How to Choose Bathroom Cabinets

Whether you’re building a brand new home or tackling a renovation project, you shouldn’t choose your bathroom cabinets lightly. Bathrooms and kitchens are important to potential buyers and new homeowners alike, so the right cabinetry and flooring choices can impact the value of your home more than you’d expect. And besides your bed, your bathroom vanity is the usually the first piece of furniture that you interact with each morning. It starts your day, so if it’s impractical or unattractive, it can make getting ready more difficult than it needs to be. To choose your bathroom cabinets wisely and make sure your project pays off, consider the following four tips.

Pick your placement carefully

Outdated vanities and cheap plumbing fixtures are easy to spot, but sometimes the biggest obstacle holding a bathroom back is the way space is used. Even small, narrow bathrooms can feel open and airy with the right choices. For example, you can turn the space into an entirely different room by replacing a big bathtub and shower curtain with a stand-up shower and glass door. But plumbing choices aren’t as flexible as cabinetry choices, so the bathroom’s dimensions usually revolve around the location and size of your bathroom cabinets.

In cramped or awkwardly shaped bathrooms, wall-mounted bathroom cabinets help you maximize floor space. This floating double bathroom vanity, for example, makes it easier to turn the corner and reach the toilet.

However, its drawers can be deeper because of the illusion of space it creates, so you get extra storage to boot.

Avoid making too many matches

Resist the temptation to be a matchmaker. If you want your bathroom to have depth and style, remember that your bathroom cabinets need to complement — but not mirror – your flooring and fixtures. Don’t pair dark planks of hardwood with dark wood cabinetry, especially if the planks are a similar shade or width.

Your tile and countertops should also complement each other without being the exact same shade or texture, especially if it’s a busy one. To make this easier, let the surface of your bathroom cabinets be the star of the show. There are plenty of neutral tiles and cabinets that will match all the unique, dynamic countertop options, but it might not be so easy to find granite or laminate countertops that don’t distract when the floor is the statement piece.

Make sure your storage needs are met

If storage space and separate sinks are important, your options are more varied than ever. Clutter detracts from the apparent value and sophistication level of a bathroom, so there’s no excuse to let bottles and towels overtake counters that you customized to your specifications. Luckily, you no longer have to sacrifice the overall aesthetic just to jam in extra drawers. And when you get creative with placement and spacing, you can find extra ways to increase your storage capacity without making the bathroom look smaller.

Spacious cabinetry can still be minimalist, especially if you opt for a “floating” installation and choose simple, thin handles – or remove the handles completely. For example, this espresso double vanity has a dozen different drawers, perfect for a couple or family to keep their stuff separate.

However, some people prefer cabinet space over drawers, so this many drawers would take up valuable vertical space for them. There are plenty of savvy ways to organize the contents of cabinets, so don’t be afraid to prioritize this over pull-out.

Of course, there are also ways to make room for more cabinets and drawers. You can rest additional units atop your bathroom vanity, mount them around plumbing, and replace bulky and outdated medicine cabinets with hanging drawer or shelf units too.

Don’t be afraid to mix up your styles

Too many people think they need to settle on a particular style and carry it throughout the entire room. It’s true that you shouldn’t pick clashing pieces — for example, art deco tile flooring is so busy and trendy that an elaborate, hand-carved mahogany vanity would stick out like a sore thumb. However, if you rely too heavily on a particular style or era, you might limit your options and miss out on some bathroom cabinets that could wow.

Antiques are actually one of the most versatile cabinet choices. For example, this Clairemont vanity is brand new, but it borrows details from decades and centuries past. Its small drawers, scrolled legs, and floral inlays would fit right into a Victorian-inspired powder room with a clawfoot tub.

However, the same vanity’s buttercream crackle finish and composite wood could also belong in a quaint country bathroom or plantation-style home.

Of course, every style depends on proper maintenance. Moisture and foot traffic wear down lacquer and grout, so make sure all your bathroom cabinets go in at the same time and clean them regularly.

Contact Luxury Living Direct for more information on bathroom decor and more at 1-800-574-3022.