The bathroom has many utilitarian purposes, but the place you can have some of the most fun in your room design is the vanity. A vanity is the place that many people spend the most time in the bathroom and you want it to be your centerpiece. When you are deciding how you want your vanity to look and what elements will cause attention to draw there, there are a few important things to consider including function, shape, size, and various designs.
Function
The first thing you need to consider when shopping for a new bathroom vanity is function. You may see a pretty wild or extravagant vanity that would fit well in your dream home, but remember what your current bathroom looks like and how you will be using the vanity every day. There is no need to go for a bunch of bells and whistles in the design if you never use the features of the design. Likewise, you don’t want to fall in love with a vanity that will not work in your bathroom unless you want to remodel your whole house. Pick a middle ground and choose function before form.
Shape
The next step to narrow down your bathroom vanity choices is to look at the shapes available for bathroom vanities. Here are some of the main vanity shapes you can choose from:
- Under-Mount Vanity: The under-mount vanity is like any traditional bathroom vanity. The vanity is flush against the wall with the sink sunk into the countertop. This is a very classic look, but can take away some under the sink storage space.
- Vanity Cabinets: Vanity cabinets are all about storage and provide a great deal of cabinet space. The biggest benefit about the vanity cabinets is you can have all the storage space without losing bathroom traffic space.
- Pedestal: The pedestal vanity option is extremely utilitarian and provides a very classic look. No matter how little room you have to work with, a pedestal will fit in perfectly. However, the pedestal vanity works best in a hall or guest bathroom. They are almost too utilitarian for a master bath, unless you are planning on having two vanity areas! More counter space is usually needed for master bathrooms.
- Free Standing Vanity: A free standing vanity is very similar to a pedestal sink, but there is more storage for your items. Like a pedestal sink, it can fit in small bathrooms, but it can also look excellent in master bathrooms as well. Free standing vanities are very popular right now because they give the bathroom a greater sense of space.
- Vessel Sink Vanity: A vessel sink vanity is another popular option because of the unique sink. It looks very much like a free standing vanity, but the sink looks like it is a bowl sitting on top of the vanity.
Size
Once you have the function and the vanity shape nailed down, you need to carefully pick the size of the vanity. While the shape plays into the final size, you need to make sure the one you picked out will fit well in your bathroom. Even if it technically fits in the space, make sure the vanity does not impede traffic or the breath of the room. Shoving a vanity in that does not quite fit or doesn’t take up enough room will make your bathroom look awkward and suffocate the space.
Designs
There are four main designs you can choose from when selecting a bathroom vanity.
- Art Deco. If you have a thing for The Great Gatsby and everything that goes with the 20s era, then an art deco bathroom vanity is the right fit for you. These vanities usually have a large statement mirror, either round or an irregular shape, with the classic art deco geometric designs in the wood grain and hardware.
- French Provincial. For elegance and gorgeous detail in your bathroom, a French provincial vanity is a must. Often there is ornate carving in the drawers and doors. Having rounded cabinet and drawer fronts is also common.
- Modern. Modern bathroom vanities are often free standing vanities with wild design concepts in the architecture and construction. These vanities are sleek with clean lines and minimal hardware. Often, these vanities are bolted to the wall with some space between the bottom and the floor so the vanity seems to float.
- Counter Style. A counter style bathroom vanity is very classic and fits in with nearly any bathroom design. It is fairly basic but can be embellished with any kind of design details and styling you like.