7 Smart and Stylish Vanities for Small Bathrooms
These sanity-saving vanities marry great form with functionality
A cramped bathroom needn’t put you at a renovating disadvantage – with a little ingenuity, those compact dimensions can still result in a bathroom that you can enjoy spending time in. When the tiler’s cleaned off the grout, the plumber has connected the taps, and you’ve finally hung up your smart new towels on the just-installed heated towel rack, these ideas will leave you confident that you’ll be smiling in satisfaction at a job well done. See how these vanities solve the space issues in these small bathrooms to get you started along the path to renovating success.
2. Narrow it down
Wall-mounted vanities are nothing new – they’ve become popular for their ability to make a small bathroom feel and look bigger – but think about the dimensions of your vanity too. A shallow vanity can work miracles in a small space, particularly if you have to navigate around it on your way through the door, but can still provide the storage you need for bathroom essentials.
Tip: A shelf built into the wall will make up for the loss of depth in a vanity of these proportions.
Wall-mounted vanities are nothing new – they’ve become popular for their ability to make a small bathroom feel and look bigger – but think about the dimensions of your vanity too. A shallow vanity can work miracles in a small space, particularly if you have to navigate around it on your way through the door, but can still provide the storage you need for bathroom essentials.
Tip: A shelf built into the wall will make up for the loss of depth in a vanity of these proportions.
3. Go wall to wall
Eliminating the need for storage down below means you can take a minimalist approach with the vanity. A bank of mirrored cabinets provides ample storage for most households, allowing the basin to sit on a simple wall-to-wall timber shelf that provides a surprising amount of bench space. Custom-made timber features are dotted throughout this Auckland home, saving space and giving it a hand-crafted aesthetic.
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Eliminating the need for storage down below means you can take a minimalist approach with the vanity. A bank of mirrored cabinets provides ample storage for most households, allowing the basin to sit on a simple wall-to-wall timber shelf that provides a surprising amount of bench space. Custom-made timber features are dotted throughout this Auckland home, saving space and giving it a hand-crafted aesthetic.
Browse more bathroom photos
A wall-to-wall vanity can also be designed to accommodate storage space if windows are in your way and mirrored cabinets aren’t practical. Open shelving at one end means the vanity can be positioned close to the toilet, providing the perfect spot for those extra rolls of loo paper.
Tip: Two wall mirrors positioned opposite each other amplify the available light and sense of space, and mean you can check out the back of your hairdo with ease before you leave the house.
Tip: Two wall mirrors positioned opposite each other amplify the available light and sense of space, and mean you can check out the back of your hairdo with ease before you leave the house.
4. Wall mount the taps
In tight quarters, every bit of space counts. Positioning the taps on the wall over the basin allows either your vanity unit to be a little shallower – freeing up space – or for your basin to be a little bigger than it could otherwise be. There are an increasing number of wall-mountable taps and mixers on the market, and they usually form part of a set so your shower and bath tapware can match.
Top bathroom tapware choices
In tight quarters, every bit of space counts. Positioning the taps on the wall over the basin allows either your vanity unit to be a little shallower – freeing up space – or for your basin to be a little bigger than it could otherwise be. There are an increasing number of wall-mountable taps and mixers on the market, and they usually form part of a set so your shower and bath tapware can match.
Top bathroom tapware choices
5. Maximise space in other ways
If the thought of a tiny vanity with no storage fills you with dread, take a look at the bigger picture and see where else in the bathroom you could create a little extra room. This bathroom’s freestanding tub takes up less room than a drop-in bath that requires a frame in which to sit, and the bath caddy takes the place of a stool by the bath. The towel rail makes use of vertical space, and a mirrored cabinet has been installed in place of one of the windows.
If the thought of a tiny vanity with no storage fills you with dread, take a look at the bigger picture and see where else in the bathroom you could create a little extra room. This bathroom’s freestanding tub takes up less room than a drop-in bath that requires a frame in which to sit, and the bath caddy takes the place of a stool by the bath. The towel rail makes use of vertical space, and a mirrored cabinet has been installed in place of one of the windows.
6. Think outside the square
Fitting the vanity into a corner like this may not be conventional, but sometimes that’s exactly what a small bathroom requires for it to really work. The shower screen provides a large enough surface for a good-sized mirror, and there’s enough space under the vanity for a storage box.
Fitting the vanity into a corner like this may not be conventional, but sometimes that’s exactly what a small bathroom requires for it to really work. The shower screen provides a large enough surface for a good-sized mirror, and there’s enough space under the vanity for a storage box.
7. Reverse it into the wall
Just as shower niches and mirrors can be inset into wall cavities, sometimes so can vanities. Talk to a bathroom designer to see what’s possible at your house – it could free up the space you need to make your bathing space more useable.
Just as shower niches and mirrors can be inset into wall cavities, sometimes so can vanities. Talk to a bathroom designer to see what’s possible at your house – it could free up the space you need to make your bathing space more useable.
TELL US
How have you made your small bathroom work to your advantage? Share your tips in the Comments.
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Browse the latest bathroom design ideas
How have you made your small bathroom work to your advantage? Share your tips in the Comments.
MORE
Browse the latest bathroom design ideas
Who says there has to be a space between the bath and vanity? Butting the vanity up against the tub, and in this case, the shower screen, delivers valuable extra bench and storage space, and makes cleaning a little easier too. What’s not to love?