The sit down vanity is going to be hard. You would have to saw off the framing and back of your current vanity, sand everything down to perfectly flush, then find matching panels and trim to cover the sides. In order to get the elegant look you are going for, you would need to find someone very accomplished with woodworking who would be willing to modify your cabinet.

It would be easier to just replace your cabinets IMHO.

And don't trust your contractor for placement of anything. You have to be very specific with them, otherwise they will do what is easiest for them, which will hardly ever be what you want.

And I doubt the two double sconces are going to give you the task lightning you need. Check the wattage of the bulbs. I bet these are 60 watt candelabras - not that bright to begin with - then you put fabric shades over them.

Optimally you want lighting on either side of your face when you are applying makeup.

With this level of project I would just bite the bullet and replace the vanity. It looks out of place, and it doesn't provide one of the functions you want. If it provided the right function, you could paint it and add moulding inside the rails and panels over the recessed panels, but having to modify it also...that's two strikes against it.

I can't imagine that reworking the cabinets to provide for a vanity would be cost effective.

I am currently remodeling my master bath and installing a seated vanity area because I too like to sit while grooming. FWIW, in general the counter area for the vanity portion is lower than the sink portion - especially when standard for the sink portion of a vanity has been raised to at least 36" - if not higher.

Since you are not planning to resell (neither am I), do you actually need two sinks. I am getting rid of one sink in my master because I spend only minutes actually needing to be above the sink to wash face and brush teeth - everything else doesn't require being over the sink and I prefer the seated vanity AND more counter space versus two sinks.

I have removed doors of a cabinet and replaced with a curtain to form a sit down desk area in my family room. I do think that would be easier if you went to one sink and removed doors rather than drawers just because there would be less to repair of the cabinet. The drawers probably have metal glides screwed into the side of the cabinet which will need to be removed. The horizontal frames for the drawers will need to be removed also and there is a good chance that will reveal some unstained areas on the vertical frames (been there, done that). I don't know about removing the toe kick area. I kept mine in case I ever revert it back, but also I am short and don't mind the higher foot area, though I cannot push a chair under the space.

I don't have a problem with keeping the vanity - I did that in one of my bathrooms that also has hex tile and subway tile. I have a touch of French country in my house too. I am jealous of the tub. I hope for similar in time but a master redo is far down the list:) I missed whether you plan on painting it are not. I did not paint any of my vanities except the one in the powder room. When I look at homes in France on-line I often see wood vanities and cabinets.

I would caution about too much cool gray with a warm wood vanity - I am thinking wall color, not the tile. Something like SW Sea Salt or Rainwashed, both green / grays would be better than a cool gray if gray is what you are considering.

You haven't said what your budget is - but having just gone through a new build with a stand-alone tub, polished nickel faucets and hardware and a frameless shower enclosure, this is going to be very expensive.

A wall mounted faucet for your tub in polished nickel is going to be at least $700, and the frameless shower enclosure $3,000.

If you haven't already, I would sit down with a spreadsheet and figure out what all the materials you are looking at are going to cost you. Plus you have to pay for labor.

People think that because a bathroom is a relatively small room, the labor won't cost that much. But you will need every trade - carpentry, plumbing, electrical and tile. It adds up fast.

Rio, the total without the mirrors and lighting is $27,000. We already paid 20%, materials have been ordered, and demo begins in three weeks. I figured I would do mirrors and lighting on my own - simple, right? - but it's more complicated than I anticipated. Unfortunately, a new cabinet is not in our budget, so I may have to give up the vanity idea. I thought the cabinet design was simple enough to work well with the new design.

That's a great price.

It's always more complicated than you anticipate. ;^). And it will take longer.

It will be painful and at a certain point you will just want it to be over.

But be patient and stick to your guns to make sure everything is done to your satisfaction. Once it's done you will forget about how painful the process was!

Good luck!

Thanks, Rio! You mentioned that two double sconces with shades won't be enough light. If I got the one large mirror, I would have room on each sides for a single sconce. Do you think that would work and look okay?

