Bathroom Cabinets
Choosing bathroom cabinets, bathroom vanities, and other pieces of bathroom furniture can be a time-consuming choice. Considering style, functionality, and resell value can guide you in making these decisions.
Bathrooms often get messy because the contents of them are used so often. Everyone needs the shampoo, soap, and razors on a daily basis. That means a lot of items are going in and out of the various organizational hiding spots. Bathroom cabinets and bathroom vanities are good pieces of furniture to use for these organizational needs because they have open spaces in them.
A bathroom vanity can be used to store the basics that will be used frequently. Toothpaste and deodorant are two of the most common items put into bathroom vanities, because everyone can grab these items and return them quickly. Bathroom cabinets also are excellent for organizational problems in the bathroom, if used properly. Instead of simply putting everything in the bathroom in stacks, consider using baskets or portable shelves in the bathroom cabinets to help make them work for your family’s organizational needs.
Storing items in the bathroom cabinets and vanities keeps those items from remaining on the bathroom furniture and keeps the bathroom looking neat and clean. Because the bathroom is used so often, keeping it clean is important to making sure the room is functional on a daily basis. Using the bathroom cabinets and bathroom vanities for this purpose is a simple way to get the bathroom organized in a way everyone can maintain.
As bathrooms grow larger, the basic furniture and accessories in them are no longer filling up the spaces. Instead of just having a spot for the toilet, sink, tub, and perhaps a set of bathroom cabinets, many homeowners now find they have room for all of this and still have plenty of space leftover. One option in these situations may be to add some bathroom furniture to the mix.
This bathroom furniture can come in the form of bathroom cabinets or bathroom vanities that will allow for additional storage space. This space can be used for towels and other linens, freeing up space in hall closets, or it can be used to store odds and ends that cannot be put elsewhere in the house. This type of bathroom furniture will make elegant, spacious bathrooms and allow the room to have some functional purpose, as well.
Seating areas in bathrooms also are gaining popularity. These pieces of bathroom furniture are nice, but sturdy, because the fabrics need to be able to withstand the humidity of being in a bathroom. They give the user something to sit on while dressing, or a place to light a candle and relax after a hard day’s work. This type of bathroom furniture really adds appeal to a bathroom space and makes it a sanctuary.
Traditional wisdom holds kitchens and bathrooms as the most important rooms when selling a house. Perhaps because these rooms are used most often, they are what impresses or turns off potential buyers. Because renovation of these rooms can be costly, looking for cheaper ways to get a fresh feel can help tremendously when it comes time to sell the house. Bathroom cabinets are one of the best places to invest limited time and resources for a home renovation.
Like other pieces of bathroom furniture, bathroom cabinets become worn out over time. The materials are exposed to moisture frequently, and people bump and bang things into the cabinets. Daily wear and tear can make nice cabinets look rough. One simple solution is to refinish the paint or wood on the bathroom cabinets to something that sparkles for potential buyers. Sand down your cabinets and paint them with an updated color, or reseal the wood with varnish to give the bathroom cabinets a brand-new look.
Updating the hardware, such as drawer handles, on bathroom cabinets is a way to add some pizzazz to a bathroom without spending much money. These handles can be purchased inexpensively and take only a few minutes to replace, but they can give the bathroom an updated look for people turned off by your bathroom’s outdated appearance.
Built-in bathroom furniture, such as shelving, and quality bathroom cabinets add good value to your home. Because bathrooms are a place where people need a good bit of storage space and do not expect to find it, these additional pieces of bathroom hardware can surprise people when it comes time to sell your home. For you as the current homeowner, bathroom cabinets can make the bathroom’s value increase along with its usability.
One of the problems many people report with bathrooms and try to fix with portable options or renovations is the amount of storage available in the bathroom. This space is needed for people to put towels and toiletry items that can be retrieved quickly and easily. Because few bathrooms have adequate storage space, a good set of cabinets is an excellent way to give the bathroom in your home a bit of additional value.
Though many people view cabinets as expensive, they do not have to be. Bathroom cabinets can be purchased for relatively little money, particularly if you purchase raw wood and finish them yourself. Bathroom cabinets also take up far less space than kitchen cabinets, meaning you need only purchase one or two sets of cabinets to outfit the entire bathroom well, making the capital outlay very small compared to the value you receive in return.
Bathroom cabinets and bathroom vanities, particularly in combination units, are an excellent way to make the most of small bathroom spaces. A bathroom vanity is a mirror that may or may not be attached to a sink. The best part about bathroom vanities is that they come with a very small pillar-like bottom, giving them an amazingly small footprint. They can take up only a couple of square feet of room in your bathroom, which is wonderful if you do not have much room. A bathroom vanity works particularly well in a second bathroom.
