Are you planning to spruce up your bathroom by adding a vanity this year? There are several vanity types to choose from in the market, but which one is gaining popularity in 2022? One of the more prominent vanity variations at the moment is the floating vanity design, but is it the style for your bathroom? This article will review the different types of vanities to choose from, specifically, the floating vanity or wall-mounted vanity. We will help you formulate the best possible aesthetic based on your preference, so read our comprehensive vanity style guide below.
Recently, the popular trend in bathroom aesthetics is creating a lot of open space within that typically compact room. Most interior décor professionals agree that a floating vanity can help achieve this ambiance as it pretty much opens up extra floor space. So, yes, the floating vanity is quite trendy this year.
Additionally, a wall-mounted or floating vanity is a perfect choice for those looking to create a modern minimalist vibe in their bathroom. Just make sure to properly hide the water pipes to avoid ending up with a cluttered appearance, which pretty much negates the whole idea of using a floating vanity.
Why Choose Floating or Wall-Mounted Vanities for the Bathroom?
The popularity of this particular vanity style is surging upwards this year. This is because it delivers the practicality of using a wall-mounted fixture within a small bathroom. Bathrooms already operate within a limited space, so any extra space you can free up is highly welcome. This particular aspect is what the floating vanity brings to the table. It frees up that extra floor space and gives your bathroom a more spacious appearance.
The added space also allows you to have added storage room for other bathroom essential items such as toiletries and cleaning products. In addition, the floating vanity helps create the illusion of space in the bathroom. Also, this type of vanity is suited for taller individuals, and the mounted design makes it relatively easy to clean the sink.
The Advantages and Disadvantages of Floating Vanities
To help you decide whether the floating vanity is for you, we compiled a list of all the pros and cons attributed to this vanity style. If you are looking for a more comprehensive reason to choose this type of vanity other than it being the heir apparent of the trendiest vanity style of 2022, please continue reading down below
Pros:
- Floating Vanities Create a More Spacious Appearance
The most significant advantage of using a floating vanity is that it can help make your bathroom appear larger than it is. This aspect is a welcome feature for those who have a reasonably small bathroom to work with. Adding a few extra square feet of floor space can go a long way in the long run.
If your bathroom utilizes light or glossy tiles, the added extra space below can further help reflect light around the room. Lighting is a crucial element in making the room look larger, simply put, the better you can light up every section of the room, the more spacious it will appear.
- Slim Floating Vanities Complement Narrow Style Bathrooms
Sure, it might be nice to install some floor-based cabinets, but these take up unnecessary space in a narrow bathroom. A slim floating vanity with a dimension of around 12 5/8 inches deep can provide you with that extra elbow room and even a decent storage space underneath. Install the faucet over to the side to fully minimize the amount of space this vanity takes up.
- Prevents Water Damage to the Vanity’s Base Because There is No Base
Depending on your bathroom’s floor design, you will likely have a one-level wet bathroom with the floor almost constantly exposed to water. A standard vanity with a cabinet might suffer from this kind of bathroom due to its constant exposure to water.
The wall-mounted or floating vanity avoids this issue entirely as there is no vanity base for water damage to develop.
- It Is a Modern Vanity Style
If you are looking to create a contemporary bathroom featuring some sophisticated fixtures, the floating vanity is precisely what you want. Vanities have always been a staple of luxury aesthetics, but the wall-mounted vanity offers something with a little more modern flair.
Modern bathrooms tend to deliver a minimalist aesthetic, and the floating vanity is a perfect element to include in that style. In addition, the lack of a base or cabinet helps create a neater and less cluttered look for the bathroom.
If you want a modern and organized bathroom with a certain degree of sophistication, the floating vanity should provide all three of those qualities in spades.
- It Is Best Suited for Smaller Bathrooms
As already noted earlier, the floating vanity complements bathrooms with limited floor space. It focuses on space management efficiency while looking quite dapper as well. Several floating vanity designs are made explicitly for optimizing small bathrooms.
- Floating Vanities Make Cleaning Your Bathroom Easier
The lack of a vanity cabinet underneath means that your bathroom floor is far easier to clean. A wall-mounted vanity makes mopping the bathroom floor far easier with fewer obstacles to maneuver around.
Since you won’t be worrying about damaging the vanity base with certain cleaning chemicals, you can pretty much throw or spray the solution all willy-nilly. If you find skirting around larger bathroom fixtures to clean those hard-to-reach areas a bother, mounting the vanity to the wall is an excellent solution.
Cons:
- Floating Vanities Are More Complicated to Install
Since it will be wall-mounted, you will need to install a bracket on the bathroom wall. This can be quite a time-consuming endeavor, mainly if your bathroom walls are tiled. As such, hiring professionals might be on the agenda, which is another addition to the overall cost of installing a floating vanity.
- Floating Vanities Is a Contemporary Style and Will Not Complement Traditional Style Bathrooms
Floating vanities deliver a modern twist to the classic bathroom fixture. As such, it might clash with the overall aesthetics of a classically designed bathroom.
- Floating Vanities Are Not Exactly Child-Safe
If you have a child at home who tends to be quite a handful, you might want to think twice about installing a floating vanity. One unsupervised moment and your little ankle-biter might try to climb up the wall-mounted vanity. While floating vanities are fully secured to the wall with steel brackets, they have a specific weight capacity. As a result, a toddler who tries climbing a floating vanity might cause the fixture to come crashing down.
Bathroom Trends to Avoid
You probably already decided on installing a floating vanity in your bathroom, but what about design options you shouldn’t use? To further help you iron out your bathroom’s aesthetics, here are several bathroom trends that professionals advise you to avoid.
Avoid Visually “Loud” Designs
The definition of a “loud” design is something that completely takes all the attention. Examples of this specific subject are bathroom décor that features overpowering colors and patterns. We recommend going with subtler designs.
Gloss is Out (For Now), Matte Is In
Most interior décor experts believe that 2022 is the year of the matte finish. So if you want to be updated with the current trend, go for a matte finish look for your bathroom this year.
Stay Away from Barn Doors
Just last year, the barn door style for bathrooms became quite popular. However, the current trajectory of this door style is south, and most believe that it was just a fad. Also, the barn door style does not provide 100% privacy, so avoid spending on this one even if it looks attractive at the moment.
Avoid the All-White Bathroom Aesthetic
The all-white bathrooms might have been the standard for decades, but nowadays, that overly clinical design is not as attractive. Also, an all-white bathroom tends to be harder to clean as the color can easily show stains. Instead, try for warmer colors such as beige and soft yellow and only use white as an accent color.
Final Thoughts
Hopefully, we helped you conclude whether to use a floating vanity for your bathroom renovation this year. It certainly adds a unique modern flair to the bathroom’s aesthetics, and it also provides several space-saving elements for smaller bathrooms. Consider all the pros and cons listed above to determine if the floating vanity is right for you.