A bathroom is the hardest room in the house for cabinetry: steam every morning, water on every surface, and a room that is often shut up and warm. A vanity that lasts is decided by what it is made from and how it is sealed, long before anyone chooses a colour.
Height and depth
A comfortable vanity sits at 850–900mm from the floor, higher than the old standard of 800mm, which has most adults stooping. If the basin sits on top of the counter, measure to its rim rather than to the worktop.
Depth is usually 450–550mm. Shallower suits a narrow bathroom; deeper holds more, as long as you can still reach the tap comfortably.
Wall-hung or floor-standing
A wall-hung vanity, lifted 150–200mm off the floor, makes a small bathroom feel larger and lets you clean underneath. It needs a solid wall, or a frame built in behind the tiles, which is a question for the building stage rather than the fitting stage.
A floor-standing vanity holds more and suits a larger room, but it sits in the splash zone, and its plinth needs the same sealing as everything above it.
Drawers over doors
Drawers make better use of a vanity than cupboards, because nothing hides at the back. The top drawer is cut in a U shape around the waste trap, so the space around the plumbing is still used. A socket inside a drawer keeps a toothbrush or a hairdryer charged and out of sight.
What keeps the steam out
Moisture gets into cabinetry through its edges. Board tested against water and steam, with shelf edges sealed all round and backs lacquered on both sides, is what separates a vanity that looks new in year eight from one that has swollen by year two. Hinges and runners should be tested against corrosion, especially near the coast. We go into detail in choosing finishes that last.
Good extraction helps every surface in the room. A bathroom that clears its steam in minutes is kinder to everything in it.
Mirror cabinets and tall storage
A recessed mirror cabinet above the basin clears the countertop, and a tall unit beside the vanity takes towels and spare stock. Drawn with the vanity, they share its finish and line up with it. See our bathroom cabinetry.
