The bathroom vanity is the sink-cabinet-mirror combination. It's the showpiece of your bathroom. Here are ten things to avoid when choosing a vanity...you might be surprised.
Settling For Less.A vanity is an expensive bathroom fixture. Expect to pay 600 dollars for a good quality counter top, sink, and faucet. Add to this the cost of your cabinets underneath, which depending on size, materials and customization, could easily cost more plus installation. Don't put your whole budget into other fixtures of the bathroom without saving some for the vanity. It is the focal point of the bathroom and a cheap one will reflect the same. Even if you can't afford anything else, a new vanity will spruce up an entire bathroom. Make sure to match it to any preexisting fixtures you decide to keep.� Try avoiding glare with exposed light bulbs especially eye level.Choosing the Floor Model's Sizing.You've picked the perfect vanity with beautiful cabinets for the main bathroom in your 8 bedroom Victorian built in 1863. It's ordered and delivered and the contractor is scratching his head. It's not designed for the "wet wall" which is the location of the original plumbing. Extending piping around the inside of walls is not a minor consideration and the cost could outweigh the convenience.A modern bath vanity can help in addressing your problems with all the clutter in your bathroom.With the aid of these modern bathroom vanities (
http://www.tradewindsimports.com/modern-bathroom-vanities.html), bathrooms can now look more organized with the help of functional and spacious cabinets present in these modern vanities. These cabinets can help you organize all the clutters inside your bathroom including bathroom supplies and other toiletries including soap, shampoo, robes and towels can now be kept and organized inside these cabinets.Under Budgeting.Artificial bathroom vanity lighting� Bright lights will stimulate the bathroom whereas soft ones will have a calming effect.� Small light sources create a sharp shadow where as the large light sources give more of the diffused shadows.Maybe you want a stone counter over your vanity instead of the traditional laminate finish but you don't have the extra money for stone? Install it yourself using the best local home improvement store to take you through the steps. They love to help, so use their expertise. This way you will get the counter you want at a price you can afford. There is always a creative solution to most bathroom design problems. Don't settle for less.There are twice other basic artificial bathroom lighting sources that your
bathroom vanity can use. First there are the incandescent lights. They are small, bright, and generate heat as well. An example would be recessed lighting, surface mount and suspended types. The other is the fluorescent bathroom light fixtures which emit very little heat but look more cumbersome because of the ballast that is needed to run them. Generally bathroom lighting which ever style you use should provide relatively uniform with no shadows lighting over the entire bathroom decor.Faulty Installation.Add a narrow cabinet under the sink, or wire wall units or carve a cabinet into the wall itself to save space. Toothbrush holders and soap holders can also be carved out of the wall. The facing of the cabinet should be in a paintable surface for remodeling ease. Paint the walls white for a feeling of space but if you need color, paint just the ceiling. The large size mirror together with the small sink fools the eye and actually creates the illusion of space. Remodeling such a bathroom is inexpensive as well. Just change the mirror corners, the cabinet facing, the ceiling or border paint, and, if you have extra money, the color of the sink. Buy a white toilet because it goes with everything. Tenacious attention to detail makes the difference in solving complicated design problems.� Using light warm colors will create a cheerful feel whereas the light cool colors are restless.Bathroom vanity Lighting Tips.While standing there holding the handle in your hand along with some of the veneer board it was screwed into, you look at the stylish row of drawer handles. Maybe one opens all or maybe none open at all. You're afraid to guess. Isn't there some kind of truth-in-labeling rule that applies even in the bathroom? This type of cabinet is an economy choice and is often used in industrial settings such as hotels and office buildings. Its dubious charm has become passe;. However, the style is still frequently seen in trade journals and must have a market somewhere.You're a guest at a friend's house in the Pocono's for the weekend. You're in the bathroom and you need a towel. You check to see if a fresh towel is in the cabinet and... Oh no! The cabinet handle comes off in your hand! The cabinet door didn't open because it's not there. It's an imitation cabinet just for show, hiding the plumbing.For a more enjoyable and relaxing experience for whoever who would use the bathroom, it is imperative that bathrooms should always be kept clean and organized.One way to do so is to be certain that the bathroom fixtures and furniture help in accomplishing this task. Bathroom furniture such as the
bathroom vanity should help in keeping the bathrooms organized since it is their foremost function. By checking on our current bathroom fixture we can easily get an idea on how to make our bathrooms more organized for a more enjoyable as well as relaxing experience.� The color of the bathroom lighting should flow with the bathroom d�cor colors and not clash against them.Better to coordinate the sink and vanity fixtures with the rough plumbing. Especially in an older home, where plumbing is always an expensive and tricky business and could even be a recipe for disaster. Try to finesse your exquisite taste around the plumbing that's already there.� To make a bathroom decor seem larger, use soft even lighting with light color schemes.Losing Out on Details.Forgetting to Customize to Floor Plan.Awkward Door Swing.If you are going to the expense and bother to replace your bathroom sinks and cabinets, choose a vanity that has storage space, not just a plumbing camouflage. If you really don't want cabinets, put in a pedestal sink or a wall hung sink. The general rule is don't try to fake it. It could be embarrassing.Lighting your bathroom is one aspect of design that really needs a thoughtful and creative touch. You've decided on a lavender bathroom off the master bedroom. It's finished and everything looks fabulous. The extra large lavender tub, the lavender toilet, the lavender sink are even nicer than you imagined. The hand painted border around the ceiling is really elegant as well. You've ordered fluorescents for the ceiling and hand-blown sconces in the same lavender shade around the vanity. You are very pleased. You switch on the sconces and look in the mirror. Oh no... Your skin has taken on a brownish purple hue; you look again. You're sure you're not sick. Horrors! It's the lights! Be very careful with your lighting.If your bathroom vanity appears too-big, out of style and does not have any use at all, then it is time that you replace it with a modern bath vanity (
http://www.tradewindsimports.com/index.html) or a contemporary bath vanity (
http://www.tradewindsimports.com/glass-bathroom-vanities.html). Modern bathroom vanities are now among the newest trends in modern homes' bathrooms because of their ability to give homeowners with a number of benefits.This modern bathroom furniture is perfect for transforming a bathroom into a more relaxing and alluring environment.Because bathrooms require special attention to detail, don't neglect the amount of space you need to open and close your vanity cabinet doors. Make sure they can even open at all. Provide at least 30 inches in front of the sink for an average person to get down on the floor and into the cabinets. Keep the toilet at least 14 inches away from the cabinet sides to accommodate door swing. More if you have extra wide doors. If the vanity is installed along a wall near the bathroom door, make sure the door swings away from the sink. A little planning with a tape measure and some thought avoids this nuisance and saves your cabinet doors from unnecessary wear and tear.� Low bathroom ceilings will do best with a flat light color or the use of recessed lighting fixtures.Using the Wrong Lighting.
Finally, don't wait to find out if your vanity cabinet can actually be put in its place. Measure the path, especially the bathroom door. Your installer may not be prepared or even able to disassemble and rebuild the vanity quickly to get it in place. Our advisor had to laugh remembering how often people measure the bedroom door but not the bathroom door. "It happens all the time," he chuckled.
Author: Bob Williams
