Vanity Units are a very important part of your bathroom design and, therefore, require careful consideration when you are looking at getting a new bathroom vanity. Since they don’t have functioning parts in the same way that tapware or toilet suites do you don’t need to be so concerned with the plumbing when it comes to vanities. Vanities are predominantly about the space that you have available and the design and how that will impact your bathroom.
Vanities come in a variety of colors, sizes, and configurations. Wall hung vanities are becoming more popular in homes these days due to the modern look but floor-standing vanities are still the ‘standard’. One of the main benefits of wall-hung vanities is that they can create the perception of space in a bathroom. If you have a small bathroom, a wall-hung vanity can be particularly beneficial in keeping with the theory that the more floor that is visible the larger the room looks.
If you are going to apply this technique, it may also be a good idea to consider a wall-hung toilet pan with the cistern hidden in the wall. Wall-hung vanities look modern and ‘chic’ but if it doesn’t match your bathroom, a floor standing vanity will work well. These are conventional style vanities with the huge advantage of storage space. Trendier vanities have large, deep drawers to store hairdryers and similar products and floor standing vanities have more room for these types and features.
There are a few ‘standard’ sizes with ready-made vanity units, which are 600mm, 750mm, 900mm, 1200mm, and 1500mm. There are vanities that are even smaller than this and these are perfect for a small powder room or guest bathrooms. The Dante vanity range, for example, features a 400mm bathroom vanity which is lovely and compact for a small bathroom area. You can, of course, have it custom-made to the size that is well fitted in your bathroom. If you decide to go with this option there are a couple of things to consider:
- Make sure that you have the vanity basin ready and on hand if the vanity top needs to be cut to size. The basin suppliers do not guarantee that the basin cut-out sizes are correct down to the millimeter and it is very unusual and unwise for someone to throw away an expensive stone top just because the basin doesn’t fit properly.
- In the same way, make sure that all colors, sizes, and details are correct and documented as custom-made vanities can be difficult to exchange if there is an issue. Keep all relevant documents and receipts on hand so that if it is the fault of the supplier, you have proof that they need to resolve the issue.
Another important interior design aspect of your vanity is the color. White is a popular color for a large majority of vanities nowadays but there are other options that you could consider as a focal point for your bathroom. The Laminex range of colors is expansive and is definitely worth checking out if you are getting a vanity custom-made for your bathroom. The Dante range of bathroom vanities, which is ready-made, is also available in a variety of laminex colors.
There are two main materials that bathroom vanity tops come in and they are polymarble and china, whose stone is also a popular option. In terms of the difference between polymarble and china tops, it is a common perception that China is better, although this is not always the case. Polymarble is a man-made composite mixture of polyurethane resins and china is a vitreous porcelain product that is natural.
They are both durable materials so the choice depends on the buyer/ user. Polymarble is generally cheaper but it can be scratched easily and doesn’t look as ‘fresh’ compared to china. One factor to take into account is that polymarble is easier to repair than china so if you scratch your polymarble top this can be buffed over but a chipped china basin is more difficult to repair.
Another factor to consider before purchasing your vanity is the location of the pipes. If your pipework is running through the floor this may prevent you from having a wall-hung vanity if you don’t want the pipes to be visible. Likewise, if you have pipes running through the wall be aware that the pipes bent into an ‘s’ shape to fit from the plug hole to the wall and this takes up a lot of space which can affect your storage.
Vanities are one of the most exciting purchases in a bathroom renovation as they can have a huge impact on the design of the room. Seriously consider these few helpful tips and you can purchase your new bathroom vanity with confidence.
