Bathroom Sink Vanity

Bathroom vanities can change the entire look and feel of a bathroom. Little wonder then that bathroom vanities are on the hot list of most home renovations.Homeowners can juggle between porcelain, wood and veneer choices. Chic, contemporary sink vanity options that breathe new life into the bathroom décor are increasingly becoming popular.

At the same time, the traditional and elegant look is not out. Several antique inspired bathroom vanities can transform the space from the ordinary to the ornate.

Antique bathroom vanity

Antique bathroom vanities bring with them an intrinsic charm and graceful style. Each of the antique vanities possesses a unique and distinctive character. Rustic, old fashioned antiques are aesthetic and have interesting charisma. They are constructed of sturdy hardwoods like oak, pine, mahogany and these vanities provide years of beauty and bathroom efficiency.

Most antique vanities come hand crafted. The one advantage of these antique vanities in that they are actually built according to modern specifications and standards of quality. They are easy to install and maintain.

The cover tops in antique vanities are crafted with marble countertops to improve their visual appeal and durability. These countertops help shield the vanities from damage.

Bathroom vanity tops

Choosing from among the gamut of bathroom vanity tops could be overwhelming. Perhaps one way to narrow down the choice is by what material is most appropriate for the bathroom furniture.

Design and style are some of the guiding principles while choosing a bathroom vanity top. From simple clean designs to contemporary rectangular and oval shapes and richly fluted scallop designs, you can create personal signatures in the bathroom.

A bathroom vanity sink top is basically a shelf which has drawers and shelves below. The shelves also serve the purpose to hide pipes. Bathroom vanity tops come in a variety of materials - marble, stone, prefabricated and synthetic materials, slate and tiles.

While wood can be used in vanity tops, it is not the best option as moisture present in the bathroom tends to ruin it. Plastic bathroom vanity tops ward off moisture and hence are increasingly used to make vanity tops. They are available in metallic, matte and glossy finishes.

Granite bathroom vanity tops are long lasting and available in a number of colors. These granite tops are unaffected by heat and moisture. They are also scratch-resistant. As bacterial infection does not grow on them, these are best suited for a bathroom.

The marble bathroom sink vanity tops rank second, next to granite ones. Marble tops can be polished to shine as well. These come in a range of colors, sizes and finishes. But marble has a tendency to chip off easily. As marble gets affected by acids, special care should be taken to wipe off anything that falls on it immediately.

Glass vanity tops can be said to be the 'green alternative' to granite and marbles for bathroom vanity tops. Although recycled glass tops come in a myriad of colors, sizes and shapes, the biggest disadvantage with glass top is that the space below the top cannot be used as a bathroom space. Glass is also fragile and can break easily. Glass gets affected by heat and moisture in the bathroom.

Slate top is also durable and maintenance free, water proof and do not get affected by acids. But more importantly, slate when exposed to very low temperature, tends to separate into layers.

Bathroom Vanity Mirrors

For many, the bathroom mirror is truly the best friend. Bathroom vanity mirrors create an illusion of space in the bathroom. Bathroom vanity mirrors are a kind that adapt to the moisture and humidity of bathrooms. Most popular bathroom mirrors come with chrome coating on their surface. This helps to enhance the finesse and durability of bathroom vanity mirrors.

Bathroom vanity mirrors are of different types. Some of them are:

Illuminated bathroom mirrors are best examples of contemporary bathroom mirrors. These come with light fixtures and brighten up the atmosphere of the bathroom with LED lights. The lights are fixed on the reverse side of the mirror and this makes the mirrors more accessible. These illuminated mirrors come in a variety of designs and shapes and are best suited for bathrooms of all types, more so the smaller ones.

Decorative bathroom mirrors are much more creative. There are vanity mirrors which come with attached shelves, and light fixtures on both the sides. Standing bathroom mirrors best suit the bathroom vanity tops that come without mirrors. These mirrors are movable as well as double sided. They come in various shapes and sizes and one can choose large bathroom mirrors or floor standing mirrors but these options are more suitable for large bathrooms with enough space to move around.

• While placing mirrors in front of the bathroom can help reflect natural light, it also helps to brighten up the bathroom lighting naturally.
  
  
• A bathroom design always has to be borne in mind while choosing a decorative mirror as a wrong sized mirror in a wrong place can help to only worsen the look.
  
  
• Consider buying a vanity mirror in keeping with the bathroom furniture color and flooring.
  
  

Bathroom vanity sinks

The bathroom sink vanities are seemingly endless in their choice. One can spend $50 for an inexpensive wall hung sink or buy a $5000 furniture quality cabinet vanity. While there are some types of sinks that are self contained, some others are to be installed in or on a counter top and some mounted. As such there is no one single best style and it purely depends upon the variety of situations that complement a bathroom designs and space constrains.

Wall mounted sink: This is one of the most common bathroom sinks found in older homes and apartments. It is used when space is a constraint and so is the budget. As its name suggests, these sinks mount directly to the wall with no floor support. They are attached by special hanger brackets and fastened to the wall and wall backup. The plumbing water and supply lines can be exposed or concealed according to the choice of the home owner.

Pedestal sink: This is a classic one which is found in apartments, older homes as well as newer ones. This again is used when space is a constraint. These sinks stand atop a pedestal and it supports it off the floor and is fastened to the wall for stability. Plumbing and water lines are concealed in this pedestal style.

Vessel sink: This is fairly a new arrival to the bathroom vanity scenario and this sink is set atop a countertop which is fastened to the floor mounted vanity base. Vessel sinks require a non standard faucet and waste drain systems. These faucets are either deck mounted on a pedestal or are wall mounted. As its name suggests, this sink is simply a vessel into which a faucet pours water. This vessel could be a simple porcelain chine bowl or granite or alabaster stone or blown art glass. The design options are unlimited and striking piece can be purchases for a reasonable sum of money.

Framed sink: This is a commodity sink and is installed in a vanity counter top. This sink is found is apartments and less expensive newer homes. They are installed into plastic laminate counter tops. The sinks drop into a counter top and are trimmed out with metal 'frame'. The sink can be porcelain or cast iron or pressed steel.

Drop-in sink: This is called a self-rimming sink or surface mounted sink and is typically installed in a vanity counter top. This type is common to older and newer construction and remodels alike. These sinks can be installed into any type of counter top namely plastic, laminate, and stone, tiles or synthetic composite tops. As the sinks are oversized to the hole, they simply 'drop in' a counter top and are pressure fit to the top surface with a clamp system from underneath.

Undermount sink: This is a truly clean looking sink and is found in newer constructions and remodels. This can be installed only into solid surface counters such as stone or synthetic compositions. These sinks mount from the underside of the counter. They are larger at the top and create a slight lip or overhand into the sink bowl. They come made of porcelain, enameled cast iron, and vitreous china, metals like copper and stainless steel and composite resin material.

Cabinet style vanity: This can be used with vessel sinks, drop in sinks, surface mounted sinks and undermount sinks. The cabinetry style vanity sink can be double or single bowl style. It has a solid surface counter top. Plumbing waste and supply lines are concealed in vanity base.

While some types are sinks are suitable for master bathrooms, some others are suited for small powder bathrooms or half baths. Also, one needs to assess who will be using the bathroom before making the decision on what kind of sink to choose.

Common trends in bathroom vanity

One common trend is the use of double bathroom vanity sink. The dual sink allows two people to use the bathroom at the same time, without disturbing each other. This is popular in master bathrooms and guest bathrooms. It comes in handy when the families are large.

Bathroom corner sink is yet another trend. The corner sinks are most often wall mounted vanity and they can use the support of both walls.