Bathroom Vanities

Antique Vanity Choices

July 12, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

Many people are considering an antique vanity when remodeling or renovating. Antique furniture certainly creates a unique bathroom. Both true antiques and many reproductions are available for remodelers, but is an antique vanity right for your home?

Most bathroom and home designers believe the vanity is the focal point of a bathroom. This makes it the basis of your bathroom design. For this reason, many homeowners choose the vanity first, and then design the bathroom around it.

Antique Vanity Challenges

There are several challenges, however, in designing a bathroom around an antique.

Everything else in the bathroom should also fit the period (Victorian, for example) and the design style. Knobs, handles and drawer pulls must be appropriate for the original design of the furniture. Fixtures and fittings must also match.
The surface material must be a natural material (marble, stone) to match the period of the antique.
The tub and shower must also fit with the design of the vanity. Ideally, a claw foot tub is chosen. The shower will be hand-held and the curtain will be suspended from a circular rod surrounding the entire tub. Even the curtain rings must be appropriate.
Some designers recommend that everything be antique brass. Others recommend chrome and porcelain.
You must be prepared to either cut holes in the antique or find a style that will accommodate pipes without cutting holes.

An antique vanity will be made of a natural wood. Typically, these were built of oak, walnut, pine, cherry and mahogany. One of the most attractive characteristics of the antique is the warmth of the natural wood.

When introducing a significant visual focus in a natural wood, the wall, ceiling, door and floor colors should also be warm tones. Earth tones and some sea tones are perfect. Sterile white or other clinical shades will be jarring to the eye.

Many of the true antique vanity pieces were built long before modern waxes and chemical sealants became available. As a result, most of the true antiques can be damaged by the moisture in the typical bathroom. The warm moisture can weaken joints and cause warping.

Antique Vanity Reproductions

An attractive alternative is the reproduction of an antique vanity. An array of styles and sizes are available from most dealers. It is possible for you to shop for the style you want in the wood finish of your choice and with the surface material you prefer.

Although it is possible to find antique vanity reproductions in real mahogany, cherry, walnut or other natural woods, most reproductions are made of maple and a finish is applied to create the appearance of more expensive woods. The work of a good cabinetmaker will be difficult to distinguish from the true antique visually. In fact, your cabinetmaker will likely visit antique stores and warehouses to find good antique wood either from a period house, a barn, a boat or even a bridge.

The two most important differences between the antique vanity and the reproduction will be price and ability to endure the humidity in a bathroom. A reproduction has the advantage of chemical treatment to prevent damage by heat and humidity. It is also possible to apply modern sealers to marble and other stone or to use an artificial marble for the surface.

Shopping for the Perfect Antique Vanity

There are many sources for a true antique vanity or for a piece of furniture adaptable for this purpose. Some, for example, use dressers or “dressing tables.” There are also several sources for reproductions.

The true antique vanity or other antique furniture can be found in antique stores, salvage stores or from remodelers who remove them from old homes before they are demolished. Occasionally, it is also possible to find useful pieces of furniture from old hotels when they remodel.

Most people prefer an antique vanity with some scars or other indications of use and age. If this is your preference, you might have the best luck in a salvage store. You might also find something appropriate online.

Antique vanity reproductions are available through most kitchen and bathroom stores, home improvement stores and cabinet stores. Shopping around might also locate a cabinetmaker who has a connection with a manufacturer or who customizes antiques for his or her customers. Reproductions are also available from online stores.

Choosing to remodel your bathroom around an antique vanity will result in a finished room that is attractive, warm and inviting. An antique or reproduction can be used in any home style, but they are typically seen in Victorian, revival, Georgian and Southern Colonial homes. If you are renovating a historic home, you will certainly want to include an antique.

Small Bathroom Ideas

June 20, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

Remodeling a small bath has several challenges. Finding good small bathroom ideas, however, is much easier than many homeowners think. Whether the makeover involves a master bath, a powder room or any other smaller area, it is possible to find great ideas to make the space optimally functional and attractive.

Challenges

Small baths present both typical challenges for remodelers and unique issues. The first issue in any remodel is cost. Regardless of the size of your bath, the basic plumbing fixtures must be included, as well as ventilation, lighting, electricity and accessibility, before exploring other small bathroom ideas.

A second significant challenge is finding small bathroom ideas for fitting everything into a small space. Fortunately, today’s remodeler can find a broad range of plumbing fixtures designed for small bathrooms. You might choose any of the following:

Install only a shower (no tub)
A tub that is smaller and deeper
A lower toilet
Smaller sink designs
Pedestal or wall-mounted sink to open more floor space
Spa shower designed on a small scale
Combination toilet and bidet

A third challenge is to find good small bathroom ideas for decorating. There are ways to decorate that will make the small space appear larger and more spacious.

