Find a Bathroom Vanity That Suits the Way You Live
Here are 10 important questions to answer before forking out on a new bathroom vanity
You may have an idea of the look you want to create for your bathroom, but will it really suit the way you live? Factor in costs, bathroom design and livability before handing over your hard-earned cash. It just might save your sanity. Ask yourself these 10 questions to make sure you make a savvy selection.
What kind of basin makes the most sense for your family?
A vanity like this one fits nicely in a bathroom that doesn’t offer much room to move, and you can maximise counter space by opting for an undermount basin. Cleaning is quick and easy with this option, and the durable vanity top means it will keep on looking good for years to come. It’s often easier to find the vanity top you like first, and then match the tiles to it rather than the other way around.
A vanity like this one fits nicely in a bathroom that doesn’t offer much room to move, and you can maximise counter space by opting for an undermount basin. Cleaning is quick and easy with this option, and the durable vanity top means it will keep on looking good for years to come. It’s often easier to find the vanity top you like first, and then match the tiles to it rather than the other way around.
Where will you store your toiletries?
Take a good, hard look at your bathroom habits, and those of any other family members who will share the space. If you have armloads of lotions, potions and cosmetics and so does your partner, plan for it accordingly. This free-floating vanity makes the most of limited space, and the wall of mirrors floods the room with natural light. Inset into the wall behind the mirrors are spacious storage cabinets with room enough for everyone’s stash of accoutrements.
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Take a good, hard look at your bathroom habits, and those of any other family members who will share the space. If you have armloads of lotions, potions and cosmetics and so does your partner, plan for it accordingly. This free-floating vanity makes the most of limited space, and the wall of mirrors floods the room with natural light. Inset into the wall behind the mirrors are spacious storage cabinets with room enough for everyone’s stash of accoutrements.
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Do you need one basin or two?
If space allows, many families opt to have two basins. Couples can save time in the morning when it’s time to get ready for the day; kids can avoid the pushing and shoving that often accompanies the before-school ritual. Take care that a twin-basin vanity isn’t too big for the space available, and be aware that an extra basin means you may have to sacrifice on counter space.
More: 20 Fabulous Family Bathrooms the Whole Brood Will Love
If space allows, many families opt to have two basins. Couples can save time in the morning when it’s time to get ready for the day; kids can avoid the pushing and shoving that often accompanies the before-school ritual. Take care that a twin-basin vanity isn’t too big for the space available, and be aware that an extra basin means you may have to sacrifice on counter space.
More: 20 Fabulous Family Bathrooms the Whole Brood Will Love
Is style or storage more important to you?
An exquisite vanity like this one may suit the elegant style you’re looking for in your bathroom, but at what cost? If it’s a powder room it should pose no problem; otherwise, a cabinet or even a chest of drawers elsewhere in the bathroom could solve the inevitable storage dilemma.
More: How to Organise Your Bathroom Storage So You Can Relax
An exquisite vanity like this one may suit the elegant style you’re looking for in your bathroom, but at what cost? If it’s a powder room it should pose no problem; otherwise, a cabinet or even a chest of drawers elsewhere in the bathroom could solve the inevitable storage dilemma.
More: How to Organise Your Bathroom Storage So You Can Relax
How high should your vanity be?
The standard height of a vanity in Australia is about 85cm, but taller people may opt for a height of about one metre. Be sure to factor in the height added when basins are mounted on top of counters. Anything other than the perfect height will irk you for ever more.
The standard height of a vanity in Australia is about 85cm, but taller people may opt for a height of about one metre. Be sure to factor in the height added when basins are mounted on top of counters. Anything other than the perfect height will irk you for ever more.
Where to position the basin?
This wall-mounted vanity solves more than one problem with its nifty design and it could be the perfect solution if space is at a premium. The offset basin delivers some precious counter space, and the under-vanity towel rail eliminates the need for a railing on a wall elsewhere.
This wall-mounted vanity solves more than one problem with its nifty design and it could be the perfect solution if space is at a premium. The offset basin delivers some precious counter space, and the under-vanity towel rail eliminates the need for a railing on a wall elsewhere.
What will it mean for your budget to change a vanity’s style or placement?
If you’re thinking of changing from a floor-mounted vanity to one that’s mounted on the wall, keep in mind that pipes and drains may need to be rerouted to accommodate it. And if you think the vanity would work better in another area of the bathroom, ask about any extra plumbing costs before setting your heart on a particular layout – it may eat up a larger chunk of your budget than you can live with. The further a vanity is from other fixtures, the more it’s likely to cost.
If you’re thinking of changing from a floor-mounted vanity to one that’s mounted on the wall, keep in mind that pipes and drains may need to be rerouted to accommodate it. And if you think the vanity would work better in another area of the bathroom, ask about any extra plumbing costs before setting your heart on a particular layout – it may eat up a larger chunk of your budget than you can live with. The further a vanity is from other fixtures, the more it’s likely to cost.
How does the vanity fit in relation to the bathroom’s other elements?
Watch that the shower door swing isn’t compromised, that knees don’t knock against any edges when someone’s sitting on the toilet (hey, it’s important!), and that the vanity doesn’t mess with the bathroom’s traffic flow. Take care, too, that when drawers or cupboard doors are open, people can still move freely around them to access other areas of the bathroom as needed.
More: Think Like a Designer: 5 Steps to a Well-Planned New Bathroom
Watch that the shower door swing isn’t compromised, that knees don’t knock against any edges when someone’s sitting on the toilet (hey, it’s important!), and that the vanity doesn’t mess with the bathroom’s traffic flow. Take care, too, that when drawers or cupboard doors are open, people can still move freely around them to access other areas of the bathroom as needed.
More: Think Like a Designer: 5 Steps to a Well-Planned New Bathroom
How can you best combine period features with modern practicalities?
If you have your heart set on a pedestal basin and stand, but know you’ll go mad without enough room to keep your bathroom essentials, don’t despair. There’s usually a solution if you ponder it long enough. This bathroom solves the quandary neatly with aesthetically pleasing cabinets on either side. Don’t write off custom-built vanities or storage cabinets for your bathroom before you’ve inquired about pricing – the cost may not be any more than buying off the rack.
YOUR SAY
Have you renovated a bathroom only to find it doesn’t really work for you? Share your tales of woe in the Comments.
MORE
What’s Your Bathroom Design Style?
How to Update Your Bathroom Without a Sledgehammer
14 Bathroom Trends Expected to Be Big in 2015
Luxe Additions That Will Take Your Bathroom From Bland to Grand
If you have your heart set on a pedestal basin and stand, but know you’ll go mad without enough room to keep your bathroom essentials, don’t despair. There’s usually a solution if you ponder it long enough. This bathroom solves the quandary neatly with aesthetically pleasing cabinets on either side. Don’t write off custom-built vanities or storage cabinets for your bathroom before you’ve inquired about pricing – the cost may not be any more than buying off the rack.
YOUR SAY
Have you renovated a bathroom only to find it doesn’t really work for you? Share your tales of woe in the Comments.
MORE
What’s Your Bathroom Design Style?
How to Update Your Bathroom Without a Sledgehammer
14 Bathroom Trends Expected to Be Big in 2015
Luxe Additions That Will Take Your Bathroom From Bland to Grand
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A wall-mounted vanity like this one not only vastly increases the sense of space in a bathroom, it also makes it a snap to mop. Above-counter basins may look the part, but take care that cleaning under and around them isn’t going to become a chore. Bigger, deeper bowls also keep splashes to a minimum.