If you’re shopping for a new bathroom vanity, chances are you’re feeling a little overwhelmed by all your options. Worse, you might be finding yourself disappointed by them; for all the many, many bathroom vanities available, the vast majority of them are both simple and overwhelmingly similar. So if you’re aiming for a look that’s a little more distinctive, you’ll need to do some legwork. The good news? For all the so-so vanities out there, there are some great standouts that can really be the star of your space.
A More Exciting Wood Finish
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This first option is an easy one: in a market saturated with vanities finished in black, white, gray, and espresso, if you want your vanity to stand out, opt for just about anything else. Any natural wood vanity will break the mold, but if you want something really distinctive, you want to think veneers. Patterned veneers will give you an intricate, more traditional feel, while simple wood slices or even laminate print will give you a wood grain that’s much more bold and distinctive than you’d find on a normal vanity. This second look is particularly common on modern vanities right now, and is a great way to add texture to a simple vanity and make it much more eye-catching.
…Or An Unusual Paint
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In that same vein, you can also simply opt for a vanity in a different color, nixing the wood look entirely. Admittedly, these are few and far between if you’re buying pre-made, but the good news is that you don’t have to go crazy with your color choice to get a look that will stand out. While fire engine red and taxi yellow vanities exist (and vanities in a primary color certainly will stand out), the vast majority of bathroom vanities are so rigidly neutral in color that even a subdued navy paint will pop.
Bold, In-Your-Face Vanity Hardware
Another good option is to look for vanities that have really bold, distinctive cabinet hardware. That can mean simple hardware done in a distinctive metal like gold or brass, hardware made out of a unique material like wood beads, or hardware that’s oversized, ornate, and in-your-face. In this case, I prefer hardware that’s direct from the manufacturer and integrated into the design of the vanity itself (since you can get some pretty wild designs you wouldn’t find at a hardware store), but it’s also a project you can tackle yourself if you want to spruce up an otherwise pretty standard vanity.
Add A Little Asymmetry
Want something a little bit more subtle? Look for bathroom vanities that are asymmetrical. These are rare but out there if you do a little digging, usually in the form of single vanities with an offset sink, but sometimes in larger, more obviously unusual designs, like added storage or makeup tables on one side of the vanity. As with the color and hardware, this trick works largely because so many bathroom vanities are structured symmetrically that when you see one that isn’t, it stands out. As an added bonus, asymmetrical bathroom vanities are also a great way to sneak a little extra counter space into a small vanity.
Experimental Minimalist Modern Vanities
If you’re decorating a small bathroom, it might seem like the odds are stacked against you – that you have to choose functionality over style. The good news is, some of the most interesting and exciting vanity designs these days come in very small packages. While simple square box vanities are still a dime a dozen, many manufacturers are starting to get a little experimental with their smaller vanities. In addition to the other tricks listed here becoming easier to find on small vanities, many designers are also playing with shape and layout to create cool and sometimes gravity-defying modern installations that will be the star of a small bathroom (without skimping too much on storage!).
Designed-To-Be-A-Statement Vanity
Of course, while small changes are really all you need to make a statement vanity, you can absolutely go big with your design, too. Truly unusual-looking bathroom vanities are rare (and often a little pricey), but they are out there. Look for bathroom vanities that play with multiple elements at once, rather than just one; shape, layout, color, material, and so on are usually enough individually to make a vanity stand out, but vanities that do interesting things with all of them at once have a truly unique, show-stopping feel to them.
You might have to wade through a lot of ordinary-feeling bathroom vanities to find the stand-outs, but if you’re willing to do a little legwork, breaking the mold even in a small way can have a big impact.