A fourth challenge is to provide adequate lighting. Natural light is always to be preferred over artificial light, but it is often very difficult to add windows in a small area. Tube lights (which bring light through a tube from the roof to the ceiling admit a surprising amount of natural light. Skylights are also an outstanding choice among small bathroom ideas if you are working on the top floor of the house.

Finding Small Bathroom Ideas

Most homeowners are relieved to discover abundant sources of small bathroom ideas for design and decorating. These include:

Books on bathroom design or remodeling
Home decorating and design magazines
Books of house plans
Visit model homes in new neighborhoods
Ask your neighbors what they have done
Displays at home improvement stores and kitchen and bath stores
Talk with a remodeling designer or a home planner
Check remodeling websites
Explore websites for manufacturers of fixtures and other materials

Planning your Renovations

In working with a small area, planning each aspect of the remodel is critical. You will want to ensure every decision fits with all other choices and decisions. Any mistakes in choosing items you will use in your remodel or colors will be exaggerated in a small bathroom. Finding the right small bathroom ideas for every detail is crucial.

Begin with your budget. Know how much you can spend, because you will almost certainly need to compromise in selecting fixtures and other materials. Then, set priorities for your design and the materials. For example, is it more important to have a spa shower or to have a heated floor?

Shop carefully for every item you need. Shop the sales and compare prices carefully. Consider buying overstock or discontinued styles (if they fit your plan).

Small Bathroom Ideas for Design and Décor

There are many tips and tricks you will discover for decorating small bathroom ideas that make the space seem larger. Here are a few of the top tips

Use vertical stripes or borders at the top of walls to draw the eye upward
Introduce as much natural light as possible
Magnify the natural light with well-placed mirrors
Use lighter and brighter colors
Don’t install a vanity
Put as little as possible on surfaces

Storage and Small Bathroom Ideas

A major challenge for the creativity of many designers is providing adequate storage while also taking advantage of small bathroom ideas to make the room appear larger. Once the vanity is sacrificed to spaciousness, storage is typically lost. Many homeowners find it helpful to call in a local cabinetmaker for help.

If you have no storage space inside a small bathroom and little or none immediately outside it, you must think creatively and find innovative solutions to your storage needs. A good cabinetmaker can help you with small bathroom ideas like opening a second point of access to a hall linen closet or add open shelves over the tub or outside the shower for towels. Your cabinetmaker can also customize stock cabinetry to fit into recesses he or she cuts into walls for a variety of storage needs. Small niches also can be cut into the wall for decorative items.

Small bathroom ideas are abundant when you are remodeling. Working with a good local cabinetmaker in the planning stages of your design will result in a beautiful bath with adequate and innovative storage solutions that will further enhance your room design. Modifying stock cabinets will save money and allow you to do even more with small bathroom ideas.

Filed Under: Bathroom Vanities Tagged With: small bathroom, small bathroom designs, small bathroom idea, small bathroom ideas, small bathroom remodel, small bathroom remodeling, small bathrooms, small bathrooms ideas

Bathroom Makeovers

June 15, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

Bathroom makeovers can produce exciting results.

There are many reasons for remodeling bathrooms. Whether the room is inadequate in some way, in need of updating or it is just time for a change, bathroom makeovers solve problems of many kinds. The place to start is with a list of goals and priorities.

With a clear set of goals, you can begin your design and shopping for fixtures and materials for the bathroom makeovers. Some homeowners plan an update of all bathrooms in the house at one time. This can simplify the process of selecting and purchasing materials for the project and occasionally saving some money.

The recent shift to very large bathrooms has caused many homeowners to consider bathroom makeovers. Some people who remodel baths will enlarge the spaces by reallocating some space in the house or by extending the walls with a bump out or an addition. Other homeowners will try to remodel in ways that adds important types of space and creates the impression of spaciousness.

Because changing the location of major plumbing fixtures (tub, toilet, sink) can be the most expensive element in bathroom makeovers, the focus is often on finding new fixtures that are designed on a smaller scale or that use space differently. For example, exchanging a sink set in a large vanity cabinet for a wall-mounted sink opens a large amount of floor space. This creates the impression of a larger room.

The choice to remove a vanity during a remodel creates a different set of challenges. In many bathrooms, the only storage space is the vanity. Removing the cabinet leaves no storage space for towels, washcloths, soap, shampoo, makeup, grooming appliances, etc.

