The bathroom vanity is a quintessential element of a modern bathroom that it’s hard to imagine one without it. Unlike a simple pedestal sink that offers no shelf space whatsoever, a vanity improves your storage space for various knick-knacks, such as accessories, cleaning supplies, and hygiene products for use in the bathroom. Traditionally, bathroom vanities are closed (like a cabinet), but the trend in the last few years is opening up, literally, with the introduction of open vanities.
That said, you don’t just walk up to bathroom vanity suppliers and buy the cheapest that you can find. A vanity should complement your bathroom’s style or you would risk making it look incongruous, like a monster in an otherwise clean space. Before you hunt for the perfect vanity, it’s best to consider a few factors:
Lifestyle
The most important consideration is how you want to use the vanity. Granted, bathroom vanities have a singular purpose, but your style dictates a nuance to the design of the element itself. As mentioned, it’s wise to match it to the form of the bathroom itself, but some avant-garde designers believe that each component of the bathroom should have a style of its own. If you subscribe to this school of thought and your furniture choices elsewhere in the house are eclectic, it’s a good idea to make a bathroom vanity stand out.
Bathroom vanities come in an often definable appearance, such as modern, rustic, or French, which usually corresponds to a bathroom style. Consult pictures online and match them to approximate what your bathroom looks like and go from there.
Size
Vanities provide storage, but in recent years, minimalism is all the rage. This is in contrast to the vanities of yesteryears where vanities were bathroom behemoths so they could both play host to your everyday bathroom necessities while also hiding the unsightly plumbing. In post-modern architecture, however, designers are beginning to embrace the blunt, industrial vibe of making the house’s seams and innards visible, thus the trend on open vanities.
When you choose open vanities, it’s a good bet that the vanity itself will shrink in size. Think in these terms: Do you want to use the vanity for storage, for easy access, or for a design statement?
Trend
It’s also a good idea to look at what’s hot in the interior design sphere. In 2019, designers love the idea of stripping the vanity to its basics, such as legless (or floating) vanities, coinciding with the concept of floating toilets, or those set into the wall. Other design trends include long, narrow tiles, rectangular vanity mirrors with rounded edges, and side-mounted faucets. You don’t have to incorporate all these trends. However, pick one that can be an organic addition to your bathroom.
Cost
Like any remodeling choice, the price will always be a factor. Replacing vanities isn’t cheap, but if you’re reading this, you might have the budget already prepared. In that case, make the most of your money by not settling for a vanity that doesn’t mesh with your taste. Look for different vanity suppliers and remodeling contractors and compare their products and their prices, but don’t necessarily choose the cheapest. Some offer additional services that you wouldn’t otherwise see on a catalog.
Bathroom vanities are less of a luxury now. These days, they’re both aesthetic and functional additions. Choose wisely.
