Bathroom vanities are the hardest working cabinetry in your home. They have to hold up to daily wear and tear as you get ready for work or give kids their baths. And they’re constantly exposed to moisture, which is no friend to wood or wood-like materials.
Also, bathroom space usually is at a premium, so the size and location of cabinets is doubly important. A wider vanity will give you more storage, while a narrower vanity will give you more room to move around. Vanity Location is Vital Once you’ve decided what type of bathroom vanity you want and can afford, you have to decide where to put it — not as easy as it sounds because every square inch of bathroom space counts.
PRICE RANGE
$680 ~ $1200
Make sure cabinet doors have enough room to swing without hitting something or getting in the way of foot traffic. Measure the depth of vanities with doors open to make sure they fit comfortably. Building codes say the minimum allowable distance in front of vanities (and toilets) is 21 inches.
Be sure there’s enough space over and around the vanity to install a mirror and lights. Side sconces are best for eliminating face shadows. If that’s important to you, make sure you have enough room on each side of the mirror to place lights.
Take advantage of existing plumbing. Hooking up a new vanity to old plumbing is easy and inexpensive. But moving plumbing up, down, or across the room can cost you big bucks, considering you’ll pay a plumber typically from $45 to $65 per hour for labor alone. Of course, everything is a tradeoff. Just make sure you’ve got a darn good reason for moving plumbing around.
Place your vanity on or near a wall that can accommodate a wall-mounted or recessed medicine cabinet or shelving