Replacing a vanity with wall-mounted cabinetry will not create the illusion of more space. In fact, adding wall mounted cabinets (typically at eye level) actually makes the room seem even smaller than the vanity did. Bathroom makeovers of this kind require a completely different approach to storage.

Some homeowners also object to removing a vanity by pointing out that there will be no place to display decorative items. This is true – removing the vanity also removes counter area. Once again, these bathroom makeovers require creativity.

Most families need storage space in each bathroom, even a guest bath. There are, however, several simple (yet often overlooked) ways to accomplish this goal in bathroom makeovers. Some options include:

Claiming space for a linen closet from the adjoining bedroom.
Using open shelving, particularly above a tub or toilet.
Opening wall areas to build recessed shelves with trim (only the trim extends past the wall).
Customizing cabinetry by making it six inches deep (rather than the standard 12 inches).
Using cabinetry with glass doors.
Using mirrors as doors (typically done with medicine cabinets).

Other approaches might include re-sizing a vanity to provide storage but use minimal space. Changing the doors on the vanity to glass (or textured or frosted glass) can create a sense of spaciousness. Different sizes in cabinets can be accommodated in bathroom makeovers by learning to adjust to different amounts of space.

Most physicians and pharmacists recommend moving all medications out of bathrooms because the heat and steam in the bath and kitchen can alter the chemicals. Move extra soaps, shampoos, etc. to another storage area. Make the most of all available storage space.

Finally, use other decorating and design ideas to make the room look larger than it is. Look at ideas from bathroom makeovers that work with small bathrooms. Bring in additional light, use light colors or vertical stripes to add height, bring in more mirrors and glass to make the room appear larger.

Working with an experienced cabinetmaker on bathroom renovations will provide valuable insight and creativity. It can also help you keep your bathroom makeovers more affordable if your cabinetmaker can customize stock cabinets and vanities for your project. With a little creativity and a good cabinetmaker, even the most challenging renovation can be easy and affordable.

Give us a call and talk to our designer about your bathroom makeover plans.

Filed Under: Bathroom Vanities Tagged With: bathroom make overs, bathroom makeovers, bathroom remodel, bathroom remodeling, bathroom renovation, small bathroom makeovers

Bathroom Renovations

June 6, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

Bathroom renovations increase the value of your home.

Bathroom renovations nearly always include a new vanity or other storage options. Bathroom cabinets are a critical choice when planning and designing bathroom renovations. Storage tends to be very limited in any bathroom, regardless of size.

In terms of total budget for your bathroom renovations, cabinetry is a relatively small item. The cost of the vanity or other storage cabinet of your choice is not likely to break the budget. Your choices about storage, however, have very important implications for space.

Whether you are renovating a bathroom built for two, a shared bath for the kids or a second bathroom, the size of the fixtures and the cabinetry makes a big difference. The smaller the room, the more important the size of fixtures and cabinets will be. All bathroom renovations involve choices between need for storage and available space.

If you have an older home and you want to bring it up to today’s standards, you will likely need to do some very creative thinking and planning. Unless you have a much older home that was designed with big bathrooms, you are probably dealing with bathroom spaces much smaller than most buyers want today. You might be adding on to enlarge the bathroom or you might be making choices that enable you to maximize every inch of existing space.

If you are planning to sell your home soon, you might be concerned about meeting the requirements of Universal Design. These requirements include limitations of switch and outlet placement, floor finish, room to turn a wheelchair and accessible shower and tub areas. Choosing cabinets and vanities for these bathroom renovations may require custom cabinets.

Maximizing space in a small bathroom and creating the appearance of spaciousness might demand great creativity. For example, these bathroom renovations might require either a pedestal sink or a wall-mounted sink so you can leave more floor area open. This solves one problem, but where will you store towels and other items?

Deciding to make bathroom renovations without a vanity has serious ramifications. First, you eliminate your primary storage area. Second you remove the countertop area for decorative and toiletry items.

One solution is to approach bathroom renovations without traditional cabinets. In this case, you might set shallow cabinet into the existing wall. Only the cabinet door is not recessed.

Open shelving, cabinets with glass panel doors and creative placement of small shelves for needed items is one solution. For example, you might set glass door cabinets into the wall above the bathtub for towels and washcloths. A decorative niche could be used or soaps and sponges.

Because stock cabinets are twelve inches deep, you will not be able to take this more affordable approach. On the other hand, your budget might not permit custom cabinetry. These bathroom renovations can be affordable, however, if you find the right cabinetmaker.

