Bathroom Cabinets & Bathroom Vanities

Bathroom Vanities -

There are two looks to consider: built-in vanities; and free-standing vanities. The free-standing bathroom vanities look more like pieces of furniture. They are raised on legs, which makes it harder to clean beneath the vanity. Whether built-in or free-standing, styles range from Victorian vintage to space age. To each his own.

One option is to buy a chest or cabinet at a yard sale or antique fair, have it cut out for the sink, and refinished (if required). They are usually very pretty, and give the bathroom a unique flavor. I like them a lot, but I"m not cleaning the floors. By the way, bring a ruler or tape measure with you.

The architectural standard height for bathroom vanities is 30". This is an antiquated standard that goes back to when men were 5 feet tall, but many manufacturers are still making them at that height.

Most people today should have the vanities 33" (or even 36") high. This will prevent excessive stooping. If you see a piece at a yard sale that you like, but it is too high, simply have the legs cut by the installer (or do it yourself).

Built-in bathroom vanities eliminate the floor cleaning issue and usually make better use of space, but they will be more costly on average. Pricing ranges from 3-digit numbers to 5-digit numbers, depending on size and quality. Custom accessories can include warming drawers to keep towels warm.(OOOOoooo, I wish I had one)

Most bathroom vanities are made of wood, but you can also find them in metal (if that makes you happy). With all these choices, (and at the risk of repeating myself) it's smart to do your planning, research, and shopping, before making a decision. .

Bathroom Cabinets -

The 2nd most prominent bathroom cabinet is the wood medicine cabinet. The most common version is a recessed metal cabinet with a mirrored door, installed directly above the sink. Functional, but not very imaginative.

As an alternative to a traditional wood medicine cabinet, I'd like to suggest 2 narrow wall-hung cabinets (10" to 12" wide) on both sides of a flat mirror on the wall, and a soffit with valance above, connecting the 2 cabinets and providing a place for lighting.

Bathroom vanities should be at least 48" wide for this to look good. It's typically a traditional look, but can also be made in a contemporary style.

Although I'm not a believer in making all the bathroom cabinets the same finish, this cabinetry is so closely tied to the vanity, that I would make them match.

In addition to cabinets over the vanity, people sometimes use an armoire as a linen cabinet (if space permits). Keeping cabinetry on the walls will give a feeling of greater openness.

And if space is tight, think about a small wall-hung unit above the toilet, or a corner cabinet opposite the toilet. These don't necessarily have to match the vanity, but you should maintain a consistent look throughout the room. Once again, you have more options than you need.

You can brighten things up with the use of fabric on the cabinet doors. Buy doors with glass inserts (with or without the glass) and hang colorful fabric on the inside of the doors.

This works well if the look is "Country" or "Early American." If you maintain a theme with the decor, the room will look like it was professionally decorated.

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