Adding a vanity to your bedroom takes your sleeping area from a place to crash to a more functional, elegant living space. A vanity can enhance the look of the room, as well as free your bathroom of clutter. You’ll need to balance form and function when you choose a vanity, so start with a checklist that addresses both the what and why of adding a vanity to your bedroom.
Start With Your Budget
Don’t start with your budget when you begin looking at vanities. There’s no sense in buying a vanity that doesn’t meet your needs or fit your bedroom’s style just because it’s in your price range. Create a list of the features you want in a vanity, then look for vanities that have what you need. If you can’t find a new vanity that offers everything you need, look online or at estate sales for used vanities that have what you want. Your budget might need to include the table, mirror, lamp and chair, if you need to purchase all of those.
Think About Features
What is the purpose of your vanity? Will it be primarily a table you use on a daily basis for putting on and taking off makeup, a storage item or a decorative addition to the room?
If storage is important, consider drawer space. Will you need at least one large drawer for bigger items you intend to keep in the vanity? If you won’t be storing much, you can consider a single-pedestal vanity, or one with only a center pencil drawer. Some vanities allow you to store items in the top of the desk, with a panel that flips up to become a mirror.
If you need a mirror, makes sure to note whether the price of a vanity displayed on a showroom floor or in a catalogue includes the mirror. Check to see how the mirror will attach to the vanity. The vanity may support the mirror, or it may need to attach to your wall.
Styles of Bedroom Vanities
If you have visitors to your house and you show your bedroom, you’ll want a vanity that matches the decor of your bed, dressers and other pieces of furniture. You’ll wan to match not only the style, but color, as well. This will help you sell a bedroom suite later, so don’t be impulsive and buy the first vanity you find with all the features you want.
Maximizing Your Space
Measure the space where you want to put your vanity. In addition to the width and height of the area, measure the depth. If you will be sitting in a chair applying makeup while your partner will be doing his or her morning routine, you’ll want to consider traffic patterns and how far out a chair will be. You may need to light the vanity with a wall or floor lamp, so add that space to your measurements.
Bedroom Vanity Lighting
Decide which lighting options you want before you begin shopping. If the area in which you plan to put the vanity won’t let you use a wall lamp as an option, you may want a lit mirror. If you won’t have space for a floor lamp and don’t want to put anything on your wall, you’ll need to coordinate a table lamp with your vanity. Include a new lamp in your budget, or measure the footprint and lamp shade width of any lamps you own you might put on the vanity.
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