Bathroom Vanities: Built-in, Floating, or Furniture-Style?

Bathroom vanities are an integral part of most bathroom designs.  Not only are they a source of essential storage they also support your countertop and sink, where you get ready every morning and night.  Vanity cabinetry is also a central component of bathroom design style, setting the tone for your space with the door style, wood type, and color.  There are several basic styles of cabinetry to choose from, including built-in cabinets, freestanding, and furniture-style vanities.  Which one is right for you? This will depend on your home style, the size of your bathroom, and personal preference.  Read on to learn more.

What Style?

Before you select your cabinet style, examine your available space and bathroom design layout.  How much space you have, along with your preferred style and available budget, will help determine what cabinet style is right for you.  Browse styles online to help you narrow down your choices.

Built in: the standard vanity cabinet is attached to the wall and the floor, with a combination of doors and drawers offering ample storage.  In some cases, the built-in vanity may also incorporate both open and closed storage like this bathroom design in Norwell. These custom cabinets are ideal for maximizing storage space.  They can be designed to fit most spaces from a compact powder room to a large master bath design.

Floating: this vanity style attaches directly to the wall and has open space below.  This means that the cabinet does not sit directly on the floor and you get a more open feel throughout the room.  It also makes the floor easier to clean since there are no edges to work around.  Floating vanities tend to suit a more contemporary style due to their sleek appearance and work particularly well in a spa style bathroom remodel.

Furniture Style: with this vanity style, your cabinet is a freestanding piece of furniture.  In some cases, you can even re-purpose an existing piece of furniture and turn it into a vanity.  This suits a range of styles from traditional to more contemporary and has the added bonus of giving your bathroom design character with a one-of-a-kind cabinet as the focal point.

What Shape?

Bathroom vanities can be found in several shapes, each of which brings a unique aesthetic value to your space.  Certain shapes may suit your space as well as your style better than others.  Here are a few key shapes to consider.

Square: A square shaped vanity ideal for a smaller bath design.  The compact shape fits in most bathrooms, offering storage for essentials without overpowering the space.

Rounded: a round cabinet is a good fit for a powder room or a small bathroom design as it doesn’t take up as much space and has no sharp corners that pose a risk if you bump into them, but it can suit a larger bath design too.

Rectangular: the rectangular vanity is the most common style and its wide shape allows you to maximize storage space.  The rectangular shape means it is easily customizable to the size of your bathroom design. If your bathroom remodel is intended for more than one person and you have the available space, install a wider vanity with two sinks or include more than one vanity cabinet.

What else?

There are several other factors to consider when selecting a vanity cabinet style for your bathroom remodel.

Size: when planning your bathroom remodel, work with a bathroom design expert to carefully plan your layout.  This will help inform what size bathroom vanity makes sense for your space.  You want a cabinet that does not overpower the room, but one that offers enough space for all your storage needs.

Door Style: consider the overall style you want to create with your bathroom design and select a door style that helps you achieve this.  From a simple, contemporary slab door to a more ornate traditional style, there is a door style to fit your dream remodeling décor.

Storage accessories: just like in kitchen cabinets, bathroom storage accessories turn your cabinetry into a highly functional place to easily store and access everything you need in the bathroom.

Finish: The color and finish of your cabinetry is like the icing on the cake.  The substance of the cabinet might be the wood type, door style, and storage, but the color and finish really set the tone for your room.  From an array of neutrals like white, gray, and beige to a vibrant blue or dark black, choose a color that fits your personality and home style, and enhances the surrounding space.

Visit our bathroom design gallery to get inspired by more vanity cabinet styles.  We would love to discuss your bathroom remodel with you and help you find the perfect cabinetry, hardware, tile, and more to achieve your dream design.  Contact us today to connect with one of our designers.  We are now available for telephone and online consultations too!