Palimpsest, do you think the cabinet looks very out of place? I was hoping that the look was minimal enough to fit with the new design, and balanced out the more feminine features (clawfoot, fixtures) to keep the room from feeling too fussy. I would have a hard time convincing my husband that we should replace the cabinet, since it's still in good condition (unlike everything else) and our budget keeps going up. On the other hand, we're already spending a lot, so want the end result to look good...

Hi Helen, I like the idea of more counter space, but I definitely need two sinks. It seems like my husband and I are always trying to hurriedly brush our teeth at the same time, while somewhere in the distance a baby cries. :)

JHMarie, I like the idea of putting a curtain in front of the vanity portion. That could be a way to avoid having to make the sides and back of the area perfect (I checked and there is wood on the sides and back behind the drawers, but it is unstained). I immediately thought of the Giannetti's bathroom, which is perfection. Worried my attempt may look like a pinterest fail, though.

As I told Helen, though, I need to keep two sinks, so couldn't simply take off the cabinet doors.

Also, paint color is Farrow & Ball Peignoir. It's a sort of dusty, mid-tone grayish pink. You can see the color in the first two pictures and in the close up of the RH mirror (sample held up next to the mirror). I think it goes well with the marble and the vanity - not too warm or cool. I haven't ordered the paint yet, so it's not too late to change my mind.

Here's the paint sample next to the cabinet and the marble, though the lighting in the photo is a bit off. The color is a little lighter and pinker IRL.

I do not plan on painting the cabinet. I'd like to keep some natural wood tone and I plan to put a small wooden table by the tub and bench in the shower to balance the other side of the room. If it ends up looking off, then I can paint afterward, but I'd rather save the money if possible.

Based on the feedback above, sounds like I should abandon the sit-down vanity idea. So the vanity will stay as-is, now the decision is one or two mirrors.

Option A: One mirror that would cover the entire vertical area between backspash and lighting fixutres and all but a couple of inches on the end of each sink horizontally. Two double sconces above each sink (triple would overhang the mirror) and two single sconces, one on each side. This would require electrical work to hardwire the two side sconces.

Option B: Two smaller mirrors, one above each sink with a triple sconce over each mirror. This would require no electrical work. The rendering is not accurate to scale. There would actually be about 30" of blank space between the mirrors. That's the main reason I am considering one large mirror instead. If this, should I also add side sconces (electrical work required)? How many?

A couple of people remarked that the cabinetry looks out of place in the new design. I'm hoping to keep as-is because it is in good condition and I'm already at the top of my budget. But please let me know if you absolutely think the vanity should be replaced. Many thanks for any input!!

Unfortunately, if I do one big mirror, I cannot do side sconces only because there's room only for two about 80" apart. I would have to do only overhead if the combo idea is out.

Bri, thank you so much for the input. I love the set up in the photo you posted! Unlike that photo, my sinks are quite far from each other. The current mirrors are 31" apart, where the tower used to be. I guess part of my question is, would two mirrors over the sinks look good even with the space in between or would one large mirror look better? The mirrors cannot be too big because there's nowhere to relocate that big light switch on the left.

I think the two mirrors with sconces on either side will look best and work best.

in the middle you can put a piece of art or towel rings.

And I agree that your vanity will be fine. Buy some fancy pulls for the drawers.

Thank you! I'm going to ask my contractor how much to hardwire side sconces and remove current lighting. Towel rings on the wall are a good idea, as they used to be hung on the tower and I was wondering where to hang them now.

I like your style! This is going to look awesome once its all completed. Let us be your cherry on top :)

Bri, I'm going to try the tape idea tomorrow and take pictures. Thanks!

Wait, you are abandoning the sit down vanity? I love mine and use it every single day. Is there anyway to bite the bullet and get a new one?

Also, you appear to have a lot of patterns of tile going on, but, if Beth has been helping you then it should be okay.

Kathi, unfortunately I have to abandon the sit down vanity idea, if I can't easily modify the current vanity. We're already spending quite a bit more than we anticipated, due to my "need" for marble and a fancy tub. There's no way my husband would agree to another expense.

