The finishes and colors you choose for your vanity or countertops set the tone in your space, so it’s important to consider how different designs and textures can affect your bathroom. Are you aiming for understated, clean and minimal? Or do you prefer bolder colors that make a statement?
Regardless of your style, you can find a finish and design that fits your needs. From durability to appearance and scratch-resistant textures, choosing the right material can make significant impact. Let’s explore the top vanity design trends and materials that can bring your vision to life.
Fenix
Fenix is a leading new material with an innovative design for luxury countertop finishes. This long-lasting, highly dense product provides an advantage if there are animals or children in the home because any scratches can be easily fixed. This opaque material undergoes an extensive treatment process that results in a matte finish and reduces the appearance of fingerprints — helping to modernize your bathroom.
You can find Fenix finishes in many different neutrals and colors for your countertop to elevate your interior space and amplify your design dreams through aesthetics and enjoyable textures. Through a series of coating and curing processes and advanced technology, this material remains soft to the touch and upholds its surface properties.
In addition to its scratch-resistant properties, Fenix is also resistant to most solvents and abrasions due to its non-porous external layer, helping it stay looking new with regular cleaning. With these matte finishes, you can complement your existing natural wood grain features and many other materials that pair well with Fenix.
With Fenix countertops, you can also benefit from a soft-to-the-touch surface that doubles as heat and impact-resistant coating, helping it age gracefully while adding a savvy design element to your space.
Another benefit of adding Fenix to your space is that it’s anti-bacterial and mold-resistant. This feature makes it easy to clean and provides a solution for many different common allergies in most households. At the end of the day, Fenix is an prime choice for a high-end design that creates a streamlined, fluid and luxurious look.
Glass
Glass is a timeless product that can be used in various applications, making it another leading material for bathroom vanities. If you favor a contemporary design, glass offers a minimalist, light appearance. You can opt for glossy or frosted glass in neutral or bold vanity colors to create an elegant look that fits your style and creates a refined space.
While you may think of glass as a fragile choice, it’s an extremely durable material for countertops. Adding glass to your bathroom vanity provides an added benefit with its heat resistance so you can comfortably use hot hair tools without a worry. Glass is also non-porous, so it’s easy to clean if it gets stained.
To create a minimalistic, sleek design, you can add a monochromatic look to your bathroom with a matching lacquered cabinet finish and a glass countertop. At Hastings Tile & Bath, we offer a robust selection of glass colors, finishes and textures to capture your design aspirations.
Each piece of glass is then baked twice — the original slumping in the kiln at high temperature — then we prepare the holes and paint the glass back. Finally, it goes into the oven for baking at a high temperature to deliver the final, seamless product.
Here are some additional benefits to glass countertops:
- They pair well with other materials, colors and styles because they can be formed and shaped
- They don’t age over time and have very minimal visible discoloration and wear
- Their non-porous properties make them more hygienic against bacteria
- They are an eco-friendly choice because they can be recycled into new materials
Porcelain
Porcelain is an extremely durable, architectural material that quickly catches your attention when walking into your bathroom. This material captures a visually-stunning look to create a feeling of luxury in your space. Porcelain is very versatile, particularly in a bathroom space, where it can be used for drawer fronts and countertops alike. It also comes in a wide variety of colors and patterns, such as stone and marble vanity finishes, to fit your needs and style.
These unique designs can help you achieve your desired look without the regular cleaning and maintenance that comes with natural marble and stone materials. Like glass, porcelain is a non-porous material that allows you to keep a stylish, modern look without dealing with stains that get stuck beneath the surface. In addition to stains, this material is also highly resistant to cracking, chipping and etching. In fact, porcelain tile is used in high traffic enviroments such as airports and commericials settings.
With porcelain, you can get your ideal visual look without the hassle that some materials require. To install these countertops, we use stainless steel sinks and lay porcelain sheets on top to increase their sturdiness and provide long-lasting results. These countertops don’t require sealing because of their natural resistance to moisture and staining.
With porcelain vanity countertops, you can additionally benefit from resistance to:
- Discoloration, bleach and dull spots
- Heat at extremely high temperatures
- Chemicals and acidic solvents
- Fading from UV rays in areas with natural sunlight exposure
Finally, porcelain is another environmentally-friendly choice because it is made of natural, recyclable materials that eventually become new products.
Solid-Surface
Solid-surface materials are an increasingly popular product made of stone composite and resins to create a robust and solid surface to hold weight. These ingredients are mixed using liquid and dry materials which are then “baked” into a hard substance.
This finish offers a modern, clean appearance with many different styles, textures and colors. This material is a great marble and granite alternative because of its durability and non-porous properties to help with bacteria and stain buildup — giving you a clean countertop.
You can also opt for a matte or textured solid-surface countertop with the same resilience across the board. Compared to other materials like metal, wood, stainless steel or plastic laminate, solid-surface materials provide both short and long-term benefits for performance and quality.
