Beyond The Basic Built-In Bathroom Vanities

I look for every opportunity to take bathrooms from just utilitarian to being special in their own way in the grand scheme of a home design.

Unlike most rooms where textiles and fabulous furniture play a role in adding lush layers, bathrooms can have limitations with the lushness with all the hard surfaces, and especially a visible commode.

These days however, there are some amazing decorative tiles, natural stones, faucets, mirrors, light fixtures, and wallpaper on the market that will allow your bathrooms to rival any well-layered room.

Custom Built-In Vanity With Furniture Detailing On The Leg Panels.

One of the things that often get overlooked is the bathroom vanity. Typically the builder will simply do a built-in unit matching the kitchen cabinets and call it a day.

While they can look great, going beyond the basic built-in bathroom vanity can help create that luxury look and feel in your bathroom.

There are some amazing selections of free-standing, furniture style bathroom vanities that I love, and what's even more interesting is using actual furniture pieces like chests and consoles to create your own custom bathroom vanity.

Site Built Bathroom vanity In Natural Walnut Topped With Porcelain Countertop And 10" Backsplash

Even if you go with a built-in version, it is a perfect opportunity to do something more unique and not try to match your kitchen cabinets.

The first photo above is custom high-end built-in cabinets, but we added a bit of a furniture detail on the legs. Notice the gold highlights?

This one below was a furniture piece the client had made into a vanity cabinet.

I love the heavy carving detail on the front and columns on the sides. Definitely not your everyday bathroom vanity.

This one below was built onsite using a piece of marble remnant for the top and reclaimed wood for the shelf below.

This small powder room was so uninteresting before with just a builder basic pedestal sink. It was the perfect space to go bold with color and a mixture of materials.

Parisienne Inspired Powder Room With Marble Slab And Reclaimed Wood Vanity

We designed this one to look like it has a floating top.

Just a small detail like that helps to give it that custom touch that is beyond the basic.

This was also site built, and we accomplished the floating effect by raising and indenting the center a bit higher than the ends of the top of the vanity base.

Custom Bathroom Vanity Built Onsite To Have The Look Of A Floating Countertop.

This vanity below is one of my favorites that we have ever installed. I love the gold and white and the fact that it feels so open, yet has some storage and a way to hide the pipes.

We just installed this beauty in a powder room just this week - no photos yet, but can't wait to see the space finished.

Here is a roundup of a few of my favorite vanities.

Most of them are available in smaller single size (less than 36") and larger double sizes.

Notice they all have furniture-like qualities and not the built-in bathroom vanity look?

I love these three, especially the burl one on the right.

Here are some modern bathroom vanities that are very unique.

| Black Bathroom Vanity | Black And White Wall Mounted Vanity | green Bathroom Vanity

Even if you have a built-in vanity in your bathroom, you don't have to go ripping them out on account of my post ;-) You can up the ante a bit by adding a gorgeous stone countertop like marble, porcelain or quartzite.

Marble does require some maintenance, so I would recommend using that material in a powder room that doesn't get a lot of use and makeup. Be sure to seal it very well and maintain it often.

Other things you can do to take your vanity from basic built-in to luxury is the hardware you choose. Hardware does for cabinetry what jewelry does for an outfit. They add that pizzazz to a plain piece.

Here you can browse some great options from Addison Weeks on Chairish. They are just like jewelry. Gorgeous!