Reno 911: Quality Ikea Bathroom Stands?

We're toying with the idea of revamping our bathroom--except we're not quite ready to dump a pile of money to do a full-on overhaul. So we're thinking about doing some smaller updates in the interim--namely, updating the washstand.

(It's an ugly washstand with shells imprinted around the edge and an outdated faucet set with a wee bit of rust.) We're considering going the Ikea route, but we've never heard much about the quality of their bathroom furniture. Anyone have any recommendations?

Comments (7)

I've got the Stenskar stand in my recently (actually in the process) renovated bath. Love the big sink that covers the whole top (much cleaner style than the vessel sinks so popular everywhere). The fake wood looks good enough since it's below eye level (and complimented by real wood trim throughout the rest of the bath).

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/80075807

In terms of quality, it's not as good as their kitchen cabinets, but I'm not worried about it falling apart or anything. Notably, the hinges used are pretty subpar.

Lots of folks also use Ikea kitchen cabinets for the bath, though that takes a bit more creativity and space. Check out http://www.ikeafans.com/ for ideas and tips.

One thing to remember is that these washstands are on legs, so if you're replacing an old vanity that goes to the floor, you may have exposed subfloor beneath the washstand...

posted by tommymiller50 on January 11th 2008 at 9:50am
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I have a Holliviken sink sitting on a Vattern cabinet. The sink is great. No complaints. I love it.

The cabinet is not so great. The melamine warped after getting wet a few times. If you're not a splasher or if the sink is not super close to the shower (like mine is), then it's probably fine.

posted by maddux on January 11th 2008 at 10:44am
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If you have time or patience, or even a little extra cash, do spend more on the bathroom cabinets, because it will pay off in the long run. Ikea stuff will fall apart soon after installation (if not during!) and the humidity and temperature fluctuations of a bathroom need solid construction and well-treated moisture-repellent fixtures...
I've always wanted to take a beautiful old inexpensive hutch, table, or console, seal it with water protectant and install it into the bathroom as a sink/vanity/storage (but as of now, I still rent)

posted by fugitiverouge on January 11th 2008 at 11:29am
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We used an antique cabinet that has a marble top. The cabinet was about $200, we put a simple white vessel sink on top for about $100 and then the faucet was an additional $100. We had the hole cut out with a waterjet and I believe it cost us about $25 or so. It wasn't dirt cheap, but it looks unique and it's built well.

posted by heathermg on January 11th 2008 at 3:37pm
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DO NOT DO IT!!!!!! I have used them in a few renovations and they are terrible. First of all, they are very shallow. Second, while the doorfronts are great, the sides are crap. The sides are hidden in the kitchen cabinets, so they are irrelevant.

If you must use IKEA cabinets for the bathroom, use the kitchen cabinets instead.

posted by jenzoe on January 12th 2008 at 9:43am
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After checking out IKEA's options when reno-ing our bath, we opted for a nice vanity from Home Depot. It is super sturdy and feels nice and solid. We are really happy with it and the price was comparable.

posted by Sisero on January 13th 2008 at 2:24pm
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Replacing the hinges and drawer slides on cheap furniture can go a long way towards giving it a quality feel when you are opening and closing cabinets or drawers. It will also keep some of the stuff from falling apart so quickly. A real cheap place is D. Lawless Hardware.

posted by fixitup on June 4th 2008 at 7:04am
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