I definitely don't want the bathroom to look busy with patterns. I hope the selections will look subtle. The white subway tile is for the shower walls and tub surround and the white hex is for the shower floor because I don't want the maintenance of marble there. All that is with white grout, so the patterns will not be prominent. The basket weave on the floor will have soft gray grout and the floor tub border is actually the same carrara basket weave tile pattern, only with a gray marble trim and dots.

I decided on a floor border around the tub because most of the marble basket weave inspiration photos I like have some kind of border, and I thought a full room border would be too much for my space.

Kind of like this, but all the same tile and on a smaller scale:

My contractor will lay it out for me to see first, so if it looks bad, I can change my mind.

I used my daughter's sidewalk chalk to outline the one large mirror option. This is with the Restoration Hardware Baroque Silver-Leaf mirror, 70"Lx42"H. (I've read some bad reviews of RH products, but searched high and low and cannot find any other mirror this size that I like.)

You can see that it takes up most of the vertical space between the counter and lights. I'm considering two triple Pottery Barn lights where the current ones are, slightly smaller to barely overhang the mirror. I also marked where two matching single side-sconces could fit. Someone advised not to do both. Is that a design don't? Side sconces would bring in some extra flattering light but wouldn't be enough on their own.

It seems the general advice is to go with two mirrors with side sconces. I'll outline that when I have more time. But for now I prefer one large mirror. I think it would help open the space up and also look cleaner and less busy.

Your contractor may also be able to put a third sconce in the center of the mirror, between the two sinks.

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Dottie, I think it looks lovely!

And the inspiration picture looks wonderful!

I think you will have the kind of bathroom that when you walk in you just say "AHHHHH"

You should go to a mirror/glass shop for a custom size. Your contractor can add trim to frame it.

I love framing the tub. I had hoped to do the same with a recent remodel but my bathroom was to small for the look.

Bri, I will leave the vanity as-is, switching out the top for marble and the hardware for glass knobs.

Kathi, thanks so much! I hope so! Right now I walk in and go ugggh. Lol.

Eileen, I'm glad you like the tub framing idea. I think it will add a special touch, hopefully not too busy. I'm going to look into pricing for a combining your and Nancy's suggestions: custom framed mirror with sconce in the middle. The RH mirror is pretty expensive, so it may even out.

Can anything be done about that triple switch so you can have the proper size mirror? It looks really off stopping it at the edge of the sink. I saw some stylish vertical triple switch plates when I googled.

Oh goodness, you all have given me so much to think about! I'm trying not to drive my project manager crazy, but I will ask her about these options. I worry it will all get too expensive, but I may as well ask. Nancy, I'm excited about the possibility of a sit-down vanity again. Mayflowers, yes, that triple switch is a pain. I never thought about rearranging them vertically. Thanks! Bri, that photo is lovely and the countertop looks very similar to mine in size and spacing. That big empty space between the two mirrors is what I'm trying to avoid. I'd have to figure out what to put there.

If there's a solution for the switch plate, I'd use two rectangular mirrors with a single sconce on each end and a double sconce between the mirrors. The double sconce solves a lot of the problem of a blank wall. I'd draw it on graph paper first to get all the sizing and spacing right.

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I'd also stain the vanity to eliminate the orange tone. That can be done when your funds recover.

I agree that the vanity, though in good shape, will look nicer with a facelift of sanding, staining and a new finish being applied. You will see why once all of the new things are around it. I agree that this can wait until the bank account recovers, too. Some colors of wood look nicer against the grays of marble and you may find that you prefer a different color when the room is done.

I have an update and would love to get some feedback before I order the final accessories. (Demo begins one week from today!)

I got a quote for replacing the vanity with white cabinetry complete with a sitting area, plus hardwiring of sconces. The costs all added up to too much for me, so I'm sticking with my vanity and overhead lighting location.

I feel great about my choices for tile, bath tub, paint, and fixtures. My worry is that all the little accessory details won't quite work together, diminishing the beauty of the bathroom as a whole. I need to buy the accessories soon; here's what I have in mind.

