Bathroom furniture buying guide

Picking furniture to match your storage needs

Bathroom furniture should be chosen according to the space you have available as well as your storage needs and the layout of your bathroom. Open bathroom storage units with no doors or drawers are particularly handy for storing items used daily or several times a day like toothbrushes, combs and brushes which need to be kept within reach of the user.

Shelves and other types of units can be used to hold fabric storage boxes. These boxes come in different colours and are especially practical since they can be simply lifted off the unit. Bathroom furniture with drawers, on the other hand, require clearance to open. Drawers are generally used to store beauty products and accessories like hair dryers, or things that can make the surrounding area dirty like electric razors. Drawers must be easily accessible and are usually set at a height of 80 to 110cm. It is often possible to add your own drawer dividers or organisers for more efficient storage.

Floorstanding units or cabinets can be used to store towels, bath mats and/or replacement toiletries. These types of units don't usually contain different compartments in order to provide maximum storage space. They are generally fitted with doors and can be used for a range of storage requirements. The height of the unit typically determines the type of accessories that can be stored within. For example, towels and linens can be stored lower down than accessories that are reached for daily. Screw-in or suction hooks can be used as a great storage alternative to hang lightweight items used every day such as cotton pads or makeup remover pads.

Freestanding vs. wall-mounted storage

Bathroom furniture can be divided into a couple of categories:

• Freestanding bathroom units: these items take up floor space and therefore reduce the amount of usable space in the room. They can also make smaller bathrooms feel crowded.

• Wall-mounted bathroom cabinets free up space on the ground and make cleaning easier. Handy for smaller bathrooms, these cabinets should be installed at a height to match the cabinet size and intended use.

Sizing bathroom furniture

It's important to ensure that the size of your bathroom furniture is appropriate according to the space you have available. It is strongly recommended to draw up a floor plan of the room to work out your layout and ensure you don't pick anything too big nor too small. Bear in mind that oversized furniture won't look great in a small bathroom and can end up overwhelming the space.

Easy-to-clean materials

Bathroom furniture often comes in materials like wood, MDF and melamine, but can also be made of rattan, wrought iron or glass. It's worth noting that real wood will stain more easily than composite materials. Furniture with lots of details will be trickier to clean and if you're thinking about investing in glass shelves, do remember that the material is fragile. It's also important to bear in mind that the closer the furniture is to the toilet, the dirtier it will get.

In terms of style and design, there are lots of options to choose from whether you're looking for luxury bathroom furniture or contemporary design pieces. If you're on a budget, it's worth noting that affordable furniture will usually feature simpler designs and finishes (including hardware and accessories), and be made using lower quality and possibly thinner materials.

Bathroom storage units

Storage units mounted on castors can be moved around the bathroom and if you go for a really sturdy model, it can even double up as a stool! Often incorporating one or two drawers, these bathroom storage units can be tucked into a corner or slid beneath a taller piece of furniture or wall-mounted cabinet.

Tall bathroom cabinets

Tall bathroom cabinets don't take up a lot of room on the floor. These bathroom cabinets can be freestanding or mounted on a wall. Made up of drawers, doors or open shelving, the design of the unit should be chosen to match the layout of your bathroom. The bottom part of the unit is often used to store linen while the top can be used to tidy away toiletries.

For more stability, simply secure the bathroom unit to the wall.

Bathroom shelf units

Bathroom shelf units usually feature two to five shelves and come in a range of designs from wall-mounted to freestanding shelves, tall units to corner units. These storage units vary in size and can incorporate one or several drawers or a towel rail. Alternatively, you can go for a single floating shelf.

Vanity units

Vanity units can be used to hide away a pedestal sink or can simply be used to support a wall hung basin or countertop basin. In this case, the dimensions of the vanity unit should not exceed the depth of the basin. Vanity units can feature drawers, doors or shelves, but must allow easy access to the basin waste. Vanity units can also provide counter space which can be used to hold an inset basin.

Bathroom cabinets

Bathroom cabinets come in a wide range of designs. They can feature one, two or even three doors, and be fitted with accessories like mirrors, drawers or even lighting with LED tube lights or energy saving E14 bulbs. Bathroom cabinets come in all sizes and are designed to be secured to a wall. These cabinets are often slimline and can be installed above the basin.

