The key things to look at when choosing a bathroom vanity cabinet are:
1) STORAGE SPACE AND USER CONSIDERATIONS
Storage, or lack of it, is a major factor in most homes and if your place is like most others and lacking in the storage department, then a bathroom vanity unit can offer additional bathroom storage area. Have a think about the type of storage you need. Do you need more cupboard space or drawer space? Vanity Cabinets are available with all drawers if this is the best option for your storage needs.
Another consideration is size and how many people will be using the bathroom vanity at the same time. If it is your main bathroom and you have the space, then a double bowl vanity unit is just the ticket for those rushed early mornings. If it is a powder room, then generally a smaller basin and vanity cabinet is all that is required.
2) PRE-MADE OR CUSTOM MADE
There is an amazing array of pre-made vanity units available in many sizes, styles and finishes to suit your bathroom design, so depending on your budget and the space you have available you will surely find one that is right for you.
A pre-made vanity will certainly be the cheaper option as they are mass produced to keep the price low. Some manufactures will allow you to customize your vanity with things like the cabinet colour, handles, legs and choice of bowls.
Alternatively, if you have a little more in the budget and looking for something a little more specific or designer you might look at the option of getting a vanity unit custom made. With a custom made vanity unit you can really let your creativity flow and create some very stunning cabinets. Custom made cabinets are also used if you need an odd sized cabinet to fill a particular space.
3) FREESTANDING, WALL MOUNTED OR CONSOLE VANITY CABINET.
FREESTANDING VANTIY UNITS sit directly on the floor and can either rest on legs or have a solid board (or kick) along the bottom to hide the underneath. A freestanding bathroom vanity has fairly generous storage and depending on the length of the unit, can have all doors, all drawers or more commonly, a combination of both. Heights will vary generally between 850mm to 910mm.
WALL HUNG VANITY UNITS are mounted directly to the wall. The cabinets are only half the height of the freestanding vanity so you will lose a fair amount of storage space, but if that is not a concern the visual impact created from using a wall hung vanity truly is exceptional. The cabinet can be mounted at any height you require. Due to floor area below the vanity is visible they will also create the illusion of a larger room, and because you can easily clean beneath them, in my opinion, are more hygienic.
CONSOLE VANITY UNITS are a floor mounted bathroom vanity but instead of having an enclosed cabinet they are on legs very much like a table. Some console vanity units will have a small drawer under the basin, and some may have a drawer closer to floor level. Console vanity units create a very grand, minimalist look and are used mainly in a very classically or heritage inspired home. However, these vanity units look amazing when used in a modern home also.
Wall hung and Console bathroom vanity units are better suited to a situation where the waste can be taken out through the wall (P TRAP) otherwise the wastepipe will be visible if taken through the floor (S TRAP).
If you need to take the waste through the floor it may be a matter of getting a chrome cover-piece fabricated to hide the pipe. If the Console has a drawer close to the floor then generally a P TRAP is your only option.
4) FULL DEPTH OR SEMI-RECESSED VANITY CABINET.
This refers to the measurement from the front of the cabinet, to the back of the cabinet.
A FULL DEPTH vanity cabinet will range somewhere between 400mm and 500mm. This is the most common type of cabinet. The bench top will fit fairly neatly to the size of the cabinet. It is the best option for most sized bathrooms.
If however, you are very pushed for standing space, a SEMI-RECESSED vanity unit may be just the solution. The cabinet on a semi-recessed vanity will generally be around the 350mm mark, but the bowl will extend out past the edge of the cabinet to still give you a full size bowl. The benefit of these in a small bathroom is more open floor space. The downside to these cabinets is the slightly smaller storage space.
5) VANITY TOP OPTIONS.
Bathroom vanity tops are available in 2 types; MOULDED one piece or SOLID SURFACE.
MOULDED VANITY TOPS can be made from Acrylic, Polymarble or China (Porcelain). They are moulded from one piece with the basin in the center or offset to one side and free bench space on either side of the basin. Moulded vanity tops are available for FULL DEPTH or SEMI RECESSED vanity units and are available with 1 taphole for a mixer, or 3 tapholes for conventional tapware, some are available with no tapholes for mounting the tapware from the wall. Styling wise there are many options, from the more traditional oval shape bowl with moulded soap holder to modern, clean lined rectangle bowls. Some may have a built in overflow so if the plug gets left in and the tap is left on, water wont overflow onto the floor.
SOLID SURFACE VANITY TOPS are a more expensive option but the overall look to the bathroom vanity is by far superior to a moulded top. The solid surface benchtop is most commonly made from Caesarstone or a polyresin type material, but many other products can be used if you are getting a vanity custom made. Granite, Marble, Laminate, Timber, Stainless Steel and even Glass are popular choices. A basin is then installed into the benchtop. The basin you can choose to put with your solid surface top can include: Inset Basins, Semi-Recessed Basins, Undermount or Counter Top Basins. The tapware, depending on the basin, can be set directly in the benchtop, unless a basin is provided with a tap landing.