The words “cheap” and “vanity” don’t seem to go together, but if you are renovating or building a bathroom on a budget, the words co-exist beautifully. Cheap bathroom vanities are perfect for getting the most for your money because they are customizable.  If you buy a basic bathroom vanity, it is easy and cost effective to modify it to suit your taste. The following guidelines will help you.

Let’s assume you have already done your homework.  You have measured the space, drawn up your plans and set your budget.  There are certain fixtures that are necessary to every bathroom; the sink, toilet and shower and/or tub.   Once those items are in place, the aesthetic design comes into play.

You may choose a color palate or a thematic scheme, and additional items are added to give your bathroom pizazz.  Many people add the vanity cabinet as the only piece of furniture for their bathroom. By buying basic cheap bathroom vanities and then applying a little elbow grease, you can essentially build your own showpiece for the bath.

What to Look For in Basic and Cheap Bathroom Vanities

Traditional vanities usually include a sink, mirror and cabinet.  Cheap bathroom vanities aren’t necessarily low quality.  Here are a few things to look for:

First of all, look for a quality bathroom sink.  The sink should be deep enough to hold enough water for a small hand washing job – a pair of stockings or make up brushes, for instance.  And big enough to put both hands into for splashing water up to your face.  The absolute most basic and inexpensive sink is usually ample for this functionality, but sometimes you will find sinks that are very shallow which causes the water to splash out everywhere.  You don’t want that.

Also look for real wood that has been sealed and coated with fiberglass, paint or polymer cabinetry.  These are not your only choices for a vanity cabinet, but be sure the material is waterproof.  If possible, avoid fiberboard, paper veneers, or other materials that may breakdown when exposed to moisture.

Discount bathroom vanities usually has a vanity cabinet but lacks extra drawers or organizing space.  Usually there is just a basic space under the sink with cabinet doors.  Vanity cabinets are very important in a bathroom because it is often the only storage space available for extra health, beauty and/or cleaning supplies.

The cabinet doors should be heavy enough to close easily and not be too large. A light-weight door should be avoided because they warp over time.  If the cabinet door is too big- for instance, one large door used instead of smaller double doors – the chances of warping are also higher.

The surrounding counter should be level and wide enough at least for a soap dish and toothbrush holder.  If you can find a counter that is larger and will still fit into your bathroom, even better! Don’t worry if you don’t like the color of the counter, that can easily an inexpensively be changed.

How to Add Efficiency to Cheap Bathroom Vanities

As stated above, the basic bathroom vanity may not have any drawers or organizational space.  Adding these little touches will make the bathroom easier and more pleasant to use as you get dressed every day.  If there is room, you may be able to add a side cabinet with drawers.

There are units available that are made to fit between a washer and dryer in the laundry room and are quite narrow.  It is entirely possible that there would be room for a unit such as this to be installed in the bathroom.  There are a number of options that can be installed inside the space under the sink as well.  Wire or plastic drawers that slide out are available at local hardware stores.

Don’t forget that you can use the inside of the cabinet doors. Hooks, hangers, narrow baskets can all be attached to the inside of the door.  Try adding a cookie sheet  to the inside of a door, then attaching stick on magnet strips to the back of small cosmetics to keep them all in one place.  Attach a long strip of magnetic tape to the door, and use it for bobby pins and hair pins. This is another reason that it is good to look for a solid door on the basic bathroom vanity cabinet.

You can also hang a narrow tempered glass or stainless steel shelf just above the faucet. Keep this shelf narrow, between 6-8 inches wide and only as long as the vanity unit.  This little shelf can add a lot of counter space for toothbrushes, cosmetics, and other toiletries.   You can also hang baskets on the wall nearby to corral those things that need a place but also need to be kept close at hand.

How to Add Style to Cheap Bathroom Vanities

Buying a stand-alone sink and replacing the vanity sink is the first place you can add style.  You can add color, a stainless steel sink or other trendy sink material.  Sometimes, you can buy vanities that have no hole cut for the sink, and add one of the trendy glass or marble tabletop sinks.  Replacing the faucets and knobs is another easy and inexpensive way to add style and pizazz.

Many times, you can find antique bathroom vanities by scouring the yard sales on Saturday mornings.  You’d be surprised what great things people put out for sale that have been hanging around in their attic or in their garage that they want to clear out.  If your bathroom can handle that type of décor, antique bathroom vanities can be a very cool touch to your new bathroom.

Another idea to consider when you’re finding those yard sale gems is to pick up a not-so-great-looking cabinet and putting on a couple of fresh coats of white paint.  White bathroom vanities can brighten up an otherwise drab looking bathroom, and with the right accessories in the room, your bathroom will become an unexpected highlight in your home.

Additionally, that same sort of “ugly-duckling” cabinet that you discovered in your own garage or in someone’s garage sale can possibly become a handsome distressed-type vanity.  They can sometimes work as rustic bathroom vanities if the style is adaptable to that décor.  You’d probably want to keep the grain of the wood showing in this case, and just apply a coat of varnish and lacquer to protect the wood from moisture.
.

Cheap Bathroom Vanities Really Work Great!

Adding tile, side cabinets or glass tile to the countertop or back splash can really dress up cheap bathroom vanities.  Sinks, mirrors, glass, tile are all ways to personalize and customize a basic vanity.  You have so much room for personalization and customization that buying cheap bathroom vanities may be more desirable than a turnkey vanity set.  Have fun!