Vanities: Furniture Style vs. Traditional Cabinet
Freestanding or Traditional: Choosing the Right Bathroom Vanity
Interior design styles, materials, and products are continually evolving, trending, and changing. The latest trends we've been exploring are the growing variety of bathroom vanity options. While the traditional cabinet style vanity is still popular, many designers are exploring options like "freestanding," furniture-style vanities, open vanities, and floating vanities.
While it's an exciting design element, and the right choice can take your bathroom remodel to the next level of design, open or furniture style vanities are not suitable for everyone. There are some pros (and some cons) to including an open furniture style vanity in your design.
In this post, we're going to look at some of the options you have when choosing the perfect vanity for your bathroom remodel, and the pros and cons of freestanding furniture style versus a more traditional cabinet style.
Defining Your Goals and Preferences
What your decision really comes down to is personal preference, available space, and of course, budget. In terms of style, an open or freestanding vanity might be a good choice if you have a smaller space, and your goal is to make it feel more expansive. An open furniture style vanity can make a small bathroom feel larger by giving it a more open feel. It also offers some intriguing options, for example, repurposing an antique piece and styling the shelves.
If you're looking for an industrial look, and you like the look of exposed ductwork and plumbing in an industrial-style loft, then an exposed P-trap with an open furniture style vanity is probably a look you'll like. Many designers match the finish of the P-trap and fixtures to create a cohesive look that adds a warm, almost subliminal accent.
How will you use the vanity? For example, if you're replacing the vanity in the guest bathroom or powder room, and you don't need the storage, an open vanity can give your guests a lovely openness in their bath. If you need to store items like fresh towels, hair products, extra toilet paper, and other things like the hairdryer, then a closed stand-alone vanity or traditional cabinet might be a better choice.
If you love the open look, but still need the storage, a hybrid or custom furniture-style vanity with a combination of smaller drawers for corralling toiletries and baskets on open shelves for towels and larger necessities might be a great look.
The bottom line is that you need to consider how you'll use the space, how much square footage you have available, your choice of design style, and your budget when choosing the perfect vanity. Here are the pros and cons of furniture-style vs. built-in cabinet-style vanities.
The Pros and Cons: Freestanding Furniture-Style Bathroom Vanity
Many homeowners are jumping on the furniture-style vanity trend. Whether it's an open vanity, a repurposed vintage dresser, a" floating" vanity, or a freestanding furniture-style piece, there are some definite benefits to including furniture-style vanity in your design, including:
• Modern Appearance
A stand-alone vanity offers a more modern design statement by providing more dimension and decoration to your bathroom.
• The Appearance of Space
A furniture-style vanity is an excellent choice for a smaller bathroom as the legs and space underneath give the room the appearance of being larger and having a more "open" look.
• It's a More Personalized Choice
Repurposing a unique vintage piece or having a custom furniture piece made gives you a more personalized space. If you're looking to make a really personal design statement, a furniture-style vanity is a perfect choice.
• Usually Offers Better Storage Solutions
A furniture-style bathroom vanity or a repurposed vintage dresser typically offers more organized interior storage solutions for everyday essentials.
Furniture-style vanities come in a wide range of styles and shapes. Countertops are available to coordinate with any style. Some manufacturers include the countertop, and sometimes the sink and faucet are included in the vanity price, making a furniture style piece a more affordable choice.
The Cons
While there are some distinct advantages to including a freestanding furniture-style vanity, there are some drawbacks to consider.
Often, a furniture-style vanity will have slightly less storage space, especially if it is partially open at the bottom. An open bottom vanity will also require cleaning more often as they tend to collect dust.
Even though they are considered "freestanding," they still need to be attached to wall cleats and plumbing. Finally, if you are repurposing a vintage piece to function as your vanity, it may need interior modifications to allow for the plumbing, increasing your cost.
Learn the cost of a bathroom remodel
The Pros and Cons: Built-In Traditional Vanities
While freestanding furniture-style vanities are trendy and can be the right choice, it may make more sense to stick with tradition for many homeowners. Built-in vanities are often the best choice for large, more traditional homes and offer homeowners many benefits, including:
• They Offer Major Storage
A built-in vanity is an excellent choice if you have significant storage needs. Built-in vanities are designed for the bathroom, making allowances for plumbing, and are designed to provide plenty of storage space.
• They are Customizable
Built-in vanities are, in essence, custom cabinetry. They are customizable to any width or height and can be designed to provide storage for any personal or essential items.
• Built-Ins Can Be Designed to Fit Any Space
If you have an oddly shaped space or want to fit the vanity into a corner to conserve space, traditional-style vanities can be designed to fit almost any space.
• They Can Fit into Any Design Style
With traditional vanities, you have a vast selection of doors, countertops, and hardware to choose from to match any design style.
The Cons
These are just a few of the benefits you'll enjoy with a traditional built-in vanity. However, there are some drawbacks to consider.
If you're budget conscious, traditional built-in vanities are custom cabinetry and can cost more to purchase and install. They also can take longer to install, and it can take longer to get the components. The countertop, sink, fixtures, and hardware typically need to be purchased separately.
Today, you have more choices than ever before when it comes to choosing the perfect vanity for your bathroom remodeling project. Your decision really comes down to several factors, including the size of your bathroom, your personal sense of style, and of course, your budget.
If you live in the West Central Alabama area, and you're planning a remodeling project, why not give the design experts at Toulmin Kitchen & Bath a call at (205) 366-0807 or schedule a complimentary consultation. We're always happy to answer any questions you might have and help you choose the perfect bathroom vanity to meet your unique aesthetic and functional needs! Call us today and arrange a free no-obligation consultation to discuss your project.
