bathroom vanity ideas needed

[wdfifteen]

I've nearly finished my kitchen remodel and now it's time to do the bathroom. I put very good custom cabinets in the kitchen and nearly tapped out my budget. I think of the cabinets, countertops, etc in the kitchen almost as tools and I wanted really good stuff. The kitchen cost more than my first house. I want to go with something less expensive for the bathroom. What is a good brand of semi-custom bathroom cabinets to look at?

[89911]

Cabinets are one of the single most overpriced home improvement items I know of. How can a box made out of particle board with a few pieces of hard wood cost $$200-400? I would be less interested in the make and more focused on how they are made. I had our bathroom made by a local custom cabinet maker. Used all plywood for the boxes and cherry for the fronts and it was the same as what you would find at Lowes or Home Depot. You could approach it two ways. One is a temporary fix (basically "flipping" your bathroom ) to get it appealing for the immediate time. You can use cabinets from Ikea, Lowes, or where ever you can get them cheapest and it will look fine.....for a limited time. Or you can source some better quality from a custom builder and know your cabinet fronts won't come ripping off with the handle. Around here, we have Amish builders that can custom build any cabinets with better materials. I know many that actually go to Ohio to have Kitchen cabinets made. For some, the Amish isn't an option. I have seen also "repurposed" furniture like a credenza made into a sink cabinet that is kind of cool.

http://www.thedesignfile.net/thedesignfile/2010/06/turn-furniture-into-a-vanity-for-bathroom-style.html

[1990C4S]

Look around here: IKEA Hackers

Lots of ideas to modify cheap ikea products.

[Evans, Marv]

When I was building my house, I got God-awful estimates on bathroom cabinets from cabinet makers. Some wanted $2K+ as the average for each of three cabinets. The thing was they would have been square and similar to my kitchen cabinets. We wanted something that had a more furniture-like appearance, so we looked around for some premade with curved shapes, granite tops, etc. There were some at the better plumbing/bathroom/kitchen supply places that were decent & decenty costly. I ended up ordering them from Costco. They look nice, seem well built, and although I'm sure they came from China, we're very happy. They all ran between around $1,200 to $800. The constuction seems good & I don't kick the hell out of them each time I go in there, so I expect they will last a long time. Plus they are free standing, and if we ever want to change them out, it'll be a simple thing to do.

[john70t]

Ikea has a 3D program which will create a virtual space using their products.
(You don't necessarily have to buy them)
Take in the room measurements and build it virtually. Print it out.

When planning, take heed of the space and movements/usage first.
If the door swings through much of the space, then smaller cabinets should be used.
Small room=small rounded fixtures.

Get some big empty cardboard boxes, place where everything will be, and walk though it. If there are restrictions or pinch-points, then some adjustments in size or location should be made.
Nobody should have to twist and step over things to get out of the shower.

Then decide colors and materials.

[wdfifteen]

The design shouldn't be a big deal. I have a 72 to 84 inch wall to put cabinetry for two sinks on. I don't really need two sinks, but it seems to be the thing to do and I have space. I have a good source of reasonably priced granite tops and undermount sinks. I'm looking for a source of good looking (Shaker style), durable, reasonably priced vanities to put them on. The company that made my kitchen cabinets wants $5000. I just don't need that kind of quality in the bathroom. That's at least twice what I want to pay for something so simple.

[imcarthur]

I designed the bathroom reno myself last year. I started with a photo & just pasted real samples on to it. Here is the before/the plan/the result.



The vanity had to fit a spot so our contractor connected us to a cabinet factory dude (all Asians - all cash btw) who custom-made it. Painted wood doors, Ikea-like hdwe & mdf innards. Soft close etc. It is a dark room so it had to be white anyway. We chose the granite from a granite dude (more cash). The total for the vanity was $2200 including the mirror & the granite piece on the short wall.

This was just after the install but before the final adjustments on the drawers.




Ian

[john70t]

This is just from personal opinion(i.e. if it were my house).....:

I wouldn't purchase anything big else:
-Get a black flush ornate iron floor vent cover. (tripping hazard but on wall)

-Paint the mirror-surround black, to add an addition matching element/color.

-Add subtle black somewhere else. Maybe in a area rug in front of the shower.

-Paint the ceiling white(or better yet a warm off-white matching the wall paint) to lighten the area and extend headroom.

-Paint the walls a much lighter shade of whatever is there.
--Too much contrast with that white window frame. It sticks out like a sore thumb.
--Too much blah-same putty color throughout the space. The granite color is "warm" but the walls are "cool", and kind of pukey.
-The wall paint matches the same putty cabinets and granite, and doesn't give depth and contrast.

I painted a couple huge spaces many times until a decent color was found.
We didn't agree.
The box stores sell cheap 1/2 pint samplers for experimenting.

[imcarthur]

Ha. Thanks John but my wife . . . y'know . . .

Here is what we have now . . .



Some Turkish sumac carpets that we bought in Goreme gave us some pop. She is now happy, so I am now happy.

Ian

[john70t]

Oooops. BIG time faux-pas!
Tired and inebriated. Foot in mouth disease.

I humbly apologize Ian.
I didn't notice who the poster of the pics was, and thought it was WD starting from scratch in a dark northern space.
There wasn't much with that picture that needed changing and spending $$$$$$ on.

Those elements and colors do bring it all together. Looks good.

[imcarthur]

No sweat, John. Your critique was valid. It was a sea of pale yellow with a semi-loud granite jolt. Did I mention that my wife loves yellow? The day the reno was done, we flew to Turkey for holidays. I didn't realize that my wife had a secret agenda. Carpets. We saw hundreds of carpets all over Turkey until we found those. But they did complete the room.



Hand woven sumak (soumak, soumac etc) from Van, Turkey. That's Ali, the carpet peddler in Goreme - Cappadocia, Turkey. He was a partner with the balloon pilot & he gave us a deal . . . etc . . . etc

Ian

[john70t]

FWIW, a trick of painting is to add 1/5-1/10 of wall color to white ceiling paint.
Blends it all together.

Negotiations? No comment.

[john70t]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

I have a 72 to 84 inch wall to put cabinetry for two sinks on. I don't really need two sinks, but it seems to be the thing to do and I have space.

84" is an arm-length of 6' (same as my height plus a foot).
Not a great amount of space.

Two sinks equals 2 matching faucets at $100-400 per. Replaced as pairs.
-I have yet to find the same f'n product sold a year later by any of the big-box stores....
-Floor tile I used a year before was "no longer available".

If two sinks will add "re-sale value" later, then go with that.
If one sink with a cabinet is more 'functional', then go with that.
Never be confined with ideas. Do what makes you both right in life.

[imcarthur]

As well, two sinks would reduce your vanity storage space if that is important - unless you use the mod ones that stick up. Although I can see a violent market swing against those somewhere on the horizon.

Ian