I’ve talked a bit before about black and white bathroom design, and how a high-contrast decor can create a visually arresting space. Today I want to talk specifically about black and white bathroom vanities, and how to use just a single piece to give your bathroom a striking modern style. Different amounts of black or white create a totally different aesthetic, so it’s important to decide on a balance you like before you buy.
Almost All Black
Black is a sort of go-to color choice for a modern design. It’s simple, sophisticated, elegant, and clean, while still being an uncommon-enough choice for interior design to be striking. Black bathroom vanities are all these things and more. That’s why, if you’re looking for a modern bathroom vanity, you’re more likely than not to stumble across a black one. But I especially like black bathroom vanities that have a white component, however slight. The white vanity top and vessel sink on this Springfield Vanity from Design Element, plus the shiny chrome drawer pulls (which visually stand in for white) are what really make it shine. Against a white wall, the black really pops, looking fresh and clean by contrast without looking old fashioned.
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Almost All White
I tend to think of black as being a much more modern, striking color than white. But white is always a brighter, more open color, and often a better choice for smaller bathrooms, or ones that get a lot of natural light. When you add a little bit of black, though, like the slightly overlapping black countertop on this White Vanity from Legion Furniture, that beautiful, open color becomes dramatic and elegant. I especially like the contrast between the sink and the black front panel, which gives a relatively simple vanity a little depth and curve. The black side shelf panel on the mirror also serves as a nice counter balance to continue the style.
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50/50
This Black/White Vanity from MBM is actually one of my personal favorites for the simple reason that it doesn’t pull any punches. This vanity is unapologetically modern, with a stark 50/50 black and white makeup to create the highest possible contrast. I love the thin frame of black on the left side, the way it sets off the white vessel sink, and especially the slanted, angular cut of the mirror/shelf. If you’re looking for a truly modern statement piece for your bathroom, a bathroom vanity with an equal (and especially notably geometric) balance of black and white parts is the best way to do it.
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Playing Up Your Sink
Another neat trick to incorporate high contrast into your bathroom decor is to opt for a black bathroom vanity, but pair it with a large white vessel sink or even an integrated vanity top. This simple Black Walnut Vanity is a great example, with a simple, modern face done in an elegant black, reflective chrome feet. But the big, beautiful, curvy basin sink serves not only as a color contrast but also a stylistic one, lending just a hint of pedestal sink style to a very modern/modular design. Together, you wind up with a bathroom vanity that’s much more visually interesting without sacrificing modern style.
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Detailed Decals
One trend that’s really starting to catch on, especially when it comes to modern European designers, is the use of high-contrast decals on the front of black or white bathroom vanities. This Flower Power Vanity is a great example, with a slightly more playful take on a high contrast design. The scribbled flower detailing isn’t exactly sophisticated, but it’s definitely out of the ordinary and more than a little eye catching. You can find bathroom vanities with black detailing on a white background as well, and in designs that range from the slightly cartoony flowers on this vanity to simpler, more striking geometric designs. And with a wide variety of designs available, you can actually find a bathroom vanity customized to your personality or taste.
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White Space
No, I don’t mean white space as in the part of the vanity that’s white – I mean the part that isn’t bathroom vanity at all. Many modern bathroom vanities play not just with contrast of color on the vanity itself, but also the color in the “background,” leaving peek-through holes. This is especially common with black bathroom vanities designed to accentuate the white wall behind. This Alicia Vanity from Virtu USA is actually a fairly mild example, without any peep-holes on the vanity itself, but the staggered level of the sink and vanity paired with the cutout shelf adjacent to the mirror make for not only a very smart storage setup, but also for a nice, slightly asymmetrical contrast that turns a relatively simple bathroom vanity into something elegant.
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Black Space?
Okay, so “black space” isn’t a real thing, but I wanted to leave you with one last way to get a really cool, high contrast black and white look for your bathroom. This NS9 Vanity from Iotti is, technically, 100% white, but by paring it (and its matching storage cabinets) with a small, simple, utterly striking black accent wall, you’ve got instant high contrast. The rest of the bathroom is white, keeping the color from becoming too oppressive, and instead creating a beautiful pop of contrast, from the white vanity against the black wall to the dark slate floor and black picture frames against the white wall – beautiful!
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Do you like a black and white bathroom design? Do you lean more towards black vanities or white ones, or do you like a mix of the two?
