Bathroom Vanities - Are They Worth The Money?
If one takes it literally, you would think that bathroom
vanities are just that, bathroom items that cater to man's
conceit, pride or self-adulation. Well, almost but not quite. It
appeals not only to our need for aesthetic gratification, but
more importantly to our functional needs.
So what is a bathroom vanity? It particularly refers to a
bathroom cabinet that covers the water basin, pipes, and drain.
It has drawers and shelves underneath that are used as storage
spaces for items, usually those that need to be hidden from the
guests.
In buying or redesigning a house, a great deal of time, effort
and money are given to the living room, kitchen, bedrooms and
other more prominent sections of the house. But such is not
always the case for other unobtrusive but equally important
rooms such as the bathroom, shower room or comfort room.
The bathroom is a very important comfort zone in the house, next
to bedrooms. It offers a quite sanctuary for our personal needs.
That is why getting the best design, tile materials, and
amenities for your bathroom should also be a major consideration
in house improvement activity.
One of the most important bathroom amenities is a bathroom
vanity. A bathroom vanity is undoubtedly the main aesthetic
feature of a bathroom in any house remodeling or decorating
project. While it is the best place to keep private things out
of the way and sight of the guests, it need not be bare-looking
or simplistic. Given the best efforts in design, style, or
finish, it becomes an attractive centerpiece for your bathroom.
There is a wide variety of choices of vanity designs, but you
can narrow down your options to either a custom vanity or a
prefabricated one. If you are a little tight on the budget, you
can opt for pre-fabricated vanities that can suit your taste as
well. But if you want more room for creativity and would not
mind spending a fortune for it, then do not hesitate to scour
the local directory to search for custom bathroom vanity maker.
Custom Wood Vanities
Custom wood vanities are the more popular choices in bathroom
vanities, and the cabinet is its' most notable feature. If the
design calls for a laid-back or conventional look you can have a
framed or American-style cabinet. A framed cabinet is framed
around the front edges of the cabinet body. This type allows the
attachment of hinges to the frame and the door, thereby
providing a durable base for attaching hinges. On the other
hand, if you want to have a more contemporary touch to your
bathroom vanity, go for a frameless or European style cabinet.
As the name implies, a frameless cabinet has no frame on the
surrounding face of the cabinet's body. This type has its hinges
attached to the door and side panel of the cabinet body.
A basic rule of thumb in choosing a design for a custom-made
wood cabinet is that it must have to blend effortlessly with the
bathroom's design. But do not just be contented with what you
see, make sure that you have a functional cabinet with doors,
drawers, hinges, or sliders put firmly in place.
For a wood vanity, your decision is not only limited to what is
appropriate for the cabinet itself, but to a large extent to the
choice of sink countertop, mirror, and other fixtures or
accessories that have to be incorporated. Other factors that are
as important are the storage space, drawers, size, and other
particular details. To get you started, consider the following
suggestions:
Make sure that you allot the appropriate storage space for your
cabinet. You must have an idea beforehand what types of items
are to be placed in which cabinet drawer. Make sure also that
the accessories such as knobs, hanger, faucet matches the style
of your cabinet.
Your choices become even more varied as you get to the
countertops. But again, you can narrow down to wood, ceramic
tiles, laminates, and other composite materials, or solid
surface materials such as concrete, stainless steel, or stone.
Ceramic tile is the most commonly used countertop surface. It is
durable and you can select from a wide variety of sizes, colors
and grain. Wood countertops would make a lovely country-style
countertop, but can stain easily and requires higher
maintenance. The most durable and most resistant to heat,
concrete is a wise choice, but there is also the risk of
staining and cracking.
Make sure that you use only durable drawer slides. Avoid having
vanity cabinets that have center-mounted slides or wobbly
plastic slides because these types could not stand up to weight
and heavy use for a long time. Get only the best ball-bearing
assembly that you can afford.
Because it is a very versatile material, wood is the most common
material used for wood vanities. Choosing the perfect wood
variety for your vanity would be largely dictated by your
personal taste, the over-all design of your bathroom, and the
accompanying fixtures and accessories. But it is important to
check first on the wood's availability and your budget because
wood vanities fetch way higher than vanities made of other
materials.
Wood Types
Wood vanities are made from a variety of wood types, the same
materials than can be used for other household fixtures made of
wood. They may also be either wood veneer of laminated.
Different wood species fetch different prices, depending on its
availability and overall appearance. There are so many materials
to choose from: maple, oak, cherry, hickory, yellow birch, or
pine. While oak is the all-time favorite for an earthy and
conventional looking wood vanity, the use of maple and cherry
wood materials have increased.
Exotic wood fetch higher prices as these are the more rare
varieties. Among those belonging to this category are mahogany,
ebony, and walnut. Mahogany is mostly come from tropical
rainforests. Its' reddish brown color and regular grain
qualities make it a perfect alternative to old oak wood. Walnut
colors range from dark brown to a purplish shade of black. Ebony
wood generally refers to very dark wood or black wood.
Every home decoration or designing project is an investment. As
such, it needs to be carefully planned and executed. To protect
you investment, work with professionals in the industry. You do
not have to compromise comfort, style and taste for money.