Recessed Medicine Cabinets

1. If you have a flat wall, a surface-mounted medicine cabinet will be the easiest to install, just be sure to properly secure it to the wall studs. Recessed or semi-recessed medicine cabinets may need a little more planning and installation time, but give a cleaner appearance.

2. To install recessed or semi-recessed medicine cabinets, locate wall studs and realize some may have to be removed and you may have to add 2 x 4 blocking between studs to add support for the medicine cabinet. Do not enlarge space in wall until you know where the wall studs are and what you plan to do with them.

3. Either style of medicine cabinet features options for mirror location. Choose from the basic mirror option on the outside of a closed door, a mirror on the back of the cabinet interior, or mirrors on both the inside and on the door exterior.

4. No problem for left-handers, just choose a medicine cabinet with reversible mounting.

5. Replacing a smaller medicine cabinet with a larger one is always possible. After filling holes with insulation and replacing wall studs and drywall, you can even replace a recessed medicine cabinet with a medicine cabinet that is surface-mounted.

6. Mirror size and placement can allow for greater mirror space without investing in a larger medicine cabinet. Choose from double-mirrored doors, swing-out magnifying mirrors, sliding doors, triple doors, or heated mirrors so you can see yourself even through steam. Placing slim "his & hers" cabinets on either side of an existing mirror is also an effective storage solution.