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Which
Bathroom Vanity is for you?
Planning on remodeling your bathroom? You'll find out very quickly
that one of your major decisions is the selection of a new vanity
base and vanity top. Let's see what the choices are and which
one is right for you.
There
are two basic types of vanities, built-in and freestanding. Built-in
is exactly what the name implies, a vanity base and solid countertop
that installs against the wall and is designed to look like part
of the structure.
For
those who lean toward modern décor, or are remodeling the
bathroom in a contemporary home, loft, high-rise condominium or
upscale townhouse, a free-standing vanity will definitely appeal
to your creativity due to a more unique range of available designs.
These vanities also enhance the visual space of smaller bathrooms
and powder rooms found in today's new construction.
Built-In
Vanities -The Traditional Experience
The
built-in vanity is a two stage process. First you choose the vanity
base. Walk into any home remodeling center and you will find rows
of stock vanity bases ready to take home, bolt against the wall,
drop a vanity top in place and you're done. There are variations
in style, including length, height, number and placement of doors
and drawers, but that's about it. If you have an older, traditional
home, this style is most likely your best choice.
Now
that you have your vanity base selected, there's still something
missing∑the vanity top. Most of the time the vanity top
will be made from cultured marble, ceramic or granite, and usually
the sink (or basin or vessel, depending on the manufacturers description)
will be an integral part of the top, forming a one-piece unit
that will not leak. In some cases, a vanity top will have a cut-out
(or cut-outs in the case of a double vanity) to allow the basin
(or basins) to drop in.
Whatever
type of vanity top you choose from one of the big box suppliers,
the tops that you can take with you are fairly limited and conventional
in appearance and configuration. However, those retailers always
have a wide selection of vanity tops from various manufacturers
that can be custom ordered. Prices are reasonable and you can
choose from a wide variety of sink shapes and placement in the
top. If you're re-doing an older house or simply prefer a traditional
built-in vanity, this is an excellent way to add a little pop
to your bathroom while maintaining a traditional appearance.
Another thing to consider, if you're planning on doing it yourself,
is the relative difficulty of connecting the supply lines and
drain. When it comes to modern sink and faucet installation, it
has gotten simpler for do it yourselves to make the necessary
connections. The problem lies in access to the connecting points.
With built-in vanity bases, as well as some of the fine furniture
versions and the occasional free-standing ones, you're going to
wind up with your head stuck in a cabinet, trying to thread a
nut in a hard to reach area.
Much
of the problem with access to these built-ins comes from their
name. You cannot move the base or countertop to get to the water
lines. Depending on the exact set-up of your bathroom lines, it
may not be that much of a problem but other times a complete re-reroute
of the water supply line will be necessary to avoid a structural
element of the cabinet. In a worst-case scenario, you could end
up adding a number of very colorful epithets to your vocabulary
as you pull the entire unit out for a mid-project supply line
revision. As they say in the army, however, proper planning prevents
poor performance.
Freestanding
Vanities - From Contemporary to Eclectic
Free-standing
vanity bases allow you to be a little more adventurous in design.
Unlike built-in vanity bases, they typically come complete with
the vanity top. Because of this you get to evaluate the whole
look before making a commitment to a particular style. Some free-standing
bases look like fine furniture and use tops similar to the built-ins
like granite or glass. The holes for the vessel and faucet are
pre-drilled and ready for installation.
These
vessel bowls are contemporary, artistic and sometimes exotic.
They range all the way from tempered glass to antique hammered
copper, cultured stone, real stone, and stainless steel. Some
of them are designed to mount on top of the flat counter while
others sit inside the vanity top with only a few inches of the
vessel above the counter surface. In either case many leave exposed
the supply lines and drain. If you enjoy being on the cutting
edge, these types of vessels or sinks are made to order for you.
Also
available are tops integrated with sinks as one piece, usually
in interesting ceramic shapes or glass. Other vanities are a flat
surface where you can use some of the avant-garde sinks (vessels)
by mounting them on top of the solid stone or glass vanity top.
You
can find everything from chrome pedestals that stand on the floor
to cantilevered wall mounts that support the basin in mid-air.
Prefer fine cabinetry? Common wood choices range from wenge (usually
painted ultra dark brown, almost black) to oak. Exotic hardwoods
become available from time to time such as sapele or zelkova.
These rich grains are highly prized by custom furniture makers.
It's even possible to find a free-standing vanity that looks and
functions exactly like an antique chest of drawers.
Freestanding
vanities eliminate the installation problems mentioned above because
the open designs are easily accessible. The drain hardware is
also designed to stay out in the open. P-trap drains, in particular,
are very modern in design so you don't mind them being in plain
view.
Odds
and Ends - Build it Yourself
There
is a third vanity alternative that deserves a brief mention. Namely,
custom building a vanity base from scratch. This option provides
the ultimate in flexibility (and is sometimes your only choice
if you have an oddly shaped space) by allowing you to build from
any kind of exotic hardwood. Think long and hard before taking
this route, however, because it often takes an experienced woodworker
with an ability to visualize in three-dimensions to make such
a project successful.
Conclusion
An
old adage in woodworking says to measure twice and cut once. When
choosing a new vanity, take the time to browse the home remodeling
stores to see the common offerings and search the internet if
you are looking for something more expressive In other words,
research much, choose once. Do that and you will wind up with
a new bathroom to be proud of.
Steven
Pollack is the owner of Bath Plus, an importer of exotic hardwood
contemporary vanities. This line can be found at www.BathGems.com
Just
a few thoughts as you are outfitting your kitchen. There are many
more kitchen articles in our kitchen
section. There is more specific information in the links at
the beginning of this article. They can guide you where you need
to go.
Eat,
Drink, and be Merry.
The kitchen is probably the place where you will spend most of
your time. Make it worth it!
Counter
Space - Is Great!
Opening up counter space brings back the usefulness.
Pots,
and Pans
The right tools makes the job much easier and more enjoyable.
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