CUSTOM CABINETRY
When more than one wet room is being renovated, the cabinetry is worth planning as one job. The vanity in the bathroom, the storage in the ensuite and the bench over the washing machine can share board, finishes and hardware, and be chosen as a single materials selection. This page covers how that joinery is drawn at design, ordered before demolition and fitted after tiling, for homes in Murrumbeena and nearby Carnegie, Hughesdale and Oakleigh.
Wall-hung and floor-standing vanity cabinets
Tall linen and towel storage
Recessed and mirrored shaving cabinets
Laundry benches, overheads and broom cupboards
Open shelving beside tiled walls and niches
Only changing storage in one bathroom? Custom Bathroom Cabinetry covers bathroom-only vanities, linen and shaving cabinets, and the finish options for each.
Reference photo: painted vanity cabinet, marble-look top and brass hardware. This is inspiration, not one of our projects. The four decisions behind a look like this (carcass, benchtop, door and drawer faces, and hardware) are set out in the material guide below.
MATERIALS THAT COPE WITH A WET ROOM
Steam, splashes and damp towels are harder on joinery than most kitchens. Four decisions shape how well a cabinet copes, and each is settled during bathroom design so the quote reflects it.
The carcass
Moisture-resistant board with sealed edges is the usual starting point. Wall-hung units, or cabinets on a raised plinth, keep mop water and overflow from sitting against the base.
The benchtop
Stone, engineered stone and laminate each handle basin cut-outs, overhangs and the join to the splashback differently. Decide on the benchtop and basin together.
Door and drawer faces
Painted finishes, laminates and timber veneers all need different care. Flat slab fronts wipe clean in one pass. Shaker profiles look warmer but collect dust along their rails.
Hardware
Soft-close runners and full-extension drawers get daily use. Pick handles, finger pulls or push-to-open fronts early, because each one changes how the fronts are made.
WHERE CABINETRY FITS IN THE 12 STAGES
Joinery touches the job four times: it’s drawn early, ordered before anything is pulled out, and fitted near the end. The full running order is set out in our 12-stage bathroom renovation process.
Design
The room is measured and cabinetry is drawn around plumbing positions, door swing and window. Drawer heights are set to suit what you actually store.
Materials
Board, finishes, benchtop and hardware are confirmed and ordered after the quote, so the joinery is in hand before demolition starts.
Fixtures
Once tiling is done, cabinets are fixed to the wall or floor, then basins and tapware are connected and the doors are hung.
Finishing
Handles go on, hinges and runners are adjusted, and the joint where the cabinetry meets the tiles is sealed.
LAUNDRIES, LINEN AND THE ROOMS NEXT DOOR
In a laundry, custom joinery turns a single tub into a working room. A bench over a front loader, overhead cupboards and a tall broom cupboard give everything a home. These cabinets use the same moisture-aware materials as a bathroom, which is why we plan them within laundry renovations.
In a compact bathroom, a shallow cabinet and a shaving cabinet recessed into the wall free up floor space. Small bathroom renovations covers that trade-off. For an ensuite, a double-width unit can split storage between two people. If you only need a new unit fitted, start with vanity installation.
Reference photo: laundry cabinetry style, shown as inspiration.
Cabinetry in our bathroom projects
Each case study in Bathroom Projects records the location, bathroom type and client brief, with before and after photos, the materials chosen and the final result. When a job includes vanities, linen storage or laundry joinery, the case study shows how that cabinetry was planned alongside the other trades.
CABINETRY QUESTIONS
Anything else about joinery in your home? Ask through our contact page.
Can new cabinetry go in without a full renovation?
Sometimes. Swapping a vanity means disconnecting the basin and waste, and the tiles behind an old cabinet are often unfinished or don’t match. An assessment shows whether a cabinetry-only job makes sense or whether the surrounding surfaces need work as well.
Wall-hung or floor-standing?
Wall-hung units make a room feel larger and make the floor easy to clean, but the wall needs framing that can take the load. Floor-standing cabinets hold more and suit older walls. Plan either one before the walls are sheeted.
Doors or drawers under the basin?
Drawers are easier to use day to day, but the waste trap takes up space. A top drawer cut around the trap, with a deep drawer below, is a common compromise. Your plumber and the drawing need to agree on the waste position.
Can the bathroom and laundry cabinetry match?
Yes. When both rooms are designed together, the same finish and hardware can run through both, and the order can go in as a single materials selection.
START WITH THE ROOM, NOT THE CATALOGUE
Tell us which room it is, what needs a home and what isn’t working now. Before you do, the Bathroom Layout Ideas and Small Bathroom Ideas guides will help you think through where storage should go.