Discover Meanings of Contemporary and Modern Vanity Terms

The world of bathroom vanities and furnishings has its own language. From vessel sinks to inlays and patina, the verbiage used to describe many modern and contemporary bathroom vanity styles can be a bit confusing. Browse through the following bathroom vanity glossary and discover meanings to commonly used terms.

Antique– a bathroom vanity from a different century OR styled to look like one from that century (e.g. Victorian styled bathroom vanity)

Art Deco – a style of vanity taken from the early 20th century. Often this style contains geometric designs, strong colors, and uses a variation of materials including plastic and glass.

Burl – a wood veneer (faux front) made from overgrown knotty wood.

Colonial – a style of bathroom vanity that reflects the designs and look of colonial America.

Contemporary – a style of bathroom vanity that is clean, straight, and sometimes quite simple.

Country – a style that combines simplistic construction with warm colors, woods, and veneers. This style if often referred to as rustic.

Modern – a bathroom vanity style that integrates state-of-the-art styles, designs, and varying colors. Often. Modern vanities have industrial designs and influences, and are made of varying material such as glass, metal, wood, and even marble.

Natural finish – a type of finish that maintains the “natural” color and look of the material used. This type of finish is most commonly seen among wood vanities.

Tempered glass – a type of glass that is made stronger than typical glass construction. One characteristic of tempered glass is that when broken it shatters into tiny pieces rather than large sharp pieces.

Vanity Furniture – furniture used in the bathroom for storage and sitting.

Vanity Lighting – lighting used to illuminate a bathroom vanity. Such lighting is often incorporated around mirrors or above the vanity.

Veneer: a thin piece of wood mounted to different material to give the non-wood material a wooden look. For example, a mantel piece that has thin oak pieces of wood applied to a fiberglass frame is considered to have an oak veneer.

Vessel Sink – a style of sink that is finished on all sides and is free-standing (a.k.a. a sink that rests on top of the countertop rather than submerged in the countertop).

Victorian – a bathroom vanity style that incorporates styles and designs from the Victorian era.

Wood grain – a finish that shows the lines, fibers, and knots found in wood. Wood grain is often referred to as a natural finish.

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