Floor cabinets for the bathroom: types, sizes and selection rules

Bathroom decoration and furniture selection are very important. Among the furniture intended for the bathroom, particular attention is paid to the floor units. It is important to know what are the rules for choosing their types, sizes and specific modifications.

There are a number of reasons for purchasing bathroom floor units. This furniture is found in almost any such room. You can choose a model both under the sink, and separately from it. The undoubted advantages will be:

• the convenience of use;
• increased functionality;
• excellent aesthetic qualities;
• external beauty (at least by masking plumbing communications and household chemicals).

Bathroom cabinet often mounted on a plinth. The podium formed by the walls of the product itself acts as a support. It seems that everything is simple, but if a pipe breaks through or floods for any other reason, water can damage the curbstone. The exception is made on the basis of waterproof materials. But the cost of such furniture will naturally be higher, even if the protection is provided not by the material of the main structure, but by the decorative finish.

The disadvantage of basement structures is that it is difficult to clean the floor under them. A lot of dust and dirt collects there.And because of the significant moisture characteristic of the bathroom, mold nests and other "pleasant" surprises will soon appear. Therefore, a significant number of people prefer products with legs. But they are also divided into two groups: with initially installed or screwed on supports.

Legs are almost always made of stainless steel, aluminum and some other alloys. Ferrous metal and wood are rarely used. Therefore, even flooding does not affect the safety of the legs. It is easy to clean and sweep the floor under the thin supports. Important: a cabinet with legs will be the only possible choice if the bathroom floor is heated. Models with a plinth either do not distribute heat evenly enough, or they themselves suffer from increased heating.

Noteworthy are the floor pedestals on wheels... They have all the advantages of legged models, and in addition they are easy to roll to a new place. This makes floor cleaning even easier. But the installation of washbasins, sinks turns out to be impossible - as soon as the bedside table is moved, hoses and pipes can be damaged.

There is also a difference in the execution of the pedestals. The classic category includes designs in the form of a cabinet equipped with a number of shelves, boxes for storing various items.

There is no need to count on any additional functionality. In fact, this is an ordinary bedside table, only adapted to high humidity. Aesthetically, such designs look very good in a spacious bathroom.

But if there is not much space, it is worth giving preference to multifunctional or unusual-shaped products... They can be placed even in rarely used places.

Corner pedestals, as opposed to straight lines, resemble rather a triangle or a trapezoid. With a relatively small external dimensions, you can put a lot of cosmetics, perfumes, household chemicals inside. In a small bathroom, it is the corner design that is most preferable. Semicircular furniture has another attractive property - it looks the smoothest and most harmonious. However, the difference can be expressed not only in the geometric shape, but also in the equipment of the product.

So, vanities with sink very practical, since they allow you not to look for another place for such plumbing. But the structure must be strengthened, otherwise the increased load can destroy it. A cabinet with a sink may well have additional drawers, shelves, and other storage elements. Sometimes there is a laundry basket inside. It can be built into both rectangular and corner furniture.

Some models are even made with a mirror. Attaching it to the doors helps save space. Sometimes mirrored glass replaces the doors themselves. However, this solution is not very practical.

Budget class cabinets are made of MDF and chipboard. The first option is slightly more expensive, but it has improved performance. Chipboards are not really economical. Indeed, for reliable protection against moisture, they must have a good special finish. And not just a finish with water-resistant properties, but a highly decorative one.

A more expensive, but also more presentable option is a solid wood cabinet. It can be safely used in a bathroom decorated in the following styles:

• classic;
• African;
• ecological.

And even in spite of the protective measures, wooden furniture should be taken only in large bathrooms, which are equipped with powerful fans.

In a small area and with a limited budget, you should give preference to plastic copies. Correctly selected plastic has a number of advantages:

• resistant to constant humidity;
• does not suffer from temperature fluctuations and water splashes;
• serves for a long time;
• reliable;
• easy to handle.

With all the importance of construction materials, attention should be paid to the dimensions of the pedestals. Usually they are written in abbreviated form in advertisements, specifications, price tags. So, if it says "550x470x120", it means:

• width - 55 cm;
• depth (from the front edge to the wall) 47 cm;
• height (inside the bowl) 12 cm.

The exact size of the cabinet must always be selected individually. This takes into account:

• own needs;
• room area;
• the plumbing used;
• interior and lighting features.

In small bathrooms, bedside tables with 60 cm sinks are most often used. Inside them, communications are easily disguised, and the location of the necessary accessories will not be difficult. For your information: if there are not many of these supplies and accessories (or they will certainly be stored in another room), you can choose a model with a width of 50 cm.If at least two people use the bathroom, then the width of 70 cm is quite justified.

For an ordinary urban family with 1 or 2 children, it is worth focusing on cabinets with a width of 70-80 cm. But larger models are unlikely to come in handy for families with many children. Indeed, because of them, you often have to reduce the size of the bath or shower, which is also not good.

Attention should be paid to the height of the structure. Usually it is like this:

• for women - 95 cm;
• for men - 100 cm;
• for tall and very tall people - 120 cm.

You don't have to go to a professional designer to choose the best one. The simplest recommendations are often enough. If there are no special stylistic preferences, you can stop at the white color, because it is traditional and will harmoniously combine with any plumbing. But in the design room, you will have to choose a more original color. As for the shape of the cabinet, it must correspond to the geometry of the finish and the bath (cabin).

When you just want to experiment with different colors, you can give preference to products of the following shades:

• beige;
• pink;
• cream;
• gentle blue;
• chocolate.

Designers, of course, form more original collections. They include yellow and green, red and black and white thumbs. Important: in any case, it is worth considering the general style of the room, and even the house as a whole. Handles, fasteners, lighting fixtures help to emphasize the features of styles.

The most important thing when choosing a vanity unit for a bathroom is the correspondence between its size and the area of ​​the room. It is very bad if the furniture is visually "lost", or looks like a giant monster. You should not chase the large depth of the bowl (if we are talking about a bedside table with a sink). But too shallow notch is inconvenient. You can't even wash your hands in it without splashing.

How to choose a vanity unit with a sink, see below.