Cleaning up and refreshing yourself after a hectic day can be a near blissful experience, one further enhanced when your bathroom looks and feels luxurious.
Even with limited space, your bathroom can be inviting if it’s designed well. Besides how it looks, its functionality is also important. This means maximizing storage space and always keeping the vanity well stocked.
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But choosing the most suitable vanity to complement your bathroom’s design and your family’s overall requirements can be tricky when you’re spoilt for choice.
To simplify the process, here are some useful suggestions.
A Few Tips to Choosing the Best Bathroom Vanity
Here are a few criteria you should prioritize when choosing a bathroom vanity:
- The available space
Unless you plan to customize the vanity, the size and shape of your bathroom will influence your choice. It should be proportional to your bathroom, both in terms of size and depth, which is why exact measurements are important.
- Prioritize functionality
The cabinet should maximize the space it occupies by having all the necessary compartments to hold your toiletries. Take note of the primary users of the vanity and design it according to the needs of everyone using it. The way an adult uses it will be different, for instance, from a child or even an older person.
- Be familiar with the different styles
Today a variety of vanity styles are available which fit a small bathroom but are designed to maximize storage. Being up to date with trending styles will make it easier to find the right match for your home.
The following are a few styles popular right now:
- Traditional cabinet-style vanities have a classic style that never gets old. These look like pieces of legged furniture and are ideal for homes with little space. They come in both prefabricated and custom designs.
- Wall-mounted styles are chic and elegant, and free up leg space. The amount of available storage depends on the size and number of drawers and shelves. They’re a great choice for bathrooms where waterlogging happens occasionally. If this isn’t a problem, the space beneath the wall-mounted vanity can be used for additional storage.
- Console sinks are unconventional vanities that provide a significant amount of storage space. They have an open space design that creates the illusion of a large area in a small bathroom.
- Colour, material and finish
Together these three factors determine whether the vanity complements your bathroom suitably. There’s a wide variety of colours to choose from, depending on the material, even if you opt for prefabricated designs. Classic colours like black, white and neutrals complement any bathroom. However, if you want the perfect match, take your bathroom’s main design motif into account.
- Long-term use
Whether prefabricated or customized, bathroom vanities are more expensive than most other pieces of household furniture as they’re built to last in humidity. That’s why you should choose a material designed to last in such conditions without compromising on budget. Granite, quartz and certain varieties of hardwood with a high Janka rating are good choices that can last for generations with proper maintenance.
- Layout and plumbing
The position of the vanity affects the room’s leg space. Moreover, it should be an easily accessible area where plumbing can be worked on. Before installing the vanity, plumbing and layout should be considered together as each affects the other.
- The vanity’s purpose
Bathroom vanities can be put to different applications, from using the sink and mirror to storing toiletries out of sight. However, when choosing the ideal size and design, a crucial factor is how you and your family intend to employ it. For example, if several people use several different products, you may need multiple drawers and shelves to accommodate everyone.
- Budget
A high-quality vanity is expensive because it can last for decades and is an investment that adds to your home’s resale value. When choosing the material, finish, design and brand, budget plays a crucial role. If you don’t have a lot to spend, buy a prefabricated one from a reputable dealer. You can estimate your budget by considering the cost of your materials as per the size, compartments and hardware.
- Mirror
The mirror you choose can transform the look of your bathroom entirely. Even a modest-style vanity can impart a luxurious feel to the room by employing an ornate mirror. Just make sure it complements the room’s overall design and is proportional to the style and size of your vanity.
- Potential obstacles
Note any obstacles or items that block legroom around the vanity or damage it in any way. Consider these potential obstacles before choosing the vanity style and its position within the room:
- The distance between the door and vanity, and the direction in which the door swings
- The distance between the glass shower enclosure and vanity, and the swing of the glass door
- The flow of traffic
Choosing a suitable bathroom vanity can take a lot of time when you aren’t sure what you’re looking for, but keeping these factors in mind makes the decision easier. Give your bathroom a thorough makeover by choosing a vanity based on these criteria.