Choosing the Right Recessed Medicine Cabinet for You

Whether you're taking on a major bathroom remodel or just want to upgrade in the medicine cabinet department, you're smart to choose a recessed medicine cabinet for your needs. In general recessed cabinets are better looking, save more space, and last longer than cheaper alternatives. If you want a medicine cabinet that you can enjoy for the life of your bathroom, recessed is the way to go.

Before you Buy your Recessed Medicine Cabinet . . .
If you're completely remodeling your bathroom, you can skim this section. If you're just replacing your medicine cabinet, or giving your bathroom a minor facelift, however, here's a suggestion you don't want to skip. If you're putting your recessed cabinet in a new area or where a wall-mounted medicine cabinet is presently hanging, check to see what's behind the drywall before you purchase a new cabinet. Because bathrooms are small rooms with lots of fixtures, they are notorious for hiding electrical wiring, plumbing, and ductwork behind the drywall. Wiring can easily be moved to accommodate a recessed cabinet, but ductwork and plumbing are different animals altogether. Nothing's more frustrating than buying the perfect cabinet, cutting into the drywall and discovering that you're going to need to make other plans.

Shopping Basics for a Recessed Medicine Cabinet
Once you've determined your bathroom can accommodate a recessed style cabinet, you'll need to decide on the size, style, and finish of your medicine cabinet. The best way to figure all this out is to take a good look at your present bathroom with a tape measure in hand. Ask yourself how much mirror space you'd like to have, taking into account who will be using the mirror, and consider how much storage space you need. Answering both of those questions will give you a head start for how large of a cabinet to look for. Also, you want your medicine cabinet to fit comfortably over your bathroom vanity, so you'll want to measure your vanity and the space you've allotted for the cabinet as well, so that you don't purchase a cabinet that's too large for the area.

• Door Style—Medicine cabinets come with several different door varieties, including single, double, and triple-hinged cabinets and sliding doors. Mostly this is an aesthetic choice, although if you have a small bathroom, sliding doors take up a little less space when opened.

• Finishes and Styles — Plan ahead before you hit the showroom, and take a piece of existing trim with you when you shop. Remember, you'll want to match your new cabinet to your trim as closely as possible. Also, be sure to consider style. Is your present bathroom design contemporary or Victorian? Make sure your new cabinet fits to match.

• Lights and Sconces—Many recessed medicine cabinets come with built-in lighting already installed. Generally, lighting that comes from the side is more flattering and illuminating than lighting that comes from above. You can also go with a lightless model and install other lighting, such as separate, matching wall sconces. One thing to consider here: how proficient are you at electrical work? The risk of death by electric shock might help push you in one direction or the other if you're trying to decide between a lit-up model or one that doesn't require being wired in.

Think outside the Box with a Recessed Medicine Cabinet
Obviously most recessed medicine cabinets are installed in bathrooms, but they can be handy in other areas of the home, as well. Sewing rooms, foyers, offices, hobby areas, and workshops, just to name a few possibilities, can all be excellent candidates for the space-saving storage a recessed cabinet provides. Whether you choose to install your cabinet yourself, or prefer to hire the job out to a handyman or contractor, recessed cabinets are the only way to go when it comes to space-saving, out-of-the-way storage in your home.