Bathroom furniture pieces like linen armoires and bathroom curio cabinets are making a strong comeback as homeowners seek to introduce a more retro look to their living spaces. As the old cliche goes, everything old is new again, and this certainly applies to current trends in home design and decor. Many homeowners are replacing the cookie cutter look of modern cabinets and fixtures with the warmth and look of finished hardwoods and antique styling.

These days, the average home is built with an abundance cabinet, closet, and counter space. In fact, many people make a purchase decision based in part on the amount of storage. Residential bathrooms have more in the way of amenities and this includes built in cabinet space. Not many of us remember a time when built in cabinets and counters were not part of the basic bathroom or kitchen. The concept of using furniture pieces in the bathroom is literally as old as the hills.

Homes built around the turn of the twentieth century rarely had cabinets that were integrated into the construction. A modest home would have had kitchens that did not have counter space as we know it. The kitchen table served as a multipurpose piece of furniture. In addition to a place to share a meal, the kitchen table was used as a workspace and a place to gather. Storage space in the kitchen may have consisted of pie cases, breadboxes, dry sinks, sideboards, and cupboards.

The same is the true for the bathroom. The widespread use of indoor plumbing meant indoor toilet facilities. The bathroom, though hardly a place to gather, still needed a place to store the necessities of those new fangled indoor toilets. Sinks and basins were usually freestanding affairs. Imagine no vanities, no his and hers sinks and no cabinets under the sink. Just as separate pieces of furniture were once part of the average kitchen, the same was true for early bathrooms. The sink or basin in an early bathroom design may have been recessed into a piece of furniture that resembles a small buffet.

Bathroom furniture is making a comeback. The size of the bathroom in many modern homes has been growing. Built in cabinets and vanities can be expensive. Once the cabinetry is installed, it is there to stay until the time comes for a major remodeling job. Individual pieces of cabinetry can add an elegant and nostalgic look that is difficult to achieve by modern built in cabinets and other permanent fixtures.

Even the ubiquitous bathtub was once a separate fixture that literally stood on its own. A far cry from modern built bathtubs and showers, antique claw foot bathtubs are popular once again. Stylish and deeper than modern bathtubs, the claw foot tub is elegant and very functional. There is nothing like the feeling of easing down into a claw foot tub. Even old claw foot tubs, that had long ago been discarded are being refurbished and are selling for far more than their original cost.

Pedestal sinks once ruled the world of early residential bathrooms. Victims of modern architectural designs, pedestal sinks once suffered a fate similar to that of the claw foot tub. Discarded in favor of recessed sinks and vanities, pedestal sinks are once again in vogue. The growing market for restored pedestal sinks has spurred new interest in companies that refinish and refurbish old sinks. Manufacturers of new bathroom sinks and bathtubs have taken the cue from homeowners and many are offering retro and antique style replacement fixtures.

In addition to freestanding bathroom cabinets, tubs, sinks, and curios, accent furniture designed for the bathroom are also very popular. From small plant stands and towel racks to wall cabinets, the trend is moving away from permanent fixtures.