As any realtor will tell you, bathroom renovations provide some of the highest return on investment of any improvements you can make to your home. And nothing makes a statement in your bathroom like the bathroom vanity and sinks.

The standard old porcelain pedestal sink has given way to cabinets and furniture-style wood bathroom vanities. Wood bathroom vanities are available in almost any style from traditional to contemporary and everything in-between.

If you’re shopping for a bathroom vanity, there are a number of factors to consider:

Style
Consider the style of your home. Is it traditional? Contemporary? Mid-century? If traditional, is it colonial? French Regency? English Tudor?

Whatever your style, remember that the bathroom is an extension of your living space and should reflect a style consistent with the rest of your home. Wood bathroom vanities can resemble antique French commodes, or Shaker chests of drawers, even Colonial cabinets. Or with a little creativity and clever carpentry, you can have a piece of furniture adapted as a bathroom vanity.

Utility
How is the vanity going to be used? Will it be in a master bathroom? A busy family bathroom? Or a guest bath or powder room? This will limit your choices as some more elaborate vanities might be easily damaged from frequent use by a busy family with children. Family and master bathrooms benefit from vanities that contain a lot of storage while a powder room can get away with something simple and minimalist with little to no storage.

Bathroom Vanity Sinks
One bowl or two? Under-counter or surface mount? How about a vessel sink? Master bathrooms, whenever possible, should have a double-vanity while powder rooms typically have a smaller bowl. Specialty vessel sinks that sit on top of the counter like a free-standing bowl are beautiful, but may be impractical for heavy daily use as they require extra care in cleaning to look their best. The type of sink you want will narrow your choices of vanities.

Features
Wood bathroom vanities that resemble a four-legged table with open shelving underneath look clean and simple, but don’t provide a lot of storage. If you’ve got bottles and brushes and hair dryers to stow away, consider a bathroom vanity with closed cabinets and drawers.

So if you’re shopping for bathroom vanities and are bewildered by all the choices, review all your needs first, from style to function.  This will limit your selection to the appropriate models and make the process a whole lot easier.