BATHROOM VANITIES

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You may not realize it, but the vanity is a main focal point in your bathroom. Without giving it much thought it probably never occured to you that having the wrong vanity can utterly ruin your design goals. Think of a totally masculine bathroom complete with hunting decor but having a tiny delicate bathroom vanity on one wall. What would your friends think? In addition to functionality you need to consider the design and style of the vanity before purchasing. The list of things to consider is extensive:

size, shape, holding one sink or two, base cabinet material and color, countertop material and color, storage or no storage, exposed plumbing or hidden, the list goes on. Makes your head spin doesn't it?

A hundred years ago there weren't many options available. Everyone either had a solid square base with a bowl on top (no running water) or a beautiful victorian vanity for the rich with indoor plumbing. Today you can find bathroom vanities in as many styles and colors as you could imagine.

The bathroom vanity cabinet and vanity sink are the two main parts to think about. Do you want something large or small? Are you limited by the confines of the room itself or is space not an option? Are you needing to get this at a big discount?

There are some basic requirements to good bathroom vanities. Drawers must be sturdy and able to take a beating as they will be used a lot. Be sure the drawers are joined with a dovetail configuration and not just staples. You'll pay more for quality but its definitely worth it. The drawer slides should also be smooth and quiet. Look for solid metal slides with ball bearings. You want them to open out far enough to get easy access to the back. It should also have stops so the drawer can't be easily pulled all the way out by a child.

Be sure the core material is a dense product, not solid wood, so it will best handle the humidity in the room. Doors should be perfectly aligned, corner bracing should be in place and heavy duty hardware with solid shelves. A consistent grain pattern is important if wood is visible and not painted.

Good luck in your hunting and don't forget to check out the other parts of our site for more details and instructions.