Placement depends on what feels comfortable to you. I'm right handed and instinctively reach to my left to dry my hands whether I'm in the kitchen or bath.

I agree about the size of towel rings. Why there isn't a smaller version for hand towels is beyond me.

Actually both sides seem ok with me. I'm left handed to write but can use either hand for anything else.

I was hoping maybe there were smaller towel rings out there and I just wasn't aware. Drats.

I am not sure if mine is correct but it's to the left of the mirror. Further than your hand is in the first picture.

I don't want any drippy water near the outlet on the wall. :o)

Looking some more, I actually don't care for either location. What about the skinny wall right beside the sink and door? You can see it in the 3rd photo.

That might work but it's kind of sticking out there. What about on the "acne" wall but lower (so towel almost touches counter?) and farther out towards the outside corner than in the pic? That way you won't have to move it when you have kids.

Just remember ... the further away from the water source the more drips you're going to have. IMO, the most logical placement would be to the left of the vanity. I'd want the top of the towel a few inches higher than the top of the backsplash. Not as high as you have it in your pic.

I'm with you...I don't like rings, either. The towel gets messy too easily.
You might consider towel bars designed to hang on cabinet doors. What would it do to your scheme to hang your towel on the front of the cabinet door, and leave the wall space free?
Here's a link to one like mine, although there are many.
I keep my dish towels on those, but on the inside of the doors under the sink, and they work just fine for me.

Here is a link that might be useful: Over-the-door towel bar

The skinny wall won't work because the diameter of the towel bar ring would hit the trim. Didn't think of that. I'd have to use a hook.

Val - Would you attempt to cover the outlet out with the towel or leave it where I have it in the photo. I'm not sure what I think of a hook but you make a good point about the metal.

Bronwynsmom - Hmm... I don't think I really want to hang a bar on the cabinet doors.

I honestly don't even want the towel but DH does. I didn't realize he was patting his hands dry on the towels in the urn. LOL Poor guy. He hugged me the other day and his hands were half wet. I then asked where he's been drying them. . .

I'm ok with throw away napkins for when we have company.

No I would not suggest you cover up the outlet--after all it's a bathroom. Don't want any overnight guests at a loss how to use a blow dryer, curling iron or electric razor... not to mention the drip factor and/or wet towel.

Gotta wonder, though, what was your electrican thinking when he placed those outlets? When we did our remodel, our electrican followed current code and just slapped up outlets every 4 feet regardless. I had him move several, but also have some oddly placed outlets. My favorite, though is the one we put inside our vanity hutch--where I have the Sonicare plugged in and out of sight.

Val - Yeeah. Sadly, that's not the only idiotic thing they did either. I have vents in different locations. Close, but basically someone got lazy. With everything else going on I didn't notice it at first and when I did I basically gave up at that point.

I found this hook thing a friend found at a thrift store and gave me. It's ugly but I think it's a unique ugly and kind of like it. I have considered cutting the top point off. Could paint it. Too ugly? :) You won't hurt my feelings.

That fits on the skinny wall or the other walls.
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I'd put it to the right of the sink, on the wall where the outlet is. Customarily they suggest that it be at least 18" above the counter, so there's enough room for the towel to hang freely. That would probably put the base of the ring about level with the wall switches. The bath outlets should be GFI's, so you shouldn't have concerns about water drips.

Here is a link that might be useful: like this link

The comment I made was for placement of a towel ring. I didn't see that last photo you posted showing the towel hook. I wouldn't put that hook on the skinny wall by the linen closet door, though, it looks too big and awkward for that space.

How about using a tissue holder? You can fold the towel and it does not look as messy as
on a ring. I have one from RH and use it as a tissue holder but it would work well for a hand towel. DD had her Dad cut her 18 inch towel bar down to just fit one folded hand towel and that works too. This does not address where to put it though......
Dorothy

I am not a fan of rings, especially if you have kids, because the towels will never be re-hung if taken off the ring. I have a wood plaque which matches the cabinetry and trim in the bath, into which I screwed one of the same knobs that we have on the the cabinet, and the towel hangs on that.

I would hang the towel hook on the wall with the switches, but I would do black to match the cabinet and mirror, since you have quite a mix of metals there.

It was pretty late last night when I was thinking of using that hook. It's a new day and it will go back in the box. :)

Dorothy - I like that idea much better than a ring! Thanks!

Les - Do you have a photo you could show? I like that idea too.

What about using one of those oval, wood backplates railing butts into and screw the knob onto that? You don't have a problem with the towel sliding off since a knob isn't very big?

Mine are to the left. Not sure why I chose to the left other than they look out of place on the right for me. Everyone in our home is right-handed. Ours have a back piece and the ring hangs from that.

I'd love to see your pics of the ring placed on the outlet wall. Great job on the vanity and mirror BTW.

Also, I wouldn't want to place ours on the same wall as an outlet. Just a personal preference:)

How about a standing towel holder on the vanity? It would avoid drips from people reaching toward the wall with wet hands.

Here is a link that might be useful: countertop towel holder

Work - Thanks! Do you mean yours hangs from a hook?

