items in humid environments like bathrooms. In addition to being a durable material, they have a bowl-like shape for carrying an array of bathroom items. In this idea, the DIYer added rope around the frying pan exteriors, giving them a natural, textured touch. This is a great way to mix materials and add softness to a bathroom's interior design.

Turning these frying pans into stylish countertop storage doesn't require many supplies and materials. Aside from the pair of frying pans, you'll need acrylic paint, metallic spray paint, acrylic varnish, jute rope, a simple dowel, and a short spindle. You'll also need basic tools like a small drill, hot glue, and paintbrushes. This project is doable in a few hours, even when accounting for drying time, making it a fun weekend DIY.

As with most DIYs that upcycle common household items, the first step is to disguise their original purpose. Remove the handles by unscrewing, sawing, or twisting them off, and place masking tape over the hole. Then, drill two small holes in the center of each frying pan. 

The next step is to mask any rust, scratches, or imperfections. Coat the inside of the pans with white acrylic paint as a primer before spray painting them with a metallic color. Be sure to use a shade that matches your bathroom's fixtures and accents, such as a bronze, brass, or silver shade. Don't worry about any paint touching the outside of the pans, as you'll be wrapping them entirely in rope, such as PerkDecor's Jute Twine. Metallic rope can be used for a more glam look, or you can opt for a more vivid version if you'd like a pop of color. Once the pans are dry, start wrapping the rope at the middle of each frying pan base, working it outward in a spiral pattern and hot-gluing as you go. The next step is to insert the dowels, placing the simple cylinder in the center to connect the two, and the spindle-shaped dowel on the top pan for decorative appeal. Also wrap rope around each dowel for a polished look. 

Once assembled, this rustic storage shelf can be styled in the corner of a bathroom countertop, where you can hold everyday essentials, nail polish, cosmetics, small perfumes, hair accessories, and more. It makes clutter look deliberate, adding personality, style, and storage to a bathroom space. If you need more storage, add a third pan to create an extra tier. Or try pairing this idea with other ideas that maximize your space, like the clever mason jar DIY for bathroom storage.