A few times a year, James Martin Furniture tweaks their vanity collection, eliminating some designs and incorporating a few new ones to keep their brand fresh and on trend. This year’s new spring catalog, though, marks a huge update, with the introduction of fully two dozen new design suites, as well as numerous improvements to and expansions of their existing collections. It’s a bit much to enumerate, but there are a few standout features across all the new additions that are worth mentioning (though if you’d just like to take a look for yourself, you can peruse all of James Martin’s new vanities yourself!).
Smarter Storage Across The Board
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The last few years have seen sweeping changes in the way vanities are designed, not only for style but also for storage. Increasingly homeowners are demanding better vanities with more and more efficient storage options, and one of the major focuses of James Martin’s new spring collection is answering that call. Good design and smart storage have always been hallmarks of the brand, but their new additions go above and beyond, incorporating some form of drawers, shelves, cubbies, or even hidden compartments into virtually all their new designs – even the most traditional ones, where such features generally aren’t included by most other designers.
Open Shelf Design Is Staying Strong
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With the rising popularity of simple-but-luxurious spa-style bathrooms, open shelf bathroom vanities have also been getting a lot of attention the past few years, and this trend is only set to continue. Many of James Martin’s new vanities feature open shelves, exposed cubbies, or even glass-fronted cabinet doors – all designed to enhance that open, casual look and create easily accessible storage. While this look is most common among their more modern and contemporary vanities, even some of their most traditional new offerings are gaining a little lift and a little extra white space, for a lighter, more open look and feel.
A Surge In Traditional Styles
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Maybe one of the biggest surprises of James Martin’s new spring collection is how heavily the overall aesthetic skews toward the traditional. In recent years a transitional style has been on the rise, and by and large James Martin’s offerings have reflected that. But their new catalog has introduced a huge variety of new designs with a distinctly traditional bent, emphasizing ornate woodwork, decorative hardware, and a combination of high quality wood finishes and antique-inspired ivory and whitewashed cabinets. So if you’ve been craving a look with a more antique feel, there are several new (and extensive) collections to choose from.
Revisiting Mid Century Modern Styles
Most “traditional” vanities draw from a variety of antique influences, mixing and matching elements from different regions and time periods to create a look that’s familiar and classic without being a strict reproduction, and most of James Martin’s new vanities are in this vein. But mid-century modern furnishings have seen a particular rise in popularity lately, and a few of James Martin’s new traditional lines offer somewhat more faithful re-imaginings of iconic mid-century designs. Because they lack most of the ornamentation typically associated with a traditional design, mid-century vanities are a great way to ease into a transitional look, and because of their heavy focus on natural wood grain, they’re a surprisingly good pair for an organic modern decor, too.
Staying On Brand
That said, not all of James Martin’s new additions have an antique feel to them. In fact, not only does the new catalog bolster their already-strong selection of transitional vanities, but it also introduces several new contemporary styles, which have been largely absent from their offerings since the company changed production facilities in 2014. This is a particularly noteworthy change, because while many manufacturers of contemporary vanities use low quality materials – like laminate and MDF – even Jame’s Martin’s simplest, most streamlined designs are still made with grade A, kiln-dried hardwood that’s finished inside and out, and built with a framed construction and soft close hardware for a higher degree of quality and style than you’d expect from a similar contemporary vanity.
Bringing Back Wall Mounted Vanities
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Most of James Martin’s wall mounted vanities were also discontinued in 2014, but these too are making a comeback with the new 2017 catalog. There are three entirely new wall mounted collections and one expanded one, all of them jam-packed with unique storage options and sporting gorgeous wood finishes. That said, unlike most typical wall mounted vanities, which are geared toward smaller bathrooms, James Martin’s latest additions are definitely designed for larger master suites, with an emphasis on wide and double-sink vanity styles that are simple and streamlined but relatively hefty, for a somewhat more modern spa style.
Unique Styles and Designer Showpieces
Many of James Martin’s new vanity collections are quite extensive, with designs that are offered in multiple different sizes and finishes to make it possible to find just the right one for your bathroom, no matter how much or how little space you have to work with. But the new spring catalog also introduces several new lines that include only a single vanity. These vanities are specifically designed to act as focal points of the bathrooms they’re in, with unique stylistic features that make them great design anchors that set the tone for the room as a whole. They only come in one size, and usually as a complete set (including the vanity top), so they’re a bit less versatile, but if you’re looking for a really stunning showpiece for your bathroom, this is a great place to start.
A Little Bit Of Housekeeping
Amid the huge increase in the number of available designs, it can be easy to overlook a few of the smaller changes with James Martin’s big annual update. For example, many of their smaller-but-popular design suites have been expanded to include a wider variety of sizes, making it easier to find just the right one to fit your space. James Martin has also introduced a new married-top option to a few select vanities – typically ones that include built-in wood or stone backsplashes. What that means is that the vanity comes paired with the vanity top (which is included in the price of the vanity). While the vast majority of their vanities can still be paired with a selection of add-on stone vanity tops, the “married top” options are a good way to get a complete package at a slightly more affordable price, and to ensure a nicely unified aesthetic.
If you’re looking to do a major bathroom remodel this year, James Martin’s new spring collection is a great place to start getting inspiration for your new aesthetic. Check out more of their new vanities in the gallery below, or browse James Martin’s full design suite.
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