Are Custom Bathroom Vanities Worth It?
Deciding if a custom vanity is a worthwhile investment is ultimately a personal decision. How can you make it an informed one? Weighing the pros and cons will help.
Optimizing Space
Bathrooms are busy places. Youโre in and out of them multiple times a day, and youโre often moving fast with much to accomplish while youโre there. The vanity is the centerpiece of this room, and it needs to be both a workhorse and a showhorse to deliver the best result. However, bathrooms also tend to be on the smaller side, which means thereโs no room to spare. When every inch counts, a custom vanity allows you to decide how to make the most of those inches. In contrast, settling for a pre-made vanity forces you to accept standard sizes.
Perfecting Function
Everyoneโs idea of the perfect bathroom is different. With a custom vanity, you can make your dream setup a reality. Whether itโs double sinks with a combination of cabinets and drawers tucked below or a single sink with extra storage, a generous mix of regular and USB outlets, and a separate makeup vanity nearby, custom vanities provide you with the freedom to create a bathroom that functions exactly the way that you want it to.
Maximizing Resistance to Moisture
Many stock vanities are crafted from medium-density fibreboard, or MDF. While cabinets made from this material will last for several years, theyโre more vulnerable to moisture than quality cabinets crafted from either solid plywood or hardwood featuring woods like oak, birch, or maple. Thatโs a major problem in a moisture-laden bathroom because it means MDF cabinets wonโt serve as long or look as handsome. With custom cabinets, you have control over all the elements of your cabinets, including what theyโre made of, so you can ensure that quality materials that will maximize the resistance to moisture and humidity are used.
Attaining the Desired Appearance
Since the vanity is such a major feature in the bathroom, you probably already have a fairly clear idea of what you want it to look like in your mind. Today, the selection of prefab vanities is probably the widest that itโs ever been, so you may be able to find a premade cabinet that offers the look, quality, features, and size that you want. However, if you have something special in mind in terms of color, size, finish, or features, going custom may be the only way to get obtain a vanity with the appearance that youโre picturing. Opting for custom cabinetry may be especially worthwhile if you plan to incorporate other furnishings in the room. After all, you want all of your cabinetry to match, and increasing the number of cabinets that you want will make it more difficult to find all the perfect pieces on a list of stock cabinets.
Considering Cost
The initial cost is the one area where prefab vanities have a definite edge over custom ones. They are noticeably less expensive. However, itโs worth noting that many will have shorter lifespans since theyโre frequently made with less substantial materials. With any vanity, youโll want to consider the quality of the product that you purchase against its price tag carefully to verify that youโre getting a fair deal.