When you walk into a bathroom, often the first things your eyes rest on are the bathroom vanity, the toilet and the tub or shower enclosure. Of all those things, you can make the most unique and stylish impact by choosing from the thousands of different bathroom vanity tops available today. Tubs and toilets can be purchased in virtually hundreds of different styles and bathroom color design options, but the bathroom sink and vanity is an easy to way to make a big visual impact and set the style tone of the room. Add a custom high end vessel sink and with the right contemporary lighting, the vessel sink becomes the jewelry of the bathroom.

Bath Vanity Choices
Your bath vanity can show your style in both your choice of materials like granite or other surfaces, and in how you decorate the area. A bare vanity, for instance, gives a very different feel to a room than one that has a pretty mirrored tray with bottles of cologne, or a matching soap dish, cotton-ball bowl and toothbrush holder. Whether you choose something like granite or a less expensive material will also make a difference in the atmosphere of the room.

More than the vanity top itself, the type of sink you choose will make an impact, too. The standard porcelain sink with a plain-looking faucet is something that’s pretty much invisible when we look around a room. But striking vessel sinks demand attention. These are bowls that sit on top of the vanity, often with the faucet protruding from the wall above instead of from the cabinet itself. You can find copper vessel sinks that are luxurious and stylish, or bowls that have a granite or marble look. You can even find vessel sinks that look like they’re made from wood.

Other Bathroom Vanity Considerations
Of course, a very noticeable part of your vanity is the cabinet below it. The material, style and color of the cabinetry in your bathroom is really the most traditional “furniture” to be found in this room, and can blend in with furniture in other rooms or be something special just for that space. If you’re on a budget and you want a new look for your bathroom, you don’t to have to spend a chunk on a granite vanity top or vessel sink. Changing the look of the cabinetry through cabinet refacing can make a huge difference.

If you have painted, inexpensive cabinetry, you can have them refaced to make them look like rich wood or just about any surface you choose. Repainting or restaining are projects you may be able to do yourself if you’re really in a tight budget crunch but want a beautiful new look for your room. There are many options for your small bathroom ideas on a budget.

First Steps in Remodeling Your Bathroom

The first thing you want to do is look around the room as it is now and decide what you want to change. Depending on your budget, it could be everything or it could be something as simple as putting in a new bathroom counter top or repainting the walls. Small things can add up to big change if you do them right. In fact, it’s possible to have an entirely new looking bathroom by leaving all the big features in place and just changing small touches of the bathroom décor.

If your bathtub is in good shape and you don’t want to go to the trouble or expense of replacing it, then just change the tub surround or put in an elegant faucet. Put in a rain forest showerhead or even just change the shower curtain to something that looks completely different. A new sink faucet can make the sink look brand new if you don’t want the expense of purchasing a new sink. You can also replace the cabinetry below your vanity to get a new look. These are all things that can be done on a relatively small budget.

Big-Budget Bathroom Remodel

If you have a bigger budget, however, and you really want to gild the lily, why not make this room a true haven. If you have room you can add a chaise, which will make your bathroom feel more like a powder room in an elegant hotel. Electric fireplaces can fit into large bathrooms and give them a cozy feel. If the room is large enough, you could go all out and add things like a small fridge, a large vanity table, a steam shower separate from your bathtub and almost anything you can imagine. The point is to make changes that you can afford to give the effect you want, no matter how large or small those changes might be.

One of the most common and favorites of many people is the laminate counter top. It is one of the easiest to coordinate with almost any decorum and will be appealing on almost any of the bathroom vanity units available on the market. As it is easy to maintain and very affordable, it makes it the perfect choice for most households.

Granite is also another favorite to choose in counter tops for the bathroom. Not only can it give the look of elegance, but it is easy to maintain. This natural stone will looked great on any bathroom vanity and it comes in many different colors to help enhance or highlight any color palette you choose. Other types of natural stone are available, including marble, slate, and soapstone.

Another commonly used material in bathroom counter tops is ceramic tiles. The fact that it is impervious to water is what makes it perfect for use in the bathroom, as well as the kitchen. They hold up well under high use and, as they can be purchased in a wide variety of colors, they are the ideal material when you want to create a pattern.

Because of all of the choices, many people have a difficult time choosing the material for their bathroom counter top. To keep yourself from becoming overwhelmed, consider your needs first. How many people are going to be using the bathroom and how often will it be used? For bathrooms that are used by many people, you obviously want to go with a low maintenance material. You will also want to consider how well the material with go with the bathroom vanity you have chosen. Certain styles will require a specific material in order to create the style you are expecting.

One more significant factor in your decision is going to be your budget. Before you eliminate any of the higher end material, consider how much it can save you in the long run. Many of the cheaper counter tops, while they may look good on the bathroom vanity units, may have to be replaced more often. Higher quality does mean a higher price, but may make the most financial sense at the end of the day.

