A Guide to Bathroom Vanities

The basic bathroom vanity includes a mirror or medicine cabinet above, a sink or basin and counter or ‘top’ below, and a cabinet beneath. In some cases the sink and top are one unit. To call the bathroom vanity an important fixture in the bathroom would be an understatement. Everyone stops at the vanity upon entering or leaving the bathroom, whether it is to wash hands, fix hair or find lotion. Homeowners today often use vanities to set the tone or motif in decorating a bathroom. Bathroom vanities are available in a variety of styles and sizes dependent upon taste, functionality and financial commitment.

Bathroom vanities can be made according to the priority of style and design, function and practicality, or cost. For example, a bathroom vanity focused on style might include leather wrapped wooden doors with leather loop pulls and a leather wrapped mirror, with a form-flowing vitreous china sink and top, or a hand-carved gilded Louis IV mirror above an Italian marble top and marble sink set in a cabinet with ornately carved doors, for a more antique look. If homeowners place function and practicality as the top priority, they might choose faucets set high in the wall for easy washing, a raised basin made from easy to clean materials and a scratchproof top with splashguard.

The discerning customer should be aware of the vanities’ height. Many people end up with vanities that are too short for many adults. Remember to measure your space before ordering or making your bathroom vanity.

If price is the deciding factor you may have to exchange marble, hardwood, enamel glaze for particleboard, foil, polypropylene, fiberboard, and acrylic paint, and a basic ceramic sink instead of a Tuscan marble basin. However, price doesn’t have to compromise style or aesthetic quality, as there are a myriad of excellent antique reproductions and contemporary vanities to choose from and if you are handy there is an array of home assembly kits available on the market. The variety of mirrors and vanity lights available will easily fit into any budget. The bathroom vanity can bring warmth interest and drama to any bathroom and should be carefully considered as part of any home decorating plan.