Medicine Cabinets-Consider All The Options

Selecting the right medicine cabinet can add convenience, storage and a decor statement to your bath. This is especially true of a small to modest sized bathroom.

Your medicine cabinet adds a lot of valuable storage where it is most needed and convenient. This small cabinet can hold a great many items neatly arranged and up where they are very handy when you are getting ready for your day.

When you consider replacing your existing medicine cabinet it is good to review all the options. Many features have been added to the newer models.

The first thing to decide is how large a medicine cabinet you want and whether it will fit in the space you have. Consider lighting as you plan your space. If lighting is placed next to the cabinet such as wall sconces you will need to account for the space needed for the lighting fixtures. If you select a medicine cabinet with lighting built in, this will allow for a larger cabinet.

Whether you choose a recessed medicine cabinet or a wall mounted medicine cabinet will depend on your wall structure, and whether the space designated is a bearing wall. Be safe and consider where wiring is placed in your wall as well.

Surface mount medicine cabinets will extend out further, but they have the advantage of being easier to install, and will fit on any wall where there is adequate space.

If you are installing a surface mount medicine cabinet over a space where a smaller recessed version was formerly installed, it is a good idea to add some insulation to the empty space before hanging your new cabinet.

You will find medicine cabinets offered in both framed and frameless models. Frameless cabinets have more mirrored space since it extends to the edges of the cabinet. Framed cabinet are very attractive and come in many wood tones, such as popular oak and cherry. You will also find them in many colors to coordinate with your decor. Black is currently very popular.

Preference in decor is a personal choice, but whatever your preference you are bound to find a cabinet that is just right for you. Country, Shaker, Contemporary, Art Deco and Mission are just a few of the possibilities to choose from.

More Medicine Cabinet Features

• Medicine cabinet with more depth can be very convenient for storage of some of your grooming supplies such as curling irons and hairdryer, storing them out of sight and where they are handy.
• Another great feature especially in an older home, is medicine cabinets with built in plugins.
• It goes without saying, that you will want adjustable shelves, as storage needs change from time to time and this will be a very handy feature.
• Medicine Cabinet can have either doors that swing out, or doors that slide, and some give the option of having the door swing either right or left.
• There are also models that have built in lighting. In some cases it is embedded in the mirror, or it may either be down the side or mounted on the top of the medicine cabinet.
• Corner medicine cabinets may fill a need in a small bath or powder room. These work very well when you also have a corner vanity or corner pedestal sink.
• Look for scissor or piano hinges if the medicine cabinet you select has a heavy mirror.
• Some of the high end medicine cabinet also offer controlled temperature storage for keeping medicines or beauty product in the best environment.

Decide which features are the most desirable for your situation, and do some comparison shopping and you are sure to find the medicine cabinet that will add the most in value to your bath and provide you with the most in convenience and good looks.