A good cabinetmaker can customize stock cabinets to meet your needs in bathroom renovations. Whether you are trying to make a small space look larger or you want to create something special and unique, your cabinetmaker can do the job and do it affordably by starting with stock cabinets and customizing them. Your cabinetmaker will customize stock cabinets to meet your specific needs.

Whether the need is to make twelve-inch cabinets only three inches deep or to make a twelve inch wide cabinet six or eight inches wide, your cabinetmaker can customize affordable stock cabinets for every storage and decorative need in your remodeled bathroom. You will likely discover that your cabinetmaker can help you open an array of new options and possibilities for your bathroom renovations.

The fact that you have only seen bathrooms designed with a vanity should not limit your creativity. Your bathroom renovations can produce a small bathroom that is fully functional, beautiful, interesting, creative and affordable. You can have both spaciousness and storage by exercising a little ingenuity.

Filed Under: Bathroom Vanities Tagged With: bathroom remodel, bathroom renovating, bathroom renovation ideas, bathroom renovations, bathroom renovators, remodel bathroom

Custom Bathroom Cabinets

March 7, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

Custom bathroom cabinets can enhance the value of your home.

Custom bathroom cabinets are the essential decorative item for the perfect bathroom remodel or upgrade. There can be little doubt that beautiful and luxurious bathrooms are now as important in selling a house as the kitchen. Today’s bathrooms are larger, more beautifully designed and decorated and include many fixtures and appointments typically associated with a spa. Custom bathroom cabinets are the natural choice for any bathroom remodel.

Your bathroom design might call for a new vanity. You might have decided, instead, to use a pedestal sink to make the floor look larger. In this case, you will likely include wall-mounted cabinetry to provide the needed storage.

There are many new styles and designs in vanities and other cabinets for the bathroom. The size and design of your bathroom will be important factors in your choice of cabinetry. You might choose the classic or traditional style or contemporary, or something between the two.

You can choose a style anywhere along the continuum between ornate and simple. You can also make a design statement with the wood chosen for your cabinets. The warmth of natural wood tones looks beautiful in any bathroom.

You might choose black (espresso) or white custom bathroom cabinets. You can also paint cabinets any color you wish. Finding the right cabinetry for your style and décor will be easy.

Custom bathroom cabinets can meet a large number of storage and decorating needs in any bath.

The traditional vanity provides some surface area around the sink and flexible storage space.
A long counter provides a place for toiletries, decorative items and some storage.
A cabinet (made for use as a pantry in a kitchen) can provide all the storage space you might otherwise gain from a closet.
Matching wood trim on a medicine cabinet is a very nice touch in any bath because it ties all of the wood together.
Open shelving or cabinets with glass in the doors provides a combination of storage and visible display space for decorative items.
If your bathroom includes a whirlpool or soaking tub, you might want a wall-mounted cabinet near it for storage of a small television or a sound system.

Unlike stock or knockdown cabinets, custom bathroom cabinets enable you to get exactly what you want. Because space is typically at a premium in bathroom design, the flexibility of custom work enables you to have the storage areas you want in an appropriate size. Custom work matches the wood and the finish with the size and detail you want in your custom bathroom cabinets.

The cost of custom cabinetry is prohibitive for many families. Kitchen Cabinet Value, however, delivers custom cabinetry at a lower price than most stores and cabinetmakers. Working directly with distributors, we are able to buy cabinets at amazing prices and customize them to meet your needs.

Our carpenters deliver the beauty and workmanship of custom bathroom cabinets at prices that will delight you. Whether you want your cabinets modified in size or appearance, we can deliver the custom bathroom that will make your bathroom unique without breaking the bank. It is possible to get custom cabinetry at the price of stock cabinets.

Filed Under: Bathroom Vanities Tagged With: bathroom cabinets, bathroom design, bathroom remodeling, bathroom renovations, bathroom vanities, bathroom vanity cabinest

Vanity Cabinets

November 19, 2010 by admin Leave a Comment

For more than 100 years, the vanity has been the basis for bathroom design. Prior to the days of indoor plumbing, the vanity took the form of a wash stand. It was more dresser than anything else, but it held the pitcher of water and the wash bowl that was the origin for the modern vanity cabinet. Over the years, designs evolved to hide exposed pipes and shut-off valves, they also served as the foundation for today’s sink.

Later these vanity cabinets evolved into larger models in order to provide needed storage space for toiletries, linens and a variety of other items. Along with increased capacity for storage and the addition of other functionalities, bathroom cabinets began to acquire a little bit of style. This evolution continues as vanity cabinets have become more attractive, more functional and more stylish.