Bathroom mirrors

Even bathroom mirrors can be considered storage if they feature a shelf. The size of the mirror should be chosen to match the space available and the mirror should be mounted flush on the wall. Like bathroom cabinets, bathroom mirrors can incorporate wall lights or LEDs and come with a rocker or even touch switch.

Towel racks and radiators

Towel holders can come in the form of a small to medium-sized storage units with open storage cubbies, drawers and a rail to hang towels. However, basic towel racks with a simple frame design are more common. Alternatively, a towel radiator can be a great option.

Bathroom furniture is usually made of one of two materials: solid wood or composite materials. Composite materials all come in different styles and can be used to create more modern, streamlined designs. These materials are often cheaper but the quality of the furniture is inferior and there is an environmental impact to consider.

Wooden bathroom furniture

Wood furniture can be crafted using different species. However, exotic woods are most commonly used in the bathroom thanks to their natural properties since these materials are easy to clean and rot-resistant. Most wooden bathroom furniture is made from woods like teak, eucalyptus, mahogany or bamboo. It is still important to apply oil to exotic woods or to coniferous woods like fir or pine. If the wood has not been treated, it should be protected with varnish. Be sure to choose wood from a sustainable source. A FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) or PEFC (Program of the Endorsement of Forest Certification) label indicates that sustainable forest management practices have been followed to produce the timber.

Chipboard or melamine bathroom furniture

There's a wide range of choice when it comes to chipboard or melamine bathroom furniture including many low price options. Materials like these are made using wood particles which are combined using glue and high pressure before being covered with a decorative top layer in a range of finishes from white to slate grey or wood effects like walnut, beech, wenge or pine. Melamine can be lacquered in bright modern tones like red, green or aluminium and can feature a glossy, metallic, satin or even matt finish.

Most flatpack bathroom furniture is made of chipboard and is fairly lightweight. While easy to clean, it's important to keep low-end chipboard furniture away from water to ensure the edges don't suffer from water damage.

MDF

MDF, or Medium Density Fibreboard, is a heavy composte material and therefore more hardwearing than melamine. Made up of wood fibres and a binder resin, MDF is heat- and high pressure-treated. Like melamine, MDF is covered with a decorative top layer and is often lacquered. MDF is more expensive than melamine and used to make higher quality furniture with modern finishes including metallic colours, aluminium, and so on.

Most wall-mounted bathroom furniture comes supplied with a fixing kit containing screws, wall plugs and brackets. However, the screws and wall plugs provided are usually designed for solid surfaces and are therefore not suitable for the vast majority of bathrooms. For this reason, it is recommended to choose your own wall plugs to match the surface. Securing things like bathroom cabinets and mirrors will usually require you to drill through tile. Once again, it is necessary to use the right kind of drill and to fit it with the correct drill bits.

Tall bathroom cabinets can be secured to the wall to prevent them from tipping over. It's quick enough to fit a couple of brackets to the top of the unit and this should prevent any accidents. It is highly recommended to do so in households with young children.

What are bathroom zones?

When it comes to installing things like lights in the bathroom, you must respect the various bathroom zones and choose an IP rating to match.

• Zone 0: inside the bath/shower tray itself.

• Zone 1: the area above or around the bath/shower tray up to a height of 2.25m.

• Zone 2: the area stretching 60cm around the perimeter of the bath/shower tray up to a height of 2.25m.

When it comes to choosing lights, be sure to read the product specifications carefully to ensure you choose the correct IP rating for the bathroom zone.

Bathroom furniture made of composite materials like melamine or MDF should be cleaned using a damp sponge or cloth and some soapy water. An ammonia-based solution or glass cleaner will work well on greasy or particularly dirty surfaces.

Exotic woods like teak should be cleaned using water and a brush. If you have very stained wood, you can sand it down lightly before oiling it once again. If the wood is old and greyed, apply wood oil.

Whether you go for real wood or composite, avoid harsh chemicals and be sure to rinse the surface well after cleaning.

For DIYers overhauling their bathrooms or anyone who just wants to know more, follow our editors’ advice and check out their other guides:

• How to furnish your bathroom

• Hot tub buying guide

• Bathtub buying guide

• Bathroom sink buying guide

• Bathroom tap buying guide

• Towel radiator buying guide

• Bathroom renovation guide

• How much does a bathroom renovation cost?

• How to decorate your bathroom on a budget

• How to budget for a 6 m² luxury bathroom remodel