Choosing bathroom furniture: what to look for?

What furniture do you need?

In most cases, a bathroom must have a vanity unit under the sink – this is a universal piece of furniture that allows you to rationally use the space and hide communications. The sink with the vanity unit can be purchased together or separately, the sink can be either built-in or tabletop.

Another popular and roomy option is a tall cabinet. In the bathroom, it will solve the storage problem by 80% – taking up most of the cosmetics, towels and necessary accessories.

If there is not enough space on the floor due to plumbing, use the walls. Wall cabinets are not inferior in capacity to floor-standing structures. They are usually placed above the toilet or sink. If you buy modules with mirrored facades, you will solve several problems at once.

Open storage spaces – shelves and racks.

The former can be built-in or hanging. This solution is best suited for small bathrooms – the shelves do not take up much space, but can accommodate many items. However, to reduce visual noise, you will have to store everything in baskets or containers.

Floor or hanging racks contribute to the functional use of space in the corners. Corners are often left empty, so organizing storage in this area is the same as winning free space in the room.

The photo shows a white bathroom set

Selection rules

Bathroom furniture is different from any other, because it has to withstand high humidity and temperature changes. To avoid making a mistake with your choice, follow these tips:

• Moisture resistance. Metal or wooden furniture should be coated with special compounds and well protected.
• Ease of care. Smooth surfaces without pores and roughness provide easy cleaning and prevent the development of fungus.
• Hygiene. Ideally, the coating should withstand washing with aggressive chlorine-containing products.
• Proportionality. The smaller the bathroom, the more compact the furniture should be and vice versa.
• Safety. It is easy to slip on a wet floor, so it is better to choose cabinets and cabinets without sharp corners. And glass parts should be made of tempered glass so that in case of damage from shards it is impossible to cut yourself.

Which material is better to choose?

Bathroom furniture is made of various materials, let’s consider the main options:

• Wooden furniture. The appearance of expensive solid wood will fill the bathroom with warmth and comfort. It is environmentally friendly, durable and suits many styles – classic, loft, eco, country. Wooden furniture can be both natural, coated with a water-repellent agent, and painted.
• Furniture made of chipboard or MDF. The slabs are covered with a special film or painted, which protects them from moisture and temperature changes. There are many models made of this material on the market, so choosing the right one in terms of price and quality will not be difficult.

The photo shows a stylish wall-hung cabinet under the sink

• Glass furniture. Transparent shelves and racks are indispensable for a small bathroom, they perform their functions without cluttering up the space. As a rule, tempered glass is used in production, it is durable and safe. The disadvantages of both transparent and frosted glass furniture are that smudges, fingerprints and other dirt are clearly visible on them. But this is offset by the advantage: glass is easy to clean and it is hygienic and not afraid of water.

• Metal furniture. Furniture made of metal can be of completely different shapes: from refined forged to angular stamped. Usually, a combination of metal with glass, wood or other materials is used in design. When buying, pay attention to the quality of the coating: if the paint starts to peel off, the metal will rust.

• Plastic furniture. Light, practical, moisture-resistant, hygienic – it seems to be made for the bathroom. However, it is worth buying only high-quality products – they are more expensive than their analogues, but they will not scratch or break.

The photo shows an iron console for the bathroom

What to consider when choosing a color and style?

If you look at photos of bathroom furniture in the interior, you can highlight several popular color schemes:

• White + bright. Colored walls require white furniture, and bright or dark ones will play on white ones.
• Monochrome. A monochromatic interior is the trend of 2020. Any color will do: white, black, gray, green, blue.
• White + texture. The warmest combination is with wood, the strictest – with metal or concrete.

The photo shows bathroom furniture in a classic style

• Black and white. The contrasting combination is universal and will allow the bathroom to sparkle with new colors.
• Black + bright. Unlike the first option, black will go well with the most saturated colors: fuchsia, lime, sea breeze.

The choice of model is also influenced by style.

• Classics are characterized by natural shades, gilding, decorations.
• Provence – pastel colors and milling on the facades.
• Country – wicker boxes, copper parts, wood.
• High-tech and minimalism are distinguished by laconic design, active use of glass, plastic and mirrors.
• Loft involves a combination of rough textures and dark shades.

How to arrange furniture?

The layout of a small and large bathroom is strikingly different from each other. Let’s look at the secrets of arrangement for each.

The photo shows a symmetrical bathroom layout

Small bathroom:

• Use the walls. Wall-mounted furniture is more compact than floor-standing furniture, so it is ideal for small spaces. Instead of a tall cabinet, for example, install a cabinet above the toilet.
• Use corners and niches. Corner models are more compact, and niches seem to be intended for storage.
• Hang hooks. If you are not afraid of open storage, then instead of an additional cabinet, attach several hooks – they are convenient for hanging textiles, baskets with cosmetics and other accessories.
• Choose shallow options. Narrow cabinets take up less space, but are almost as roomy: after all, something important is rarely stored in the back of the shelves.

Large bathroom:

• Put in large furniture. Compact models will simply get lost in a large area, choose the right size.
• Zone. Open shelving is a great element for dividing a room. For example, they separate the shower from the toilet.
• Add seats. Sometimes there is not enough space in the bathroom to sit down: you can fix this situation by putting in a chair or a bench.
• Move away from wet areas. To make your furniture last longer, place it away from hygiene areas – a shower stall or a bathtub.

The photo shows a built-in sink with a cabinet opposite the window

Modern design ideas

The following are some of the 2020 trends in bathroom design:

• Loft. While many have begun to make living rooms and bedrooms cozier and warmer, the industrial style is still relevant for the bathroom. A great example is stylish metal consoles with wooden drawers.

• Built-in or overhead sinks. Untidy joints spoil even the most expensive interior, to avoid this, designers suggest replacing conventional sinks, for example, with models that are simply installed on top of a stone countertop.
• Suspended. The more free floor space there is, the more spacious the bathroom seems. In addition, it is easier to maintain such a room. Today, there are wall-mounted models of even large tall cabinets or pedestals.