Contemporary Vanity Units: How to Choose the Right One for Your Bathroom

Vanity units have surged in popularity during recent years, thanks to their effortless blend of style and practicality, making them a common consideration for anyone looking to redesign their bathroom.

With popularity comes a broad range of choice, meaning you’re never short of options when shopping for a contemporary vanity unit. Although this can make it challenging to pick the best one for your bathroom, this handy expert guide will help you find the right unit.

Browse our range of bathroom furniture

What is a bathroom vanity unit?

A bathroom vanity unit is a piece of bathroom furniture that cleverly combines a washbasin with a storage cabinet underneath. They’re a popular choice because of their seamless design and practicality.

Picking the right type of vanity unit

When choosing a contemporary vanity, we recommend starting with the type of unit that meets your requirements.

Freestanding units offer a classic design that works well in any application. They’re well-suited to spacious family bathrooms, but can work well in a smaller room, too.

If you’re dealing with a cloakroom or ensuite, then a compact vanity unit is well worth considering. They’re designed specifically for this purpose, meaning you don’t have to compromise on style when picking the right unit for you.

If saving space is a must for you, then you may like the look of a wall mounted vanity unit. As the name may suggest, these units are attached to the wall and can come with or without legs. Modern, stylish, and easy to clean under; what’s not to like?

The final type that needs highlighting is the double basin vanity unit. These are perfect for larger bathrooms, or master ensuites, since each unit supports two basins and offers plenty of storage.

Creating a style

Once you’ve selected the type of vanity unit that appeals to you, it’s time to choose the style.

Whilst the type and style may seem similar, they are slightly different. The type is related to a category, whereas the style is more about the aesthetic design of the vanity itself.

A modern vanity unit offers clean lines and restrained features, making them the perfect option if you want furniture that works effortlessly alongside contemporary brassware and accessories.

If you value a subtle, yet tasteful, twist on contemporary bathroom furniture, then you may want to explore a fluted vanity unit. The fluted fascia has great visual depth compared to other units, which is why they’ve grown in popularity during recent years.

Although the name would suggest the opposite of contemporary, a traditional vanity unit features an elegant design that complements many bathrooms. Ironically, despite the design heritage, traditional vanities are timeless in their nature, which is why they remain sought-after by modern households.

Choosing a colour

Having established the type and style of vanity unit that works best for you, it’s time to think about the colour (if you haven’t already).

Naturally, this will depend on the colour scheme you’re opting for with the rest of the bathroom furniture, but there are some general rules of thumb to follow.

For example, if you’re creating a contemporary tone in the bathroom, then a white or grey vanity will complement your design beautifully. Whereas, if you’re inspired by nature’s colour pallet, then a green is a colour you should explore.

You may even decide you don’t want a colour at all, and would prefer something more natural. If that’s the case, wooden vanity units are a popular choice and will bring real warmth to your bathroom.

When choosing a colour, we’d always recommend having a look online for ideas. Social media offers some great starting points, and you can follow us on Instagram and Pinterest for additional inspiration.

Fairmont Freestanding Modular Bathroom Furniture

Scheme 1000 Juniper Vessel Basin ISO Lifestyle

More guides from Roper Rhodes

Picking the right style of contemporary vanity unit can be challenging due to the raft of choices available, not to mention the ever-developing trends. Hopefully, this guide will have given you some inspiration to help you choose the right one for you.

If you need more guides and inspiration, head over to our Guides & Ideas section.