Today vanity cabinets form a focal point for bathroom décor and design, they are not simply a way to hide pipes and drains. Bathroom cabinets match the style of a home, the decorating preferences of homeowners, regional style preferences and the recent trend toward greater luxury with special spa features and ambiance. With this evolution in style and luxury has come the increased size of the room. Today’s bathrooms are beautiful, functional, luxurious and bigger than ever!

Whether a bathroom is small, sleek and contemporary in style or a mid-sized master bath designed for two, or a large spacious spa-featured bathroom, there are a multitude of vanity cabinets in appropriate sizes, styles, color and finish.

Consider some of the features and characteristics available in bathroom vanities:

Multiple coatings of polyurethane to protect the wood from dampness
Simple, Modern with clean lines
Reproductions of elaborate antiques
Corner units
Units with rounded fronts for extra storage
Moveable interior shelves
Drawers with organizing inserts
Styles for any type of sink installation
Variations in height to accommodate everyone’s ergonomic needs
Two depth options for small and large rooms
Single and Double sink units
Double sinks of different heights and with (or without) a lower counter area with a chair or bench seat
Fronts with traditional cabinet doors and units with glass or frosted glass doors
Units with open shelving
Custom vanity cabinets that form a complete bathroom suite of storage spaces, i.e. a traditional sink base vanity with bookend bathroom ‘pantry’s.
Pull-out shelves that make it easier to reach items in the cabinet back

By working with your local cabinet professional it’s possible to have any configuration of vanity cabinet with any type of storage and shelving, drawer or sink imaginable. They can help you design and create a luxurious and beautiful bathroom that is relaxing and beautiful while easily serviced and maintained. In short, today you can have any kind of vanity cabinets you want in any material you choose, with any finish you select.

Filed Under: Bathroom Vanities Tagged With: bath cabinets, bath vanities, bathroom vanities, bathroom vanity, sink cabinet, vanity cabinets

October 19, 2010 by admin Leave a Comment

One of the great joys of larger bathrooms is the space for beautiful and functional bathroom vanities. Whether you want the traditional vanity designed to hide those unsightly pipes and fittings while also providing a bit of storage space or you want a magnificent piece of cabinetry, you will find adequate space in the spacious bathrooms homeowners are choosing today. So what are the basics of bathroom vanities you should know before you start planning your new extra bathroom or an enlargement of an existing bathroom, or even just a pleasing remodel.

If you have looked at a bathroom design or interior decorating magazine lately you will have certainly noticed that there is much greater variety in bathroom vanities than ever before.

1. More sizes. The days of one size fits all are long gone. Today you can choose an 18-inch depth if you want to preserve floor space (ideal in a small bathroom) or 24-inch depth for a larger bathroom and to provide more storage.

2. More heights. Everybody is not the same. Now you can choose bathroom vanities in the best height for everyone. Standard vanities and cabinets come in heights ranging from 28 to 36 inches.

3. More material and finish varieties. Whether you want a traditional white vanity or a piece of antique furniture, it is all available. Particularly if you want custom or semi-custom bathroom vanities, you can choose the wood, choose the finish and choose a cabinetry configuration unimagined thirty years ago.

4. More styles. Whether you want something contemporary and sleek or something reminiscent of Victorian elegance, you can have any style you want. Custom and customized bathroom vanities can match any style in your home.

5. More price options. Whether you buy wholesale and assemble and install yourself or you have each piece of cabinetry custom-made, you can find bathroom vanities in every possible price range.

6. Even stock cabinet sizes offer many options. Standard stock cabinet dimensions (in inches) are:

7. Accessories. You can find the perfect accessories for your cabinetry to meet any need. From drawer inserts to organize makeup, toiletries, and hair care items to pull-out shelves and baskets for easy access to towels and washcloths. If you want it, you can get it.

8. The same variety in cabinet materials, finishes and styles that you choose from for your kitchen is also available for bathroom vanities. Beautiful custom cabinetry can be as elegant in the bathroom as the kitchen. And, because you are buying the same quality, you will also get cabinetry with the same protective coatings you expect in the kitchen.

9. There is no need to confine your choices to traditional cabinets. You can even choose from bathroom vanities that resemble costly antiques.

10. Absolute freedom to combine pieces in ways that best suit your needs is yours. You can combine open shelves with drawers and doors. You can mix cabinet heights for ultimate comfort and accessibility. Today, bathroom vanities can be whatever you want.

Maple bathroom vanity

When you finish selecting your fine cabinetry for bathroom vanities, you can then choose the perfect sink and counter top, accessorize with stunning mirrors and lighting, and select the ideal fittings and knobs to complete the design and style for the bathroom vanities of your dreams.