There are many other benefits to choosing this trendy design for your bathroom countertop. With solid-surface material, you can:
- Customize and build it to your needs and vision
- Repair scratches or nicks with ease
- Keep it in near-perfect condition with minimal upkeep
- Maintain an attractive, polished design that amplifies your bathroom
- Remain confident in impact-resistant, long-lasting surfaces
Lacquered
A lacquered vanity cabinet finish offers excellent potential for versatility in its matte or glossy design choices. This painted finish material is also highly durable and comes in a bevy of colors and contemporary silhouettes for a minimalistic, luxurious appearance. Whether you want a sleek, clean white palette or vibrant colors to make a bold statement, lacquered finishes offer just what you need to create a modern or transitional look.
This material is perfect for humid conditions, making it beneficial for your bathroom space. These finishes are applied via robotic painting, then baked in an oven to cure. After this process, each piece is carefully polished and buffed by hand.
Here are the top benefits of adding lacquered countertops to your bathroom vanity:
- They’re very maintenance-friendly and resistant to damage from humidity, temperature fluctuations and water droplets
- They endure time without chipping, flaking or yellowing as with other porous materials
- They come in different sheens and tints, allowing you to opt for a sheer look or a solid, bold color
- They provide a long-lasting seal for years to come
Brushed Metal
Brushed metal is another type of painted finish that is often only used on cabinets. If you’re a fan of the industrial, metal look, this is the perfect choice for your bathroom. These textures will help bring depth to your bathroom while providing great functionality and a shrewd, contemporary look. Brushed metal comes in many cool and warm-toned shades like titanium and bronze to match your existing features and easily highlight your style.
To create the brushed metal look, we apply the finish color and sand it by hand to slowly reveal the black sub-color on the undercoat, which amplifies the metal design. Finally, we add a clear coat on top for protection and durability.
Though brushed metal surfaces typically remove the shiny, reflective look of stainless steel, they also help keep your bathroom from looking dull or scratchy. This non-reflective material will certainly help minimize the look of smears and fingerprints compared to shiny metal, making them easier to clean.
Soft-Touch
Similar to a matte lacquer finish, soft-touch material can match with most Fenix countertops for unique tones and a smooth yet textured coat. This finish is also only used on cabinets, but provides plenty of depth, durability and functionality for the perfect amount of color and modern design in your bathroom.
The soft-touch material certainly lives up to its name and has a velvet, rose petal feel with a soft laminate or coating that delights and surprises with every touch. While many other traditional materials bring shiny, glossy appearances to your space, this unique finish will make your bathroom feel cozy and warm with its subtle texture and matte finish.
Depending on your style, a material without sheen can be a great choice because it helps reduce the appearance of fingerprints and any harsh glares you might see with highly reflective surfaces. Soft-touch materials are also just as scratch, moisture and heat resistant as many other popular types of countertop finishes.
A protective acrylic coating on top of a combination of polyester-based and polyurethane solvent-based paint produces this soft-touch material. This process makes the surface entirely matte and produces a pleasant soft-touch tactile effect.
Laminates
Laminate finishes are another versatile choice for your bathroom because there are a few different types you can use throughout the space. While regular laminate should be used for cabinets only, high-pressure laminates (HPL) are waterproof, making them a great choice for both countertops and cabinets.
Here are some primary benefits of laminate finishes and how they can help you bring your bathroom vision to life:
- They’re easy to clean and maintain, making them a hygienic and easy choice
- They’re available in plenty of designs, colors and patterns
- They’re ideal for high-traffic environments, like bathrooms
- They’re resistant to moisture, impact and scratches unlike natural wood
At Hastings Tile & Bath, we carry these two popular types of laminates that provide different designs and functional benefits:
- High-pressure laminates (HPL): This stain-resistant, waterproof material is an ideal alternative to natural wood because of its protective barrier from humidity and temperature variations. This type of laminate also comes in stone and concrete textures to fit your design goals outside of a wood style for countertops, cabinets and drawer paneling
- 3D wood laminates: This type of laminate gives you the look and feel of natural wood, concrete or cement in a wide palette of styles and colors, but it’s resistant to temperature changes
Update Your Vanity With Hastings Tile & Bath Today
Vanities are the centerpiece of bathroom design. With captivating designs and inspiring colors, you can bring the room to life and create a timeless, unique style. At Hastings Tile & Bath, we are always seeking new market trends to curate the most eye-catching, innovative designs to set us apart. Our customizable sizes and design concepts allow you to configure endless combinations for your countertops, drawers and cabinets.
Our design specialists can help you explore and discover different products that fit your needs and give you the flexibility to design your contemporary, modern space. Browse our products and content resources to learn more about our wide range of vanity materials or contact us for available features and questions.