Didn't even think of a countertop holder. That's another good idea. Whatever I end up going with I'd like to use black.

What about one of these? I'm not really sure how you'd hook it to this one. I don't know the size but like that it doesn't appear to be huge with a ring. Guess the towel would hang over the scrolls?
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Wait, is this one of those holders where you keep the towel rolled up for decorative reasons? It sits behind the scrolls? That wouldn't work.

Then there's this toilet paper holder but I'd imagine you could use it for a hand towel also.
7.75" H x 8"W X 3.5" from wall
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I have the same dilemma! I'm learning a lot! BTW, the scroll holder looks upside down to me....like it should be on of those with a rolled decorative towel, but facing the other way.

Which made me wonder....could a towel that is "functional" be draped side-ways, so the scroll is still seen? Kinda like a hook idea, but with a broader "landing zone?"

shee, I like the black iron shown. Mine is actually a ring attached to a backer which is screwed into the wall. Our downstairs bath was done in oak, so the towel ring is oak. Here's a pic, but the colors seem to be all off, anyhoo:

I'd certainly like to change out for what you've posted pics of. I am not able to visualize how the towel hangs from the first one, but I like the toilet paper holder!

Work - Thanks for posting your pic. I like your towels. My trash can is right below that side of the sink. What are the odds of it being knocked in there all the time? :)

This ring is only 5 3/8" which is the smallest I've seen. They seem to range between 6"-7". These are actually made in PA.
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Or there's a simple hook. A towel should stay on this one pretty well.
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Look, look..I bought a rug. :) It's not an expensive hand knotted one but I don't know how well that would hold up in a bathroom anyhow.
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As far as the towel... Eh, I put one out on the counter for DH. I think I'll put someone on the wall with the outlet. I still really hate the location of wall acne there. .

I was just excited and wanted to show my rug. :D

bumpin

I like the idea of a countertop towel holder. The link below is for a single hand towel in matte black. Perfect for the space where you have the small topiary.

Here is a link that might be useful: towel holder

Pretty rug! Tough call on your towel location. To the right it would pretty much cover your "wall acne"...which has good and bad points. It just seems like it would be a bit "crowded" there. To the left, well it's a little hand towel hanging out there all by itself and I think it would look out of scale.

If you hang it to the left, have you considered using a larger towel on a ring? Our tiny powder room has the wall and fan switches on the right side wall so I couldn't put a towel ring on that wall. When I held it up to the left wall, the towel and ring just looked so out of scale, tiny. I put a full size towel on the ring and decided that I really liked it that way. Pardon the terrible photo but, it looks like this:

Kmcg - I like the single ring much better than two rings. It's pretty tall though which could interfere with the lights. ? I'm trying to think of a way to make a smaller version of that. And their price.. oh my! What's up with that?

Whitdobe - Must have posted at the same time. I actually thought my towel was kind of big. Where would I get one the size of yours? It's actually called a full size towel? Please excuse my lack of towel knowledge. :)

With the shorter counter towel holders I'm assuming you have to use a washcloth because when I put a standard hand towel throw the ring (store last night) it was way too long.

I asked DH his opinion... and he doesn't care.

You have to find fingertip towels to use the stands.

Shee, I called it a full size towel but it's actually just a standard "bath" size towel. (There's just as much towel hanging down the back side of the ring as there is in front.) I got that particular towel at Rich's many years ago. At the time I thought I was nuts for paying so much for a towel but, it's been washed many times and still comes out looking like new.

LOL, I didn't see the price. Just showing you an option. The small double ringed stands are for fingertip towels. The next size bigger are the hand towels, then bath etc.

Shee, I'd put it as close to the sink and over the countertop as you can to eliminate drips everywhere. I love that toilet paper holder that you found though.

whitdobe, that towel looks so nice there. I've never thought of using a larger towel on a wall ring. It's a great idea because I don't like seeing all the drips down the wall from reaching over to the towel from the sink and this would eliminate those. With a pedestal sink, the options are limited. I've looked at the "Healthy Shelf" that holds paper towels but it just seems too big.

Thanks arapaho. That powder room is so tiny that my options are very limited. I do put out some paper "guest" towels when we have company in a holder on top of the toilet tank. Oddly enough, most guests use the big towel hanging on the ring. It's right there, handy and freshly laundered. Bonus is you're right, I really don't get drips on the wall. I think folks tend to "grab" it halfway up and there's still a lot of towel below that to catch the drips.

I vote for using the black toiletpaper holder to hold the towel- love the new rug too! The bathroom looks great!

Shee, I love that small black ring! I'd vote for that because your vanity top isn't that large to begin with, and with a countertop holder you're using up valuable counter space. The new rug looks great! I've got black accessories, (towel bars, toilet paper holder, etc.), in all our baths, but could use a new ring for the guest bath upstairs. Where'd you find that ring you posted?

Nanny - I'm just now seeing this, sorry! I found that ring on ebay.

When I finally commit to some type of holder I'll let you guys know what I went with.

Thanks everyone for the feedback!

Here is a link that might be useful: Ring