Bathroom Vanities: Adding a Unique Touch to your Bathroom Regardless of your Budget
January 10th, 2012
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A really simple way to update your bathroom without doing a full remodel, and without spending a lot of money, is to replace your bathroom vanity. Bathroom vanities can cost as little as $100 (depending on the size you need), up to a couple thousand depending on what your tastes and budget are. I am going to talk about several different options that are available for different budget levels to help you get the bathroom of your dreams.
RTA Bathroom Vanities or Pre-assembled vanities are a great way to get a fresh look for your bathroom without spending a lot of money to do so. Most of the building supply stores will carry their own line of pre-assembled bathroom vanities that you can take right out of the box and stick in your bathroom. While they are starting to add more design details into the vanity, these bathroom vanities traditionally are your basic cabinet with some detailing on the door that come in a wide range of door styles and finishes. There are also hundreds of companies that are selling RTA bathroom vanities on the web. These are usually a little bit better quality than what you will find in Home Depot or Lowes and they are usually less expensive, since they don’t have the huge overhead costs that the big stores have. The difference between the store bought vanities and the RTA vanities that you find on-line, is that you will have to assemble the RTA vanities yourself (which usually just requires a screwdriver). These are the same style cabinets that you will find in all newly built, mid-priced homes.
If you are looking for something a little bit more modern, one of the hottest remodeling trends is the Euro Vanity. The euro vanity is identifiable by the protruding sink bowl in the front, and downward curving doors. Most vanities are sold as a kit with the sink bowl included. These can also be found as pre-assembled units in the store, or as rta bathroom vanities on-line. While cabinet itself is usually not as deep as your traditional vanities, it still offers storage space below the sink. Most companies will offer 3 basic finishes- white, oak, and cherry, but you can occasionally find some unique finishes if you search hard enough. If you are going for a more modern look in the rest of your house, this is a great way to bring the same design features into your bathroom
Something that has become more popular in recent years with people trying to create a more custom look in their bathroom is what they call a bathroom furniture vanity. It is called a furniture vanity, because people were literally taking antique furniture and retro-fitting them to accommodate plumbing and a sink. Because of the demand for this type of vanity, manufacturers finally started creating vanities that look like antique pieces of furniture. You will find this type of vanity in a lot of the higher end homes that want to keep the custom look of the house flowing into the bathroom. The possibilities are endless when it comes to furniture vanities, and the prices can range from a couple hundred up to a couple thousand. This is a great look if you have the big budget required to have your bathroom look as nice as the vanity does!
Finally, for the ultra custom look is the artistic or decorative bathroom vanity. This type of vanity is a cross between a furniture vanity and a piece of art. They offer the style and detailing of furniture, with the artistic touches of a piece of art. For the homeowner that truly wants to make a statement with their bathroom design, or even make it a centerpiece of the house, the artistic bathroom vanity is the ultimate choice. However, this type of high design comes at a price… with most vanities starting at $1,000 and going up from there, this is no small investment. The really nice thing about the handful of companies that are selling them, is that they come as a complete kit with the vanity top, sink bowl, and matching mirror included. There are not a lot of manufacturers out there, so if you are looking for a decorative bathroom vanity, be prepared to surf the web.
Regardless of whether you are updating a powder room, or designing the bathroom for a multi-million dollar home, there are a wide range of options and price levels to meet your budget. Take the time to really shop around, both in the stores and on the web, and you will find exactly what you are looking for at a price you can afford.
By: Gary Nealon
About the Author:
RTA Bathroom Vanities or Pre-assembled vanities are a great way to get a fresh look for your bathroom without spending a lot of money to do so. Most of the building supply stores will carry their own line of pre-assembled bathroom vanities that you can take right out of the box and stick in your bathroom. While they are starting to add more design details into the vanity, these bathroom vanities traditionally are your basic cabinet with some detailing on the door that come in a wide range of door styles and finishes. There are also hundreds of companies that are selling RTA bathroom vanities on the web. These are usually a little bit better quality than what you will find in Home Depot or Lowes and they are usually less expensive, since they don’t have the huge overhead costs that the big stores have. The difference between the store bought vanities and the RTA vanities that you find on-line, is that you will have to assemble the RTA vanities yourself (which usually just requires a screwdriver). These are the same style cabinets that you will find in all newly built, mid-priced homes.
If you are looking for something a little bit more modern, one of the hottest remodeling trends is the Euro Vanity. The euro vanity is identifiable by the protruding sink bowl in the front, and downward curving doors. Most vanities are sold as a kit with the sink bowl included. These can also be found as pre-assembled units in the store, or as rta bathroom vanities on-line. While cabinet itself is usually not as deep as your traditional vanities, it still offers storage space below the sink. Most companies will offer 3 basic finishes- white, oak, and cherry, but you can occasionally find some unique finishes if you search hard enough. If you are going for a more modern look in the rest of your house, this is a great way to bring the same design features into your bathroom
Something that has become more popular in recent years with people trying to create a more custom look in their bathroom is what they call a bathroom furniture vanity. It is called a furniture vanity, because people were literally taking antique furniture and retro-fitting them to accommodate plumbing and a sink. Because of the demand for this type of vanity, manufacturers finally started creating vanities that look like antique pieces of furniture. You will find this type of vanity in a lot of the higher end homes that want to keep the custom look of the house flowing into the bathroom. The possibilities are endless when it comes to furniture vanities, and the prices can range from a couple hundred up to a couple thousand. This is a great look if you have the big budget required to have your bathroom look as nice as the vanity does!
Finally, for the ultra custom look is the artistic or decorative bathroom vanity. This type of vanity is a cross between a furniture vanity and a piece of art. They offer the style and detailing of furniture, with the artistic touches of a piece of art. For the homeowner that truly wants to make a statement with their bathroom design, or even make it a centerpiece of the house, the artistic bathroom vanity is the ultimate choice. However, this type of high design comes at a price… with most vanities starting at $1,000 and going up from there, this is no small investment. The really nice thing about the handful of companies that are selling them, is that they come as a complete kit with the vanity top, sink bowl, and matching mirror included. There are not a lot of manufacturers out there, so if you are looking for a decorative bathroom vanity, be prepared to surf the web.
Regardless of whether you are updating a powder room, or designing the bathroom for a multi-million dollar home, there are a wide range of options and price levels to meet your budget. Take the time to really shop around, both in the stores and on the web, and you will find exactly what you are looking for at a price you can afford.
By: Gary Nealon
About the Author:
Looking to upgrade your bathroom with a decorative bathroom vanity, or simply replace your bathroom vanity? Check out one of these links.
