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Finding the Perfect Bathroom Cabinet Style

Close up product lifestyle image of Villeroy and Boch Avento Tall Cabinet
Published: 7th December 2020

Storage is a vital part of any bathroom with more people looking for affordable ways to maximise their space. Whether you’re after extra shelving or luxury bathroom cabinets, there are plenty of options for bathrooms of all shapes and sizes.

This guide will run you through a number of styles and trends, helping you to find your perfect bathroom cabinet.

Budget: Luxury Bathroom Cabinets or Affordable Bathroom Cabinets

The first step is to set aside a budget for your cabinet. While some contemporary cabinets might include Bluetooth, LED lighting and mirrors, these might be unnecessary if storage is your main concern.                                                

Meanwhile, a more traditional look could stretch your budget further, due to the materials used. Getting a good idea of what you can spend may dictate what type of cabinet is both affordable and provides the right purpose.

Bathroom Cabinet Styles and Designs

There are a number of different bathroom cabinet styles on the market with many to suit the colour scheme and theme of your bathroom.

Traditional Bathroom Cabinets

Traditional bathroom cabinets reflect the styles of a number of historical time periods, such as Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian, with each period showcasing its own defining characteristics.

For example, Colonial or American-inspired designs offer straight-edged and embedded rectangles and squares, while metallics are more prominent within an urban traditional look, such as exposed brick. Below is a breakdown of some of the more common traditional styles to look out for when looking at bathrooms and bathroom furniture.

Art Deco Style Bathroom Cabinets

Art Decó is a European style and movement that came out of France in the early 20th century. Combining a traditional look with geometric shapes, patterns and motifs such as flowers, they’re often featured in wood, brass or metal.

New England Style Bathroom Cabinets

Lifestyle image of a pale blue New England style wall mounted tall bathroom cabinet

New England style cabinets are often associated with colours of the sea – light blues and white. Rustic details, such as wood panelling, are also a common feature.                                        

Vintage Style Bathroom Cabinets

Vintage is a term that is often defined by each individual but generally speaking they are historical and reflective of the past, and this applies likewise to vintage bathroom cabinets.

Not quite antique, these traditional style cabinets could bring a timeless touch to your bathroom with their homely, classic designs.

Industrial Style Bathroom Cabinets

Lifestyle image of an Industrial style open wire frame bathroom shelf mounted next to a freestanding bath

Industrial style bathroom cabinets reflect our factories and manufacturing past. They are minimalist in their design and are made of natural materials, including copper, tin, iron and woods.                                       

Cottage Style Bathroom Cabinets

Cottage style cabinets often reflect the countryside and rural living. Often simplistic yet homely, this combines light colours with wooden features and traditional style fixtures and fittings.

Shaker Style Bathroom Cabinets

Cut out image of a dark blue Shaker style floorstanding bathroom cabinet

Shaker Style is a more traditional design, predominantly made from wood and inspired by the religious movement of the same name that migrated to North America in the eighteenth century. Many contemporary designs reflect the heritage of the Shaker style, with flat-edges and rectangular or square doors.                                     

Modern Style Bathroom Cabinets

Many modern bathroom styles are influenced by overseas culture, combining simplistic styles and contemporary features. Like many other bathroom products, the modern style moves away from woods and into metallics, greys and silvers. While they still retain the simplicity, they do not usually feature the intricate patterns and designs of their traditional counterparts.

As opposed to traditional metallics such as copper, brass, tin, iron and steel, contemporary bathroom cabinets feature trends setting finishes such as Anthracite and driftwood. Demisters, LED lighting and Bluetooth are also common contemporary bathroom cabinet features.

Beach Style Bathroom Cabinets

Lifestyle image of a wooden Beach style washbasin vanity unit with two doors                                    

These bathroom cabinets are reminiscent of the seaside, featuring light blues, whites and sandy tones, usually manufactured from light wood. Driftwood is a popular finish usually given its association with coastal areas.

Moroccan Style Bathroom Cabinets

Lifestyle image of wooden Moroccan style wall mounted washbasin vanity unit with two drawers

Moroccan bathroom cabinets includes bold prints, lots of colour and vibrant patterns. This can stretch all the way from the flooring to intricately designed furniture. Many of the colours are reflective of the Moroccan culture with sandy tones and lots of reds. However, Moroccan bathroom cabinets can also feature more common, stand out colours, such as blues and matt black.

Wall, Tall, Freestanding or Vanity Units?

Once you have found the right style, it is important to make the most of your space and find a place for your bathroom cabinet.

Wall Mounted Cabinets

If you are quite limited in your bathroom space, then a bathroom wall cabinet may be the perfect fit for you. These can come as either single, double or even triple door cabinets and can slot overhead above toilet areas. This is good for family bathrooms where you can put items out of reach of small children, or even to give them their own space. These units often come with additional features like mirrors that can help declutter window-ledges and shelves.

Freestanding Cabinets

Lifestyle image of white floorstanding washbasin vanity unit with two doors

If you are looking for storage at a lower level with drawers and cupboards, then a freestanding bathroom cabinet may be more for you. 

These are often simplistic in design but a perfect fit for both traditional and contemporary bathrooms.  Some floorstanding cabinets are flush to the floor, while some types – like the Tall Boy Cabinets - have individual legs that provide a little space underneath, as well as extra height.

Tall Cabinets

Product Lifestyle image of Villeroy and Boch Avento Tall Cabinet


Tall cabinets are usually slimline, with plenty of storage, and are a stylish addition to any modern bathroom.

Vanity Units

If you want to combine features and space into one, then a bathroom vanity unit could be the perfect alternative to a freestanding or wall hung bathroom cabinet.

Vanity units combine basins with storage space, are great at concealing plumbing and give your bathroom a clean, smart appearance. Available in a number of styles, they are a perfect addition to any bathroom.

You can learn more about Vanity Units in our bathroom vanity unit buying guide here.

Choose Your Handles

Bathroom furniture handles are the perfect finishing touch to any bathroom cabinet. Some can also be set either left or right-handed for ease of use.

Cut out image displaying a selection of Heritage door handles

Additionally, some cabinets allow you to alter the colour and design of the handles to fit in with both the theme of your room, and whether you would prefer a traditional or contemporary appearance. However, be aware that some handles may be available separately from the unit itself.

Shop Your Bathroom Cabinets

Hopefully you have been inspired to find you perfect bathroom cabinet. Whether freestanding or wall hung, traditional or modern, beach style or shaker style, there are plenty to consider. See our fantastic range of bathroom cabinets and buy yours today.