Italy’s Foster is the name behind the fresh face of bathrooms – these elegant modern vanities will take your bathroom from blah to beautiful with one simple addition. The Piaf vanity designs boast a minimalist appeal in their simple lines, but it’s not bare-bones for these beauties. The unusual curving countertops of these modern vanities add some “oomph” to a fully functional essential. The arched countertop cradles a sink, and beneath it is a cabinet available in a range of cool colors and finishes to suit your style and your space.

Ideal for modern bathrooms, this Brillante vanity is a contemporary glass vanity by Italy’s Antonio Lupi. The chic, linear design is made from clear glass and boasts a purist aesthetic sans screws, nails or any unsightly hardware. This contemporary vanity features a clear 20mm-thick top with an integrated glass sink at the center. At its base, adjustable brushed stainless steel feet are understated yet elegant, designed to match with your stainless faucets and fixtures for a coordinated look. Below the sink, there’s storage space for all your primping essentials, concealed out of sight.

A wall hung bathroom vanity is the small-space solution with big style. Ideal for compact city homes or small-sized urban lofts, these stylish bathroom vanities with sink by Altamarea free up valuable floor space by being mounted to the wall, resulting in a larger looking, more functional bathroom design. Apart from looking great, these unusual vanities are designed to surprise: what looks like one tall washbasin as actually a white vanity drawer and a white sink on top of it. An elegant solution that hides the drain pipes and adds to your storage space, keeping all your day-to-day essentials tucked neatly away and out of sight.

The beauty of minimalism is exploited to best effect with the new modern bathroom vanity from Dedecker – ‘01’. The ‘01’ vanity design offers a range of combinations and styles, all with the signature sleek look… but allowing you to choose from more or less storage space and sink space according to your needs. The careful detailing is tucked away – lift up the dressing table top to reveal interior lighting and plenty of space to keep your essentials. Designed by Enthoven Associates, the strong German design is refined and urbane, winning the Design Plus Award of 2009.

The Naos vanities from Neabath have a theatrical flair and aplomb all of their own. Instantly noticeable, the stunning handles in silver or gold finishes punctuate the formality of the vanities with a dramatic exclamation. Stately but never boring, the Naos comes in a wide range of colors, from shocking pink to glossy black, to complement a modern palette. You can choose just one color, or a vanity with a contrasting top and bottom edge. Either way, they look great against the background of walls with moulded edgings and details, as shown here.

This pretty, round vanity is the Strela from Kohler. The soft curves give the Strela wall hung vanity a feminine aspect. Yet, its powerful geometrical design ensures it will appeal to masculine tastes too! An all-round winner in light antique walnut wood and gleaming chrome strips, this vanity has a timeless elegance. The Strela is shown here topped with a smart ceramic sink and wall mounted faucets in a classic home setting. Beautifully designed pivoting doors open with a gentle touch. Inside, you’ll find two shelves providing plenty of storage for all your bathroom essentials. Starting from USD $1570, the Strela is from Kohler.

Can you say “chic”? Italian company Devon&Devon says it best with this sleek, black lacquered console table. This classically inspired, contemporary-style bathroom console vanity is elegance personified with its sinfully sexy curves, tapered legs and glossy black finish. The piece is available with the choice of Carrara, Nero Marcquinha or Afyon Bianco marble vanity top. Pictured, a gorgeous, tuxedo-chic white porcelain basin sink (also available in black), is perfectly complemented by clear-crystal drawer pulls and cast-aluminum legs in a modern, high-polished chrome finish. For a more traditional look, legs also come in gold tone or nickel plate.