Decorating your bathroom should be a fun and exciting experience. Don’t let yourself get caught up in the confusion of bathroom counter tops and the various material they can be made from. Instead, choose one that will allow you to redecorate as often as you need and one that will match a variety of color palettes. With this in mind, the end result will be one of an updated bathroom and one that you can be proud of.

Check online for the wide variety of bathroom vanities for a modern bathroom available. The choices will either jump start the styling whiz within, or stop you in your tracks. There are good ways to start the process of redecorating that can ease you into a beautiful and relaxing space.

First take a good look around, what do you really like and what do you really dislike about the current state of the bathroom Survey the entire room in great detail. Jot the answers you come with on a sheet of paper for future reference.

Decide what your ultimate goal is in redecorating. Do you want an calm oasis, a bright and cheery space or a very traditional manly room. Cut out pictures from magazines and catalogs and keep in a folder with your list of likes and dislikes. The clearer you are before you start shopping the more satisfied you will be with the final outcome.

The bathroom is an excellent place to try out new painting techniques. The small space allows for more experimentation and can easily be fixed if you find it’s not what you had in mind. Reinvent the whole room with a coat of paint. Look through your inspiration folder and choose the paint color.

A light ceiling that blends into the walls is a nice way to add height to a bathroom. If your walls are a medium blue, paint the ceiling a very light shade of blue for a nice glow. Remember that light colors in general open a space up, but darker colors can make a room cozier. Use a painting technique like sponging, or rag rolling for an easy decorator touch. A more difficult painting technique would be to paint stripes or diamond patterns. Include a border or paint one wall a contrasting color for impact.

When choosing amongst all the bath vanities consider the theme of your bathroom. Maintaining a consistent theme, adds to the harmonious feel in a room. Meaning the choice of bath vanities, mirrors, wall accessories and pendant lighting should all match, or at the very least match in style, scale and proportion.

The lighting you choose affects the paint color. You may want to check the color choice in both natural and artificial lighting. Pendant lighting offers choices in wattage output and the actual color of the light fixture also affects the overall look.

Wall accessories in a bathroom can be both functional and decorative. Choosing hooks for hanging robes, towel racks, hair dryer holders, medicine cabinets and tooth brush holders. There are many specialty items that also fit into this category. Look for the pieces that fit with the overall theme.

Bathroom vanities for a modern bathroom can also be found in your local home improvement store. It may be helpful to take a trip to a couple of these stores to get an idea of the feel of the piece, the price range and see them set up. Often the home improvement store will place the bath vanities in pretend rooms to show how these rooms can be decorated. Taking a trip to browse is a good way to check out the newest items and ask the staff questions about different makes and models.

Oftentimes the bath vanity is a strong giveaway to the age of your home. It can also indicate how long it has been since any decorating has been done in the bathroom. It is easy to remodel a bath vanity to give it a current day design. Or, with a small investment it can be replaced. Bath vanities are available in wood with classic lines. They are suitable more for a traditional home. The woods can be light or dark, stained, painted, or whatever style will look better in the bathroom. Countertops can be in granite. Others are available in marble or glass along with other tops. The sink can be in various sizes, including a double bathroom vanity, in ceramic and glass.

Adding nice bathroom mirrors will help make your room look larger as well as serve the purpose for which it is intended. Bathroom mirrors can also create the focal point in the room. Mirrors come available in a variety of styles. Some mirrors have frames and can be used as a piece of art. Others do not have a frame. Other mirrors have a more rustic look. Bathroom mirrors can also be placed on a stand allowing them to be placed on the vanity. When deciding on a mirror it is important to buy one that fits the size of the bathroom. Also, determine how much space it will take.

Perhaps the most important item in a bathroom is the lighting. This brings out the colors and designs and blends everything together. Today there is a large selection of light styles and designs. These include track light and recessed lighting, the bath bar lighting, sconces, and ceiling lights. One of the best choices when selecting lighting is pendant lighting. Pendant lights offer versatility. They are easy to install. They are available for reasonable prices. Pendant lights fit nicely into a bathroom. One of the accessories available is the dimmer option. This allows you to adjust the amount of lighting according to your mood.

Pendant lights allow for “task lighting.” For example, if you are shaving, or if you are applying make-up the illumination fixtures allows for the lighting to be just what you need to complete your personal task. Pendant lights are becoming one of the most used and popular lighting options available on the market. This has to with the versatility as well as the contemporary aesthetic.

Bathroom pendant lighting offers the touch of elegance that most people seek in this room. With the popularity of these lights there is such a variety that most any taste can be accommodated. Every bathroom needs adequate lighting in order to meet the daily tasks as well as offer some style. Pendant lights are available in all types of styles and shapes. Some people are interested in the long slender fixtures while others enjoy the cylinder style offering a unique look. Another great feature of pendant lighting is the various sizes and shapes from which to choose. Pendant lights make a great addition to any interior design ideas for your bathroom.  I have pendant lights and what is one of my favorite things about them is I can change out the globes to match whatever bathroom color I want to change to without having to change out the pendant light fixture.