Vanities & Cabinets: An Important Part of any Bathroom Design

The furniture you place in any room of the house plays not just a functional role but also an aesthetic one. These pieces need to blend in with the interior design and décor scheme and meet various other parameters including space, budgets, size etc. The same is true with vanity cabinets, which form an important part of bathrooms and powder rooms.

The Function

Vanity cabinets predominantly function as articles for storage in bathrooms. The bathroom vanity cabinets include in-built drawers that provide the storage space. The upper surface of the vanities are often converted into a base that holds sinks of various kinds. The interior construction of vanity that holds a sink and one that does not, are slightly different, owing to the space required for the plumbing framework. However, the exteriors of both these varieties are similar and bring about the same aesthetic appeal.

The Variants

Cabinets and vanities are made from different materials like metal or plastic, but the most popular ones among them are wood. Wood, for its beauty and sturdiness, makes an apt choice of material for use in bath areas. Wooden cabinets are made from a wide range of lumbers like oak, birch wood, pine etc. Reclaimed or salvaged wood, obtained from sources like barns, demolished buildings, railway track etc., too are a popular choice of material for use in bathroom vanities and cabinets. Wooden cabinets are often made interesting by the addition of colors. White and light hues lend them a clean finish while bright ones such as red, lime and fuchsia transform these furniture pieces into stunning focal points.

Vanities & Cabinets An Important Part of any Bathroom DesignBathroom cabinets come with varying storage space. The number of drawers can vary, anywhere from two to eight, or even more, depending on the size and design. Most common variants include vanities that are placed on the floor and are movable. Some of them are also wall mountable and hence free up space on the floor.

Vanities and cabinets also come with tops of different materials. For e.g., a body made of wood maybe combined with a marble or granite top. This transforms the appearance of the vanity and makes it a stunning focal point in the bath area. The construction of the vanity top also decides the kind of sink it can hold. If the top surface has a cut out portion, it can hold a drop-in sink, whereas a flat vanity top can hold a self-rimming or vessel sinks that sit atop the surface.

Caring for Bathroom Vanities and Cabinets

Bathrooms are areas that usually remain moist and are prone to dampness. The same can affect the life of furniture items overtime. To prevent deterioration of these articles, it is important to invest time and money in maintenance and care. Here are a few things to pay attention to, especially when opting for wooden furniture in bathrooms.

•  Wooden vanities used in bathrooms need to be moisture resistance in order to last long. While some of them like teak, old growth cypress, and old growth pine lumber are naturally resistant to moisture, other kinds of wood need to be treated and sealed.

•  Bathroom vanities with sinks needs constant maintenance and is best used in adult bathrooms, as water that gets splashed over the counter top needs to be mopped frequently. Also, water sealing finishes need to be re-applied every couple of years.

•  Some varieties of wood, like teak, last longer in bathrooms. Choosing lumbers that are naturally rot resistant or reclaimed wood that has exposed to water for a long time (like lumber from barges) helps bring down the maintenance required.

•  Using a fan when taking a steam bath or shower, helps wooden items from soaking up the moisture and keeps them stronger and more durable.

Cabinets and vanities lend beauty, form and function to bathroom. When chosen carefully and maintained with caution, these articles retain the charm of your dwelling space for a long time.