When it comes to shopping for a great bathroom vanity there are many things to consider. The design and style of the vanity you choose is important. Consider the other elements of your bathroom, like the tile, tub and flooring. A lighter color vanity will make the space feel open, a darker wood will bring warmth. There are new styles of vanities emerging all the time, right now we carry a collection of vanities with stone countertops that are beautiful and modern. There are essentially 3 main types of free standing vanities, but also the wall mounted or floating vanity cabinets as well. Let’s review and compare these types of vanities in more detail.
There are essentially 3 main types of free standing vanities, but also the wall mounted or floating vanity cabinets as well. Let’s review and compare these types of vanities in more detail.
It’s always a good idea to start with the size of your space (accounting for doors opening, woodwork and showers). Standard bathroom cabinets are 20-21″ in depth and typically come in standard widths as well. Also if your space is small, it’s nice to have 2 sinks, but ensure you’ll have enough elbow room and countertop space to make it comfortable.
Let’s begin with the classic free standing vanities. There are 3 main types of free standing vanity, which include: Furniture Style, Kitchen Cabinet Style, and Pedestals. What are some of the pros and cons of each of these styles?
The cool thing about furniture style vanities are that they are very versatile. You can reuse an antique dresser and drill the holes for vessel sinks and faucets. These are often times more costly than standard kitchen cabinet style vanity cabinets, so that is something to keep in mind.
There are so many style options with this type of vanity:
Kitchen style vanities are not made with kitchen cabinets – though we have a hack for using a 24″ kitchen cabinet base for a vanity here. Most have kick-toe cutouts for added comfort and safety and they bring a more ‘construction grade’ style and design to your bathroom. Kitchen cabinet style vanities do not stand out and usually go all the way to the floor on all 4 sides. Some added bonuses are that it makes cleaning the floors easier and requires less floor tile to finish your bathroom.
Pedestal sinks are usually much more cost effective than standard vanity cabinets because they don’t include a cabinet or storage. They are simply a sink on a pedestal. This is great for smaller bathrooms because they are smaller and but they also leave the space more open and airy. Keep in mind, if you’re updating with a pedestal sink, you’ll need to ensure the entire bathroom floor is finished. These are also available in many different styles to fit any design, but we typically see them in 20s style homes or smaller bathroom spaces.
We offer a few styles of pedestal sinks in our showroom. Here’s some more information on our sinks.
Now that we have gone over the upsides and downsides of the different styles of free standing vanities, let’s move on to the newer style of wall mount vanities.
Floating vanities come in many designs, with most of them usually more on the sleek and modern side. A floating vanity will make your bathroom appear larger by opening up the floor space underneath. This obviously requires for the entire bathroom floor be finished as well. Because these are hanging from the wall, it is important to properly install them. Otherwise, they can pose a hazard for children and elderly family members. (see our install video)