In bathrooms where you need a small amount of storage for toilet paper, cleaning supplies, and other small necessities, a bathroom cabinet and vanity combination may be just the right piece of bathroom furniture to make the small bathroom space work well. These cabinets have very little room, but for second bathrooms or half-baths, they can provide all the room needed. Plus, they can work with a bathroom vanity to give you an elegant look to a very small space.
Bathroom cabinet and vanity combos also typically are cost-effective options because they are so small. The cabinets typically are a base with a door and do not have shelving or extras that would make them more expensive. The vanities, too, are simply designed for modest budgets.
Choosing the bathroom cabinets and bathroom furniture you want is more involved than simply going to the store and choosing a cute color or design. Think about the choice beforehand to help get the best bathroom cabinets and bathroom furniture for your needs. The cabinets work best if they are easily changeable. For example, think about what would happen if something damaged one of the doors. Looking for something easily replaceable or repairable can save you money in the long run. Also consider whether the bathroom cabinets can be updated quickly and inexpensively, such as with new hardware.
The bathroom furniture you choose should be versatile, as well. If you do not plan to redecorate, selecting something trendy probably is not a good idea. When that piece is not trendy, your bathroom furniture will be outdated. Selecting something plain instead will help the bathroom furniture remain fashionable for a longer time.
For frequent redecorators, a simple design also can work well, because you will be able to use the furniture in many ways over time. A simple recovering of a sturdy and basic piece of bathroom furniture can help update the piece. Some of these pieces of furniture even could be used in other rooms in the future. Keeping an eye to future needs is helpful when choosing bathroom furniture.
Most people have those little displays of items they enjoy collecting. Perhaps you started collecting dolls for each holiday, or you collect bird statues from each state you visit. The problem is that when you arrive home with these collections, you have nowhere to store them. The growing trend in aesthetic bathroom furniture can help solve this dilemma. This bathroom furniture can work as a great shelving unit for these displays.
Some of the more popular pieces of bathroom furniture go along the wall behind or over the toilet. Putting small soaps or other decorative touches on these pieces of furniture work well, but can be generic. Displaying something that signifies a little more about you and your personality can be a great way to keep these displays in a safe place, while using bathroom furniture that can have additional uses later if needed.
Bathroom cabinets also can work to hold items. Though the contents often are hidden from view, these cabinets work really well for groupings of items that you cannot put elsewhere. An example may be the small seasonal figurines you have. Putting a set in the bathroom cabinet and then getting them out for display at the appropriate times of the year is a wonderful way to use the far reaches of your bathroom cabinets year round.
Replacing bathroom cabinets may seem a daunting job, but it is one most people can handle with a little patience and a dose of diligence. The key to replacing bathroom cabinets well is getting the right size cabinets from the get go. Measuring the cabinets is not as simple as just whipping out the tape measure. You should measure the size of the current cabinets, but also consider any clearance issues with the countertop.
In some cases, replacing the counters may become a necessity because of the current structure, and knowing that before you purchase your bathroom cabinets helps. When the countertop is put on after the cabinets, the person who did the job may not consider replacing the cabinets in the future. That may mean the countertop must go, as well. Although this job will become more expensive, it will give you greater flexibility in selecting the cabinetry you want.
Another factor in replacing bathroom cabinets is the way the cabinets are inlaid with the flooring and wall covering. A bathroom cabinet next to vinyl flooring may pose a greater threat to the floor than with tile, for example. Checking out the grouting job and the way the tiles and cabinets butt against each other is the easiest way to determine whether the cabinets can be removed without problems.
When replacing the entire bathroom cabinet or bathroom vanity is too expensive or complex a project, changing out just a few of the pieces may be an alternative. To determine whether you can replace just the doors or the handles, you will need to remove them from the existing bathroom cabinet structure. In the case of a vanity, look at the pillar and see if you can remove the sink from it.
After removing the doors or checking the removal possibility for the sink, inspect the structure. Bathroom cabinets should have a sturdy structure, and the wood should not be cracked or otherwise damaged. Replacing just the doors on a deteriorating structure is a bad idea. Should you find the structure in good shape, look at the hinges and use them as a guide for the type of replacement cabinet door or bathroom furniture drawer you can purchase.
With the bathroom vanity, examine the quality of the pillar and check it for signs that the entire unit should be replaced. If it is in good shape, then look at the way the pillar and sink connect. You will need to purchase a sink that matches the current one closely to get one that will work. These replacement jobs are simpler and less expensive than replacing the entire unit.