With overhead lighting instead of sconces, I prefer one large mirror. The mirror is by Pottery Barn, a wooden frame with gold gilt, 72" x 36". Perfect size for the space, very very very hard to find. This is technically a floor-length mirror, so I hope it can be mounted horizontally! PB customer service was useless when asked.

The lights are also PB, polished nickel. For practical reasons, I ruled out any overhead lights that take type B bulbs (too dim) and have fabric shades (too hard to clean). As a big plus, these are on sale for $170 each. Do they go with the mirror and the rest of the room?

Chandelier is PB, 18" diameter, antique brass, UL-listed. This will be over the tub on a dimmer. It was hard to find a chandy that's not too big, ornate, and/or expensive.

Knobs and pulls are glass and polished nickel from Restoration Hardware.

Towel ring, TP roll, and hook are Ballard Design in polished nickel.

Shower bench is Signature Hardware in teak. I hope this will help tie in the wood of the vanity with the other side of the room.

Towel warmer is polished stainless steel (no nickel option) from Signature Hardware.

If anything doesn't quite mesh or looks wrong, I would love to hear, as well as any suggestions for alternatives!

Here are the fixtures I've already selected. Love them, need to make sure everything else goes well with them. Rohl, polished nickel.

Carrara basketweave floor tile (with carrara countertop)

Paint color - Farrow & Ball Peignoir

I’m a bit late to the party , but hear goes- for the most part you have made some really great choices. I think it will be beautiful and elegant when you are done. I have 2 things to say, have you ever tried to put on makeup while sitting at a counter? You can’t get close enough to the mirror to see what you’re doing. I had one and hated it, I always had to stand up and lean over the counter to get close to the mirror- a total pain (literally, in the hip) Unless of course you are planning on having a magnifying mirror sitting on your counter that is lit so you can actually see what you’re doing. So no sit-down vanity is not a loss in my book. The single mirror seems too large and overwhelming. The space between two mirrors is an excellent place for a piece of art or perhaps a romantic pic of you and your husband on vacation or a nice wedding picture. So, I vote for two mirrors with sconces on either side for better general lighting, that is more flattering light than an overhead light ever gives your face. Good Luck and keep us posted

Thanks for sharing your experience with a sit-down vanity, pirateroo! I haven't used one before and hadn't thought of that problem. My plan is simply to buy a small vanity desk and mirror for my bedroom where I can sit to do my makeup and blow dry my hair. This will be a fraction of the price of a bathroom vanity change and should be more comfortable to use. My bedroom needs more decor, anyway. :)

Looks good. Glad that you found a mirror. I love the fabric for the shade.

The only thing that gave me pause was the lights, which seem a little plain compared to all the glamour and glitz of your other materials, but I think it's good to pull back so that everything isn't so embellished that your bathroom becomes a cliche. In the kitchen forum we call it "too many clowns" when every element is vying for attention.

That leads me to wonder whether you should do a plain glass knob and pull like the RH Vintage knob and pull. I think they suit the vanity better than the ornate cut crystal. I like to think of lights, mirror, and vanity as one unit and find some type of relationship between the elements. In this case, it's the repeating rounded shapes in the faucet, sconces, and hand towel ring.

Mayflowers, I love those knobs and pulls! Now that you pointed this out, I totally see what you're saying. I definitely want to avoid having the room look cliche and theme-y. I think these simple, rounded glass knobs will look lovely with my other selections. Thanks so much!

Searching for lights has been difficult. The best designs seem to be used for side sconces, while overhead lights are much more basic. Hoping the ones I have in mind are simple and classic enough to work.

I found these from Circa Lighting in crystal and polished nickel, but they may be too much with all the other elements, plus they are $700 each (yikes!).

I like about four styles of all of the over-the-mirror lights I've seen. I was looking forward to changing to sconces because they are so much prettier, but we decided it wasn't worth having the electrician move the boxes. We don't have any trouble using the vanity light at the mirror. I seldom wear make-up and I let DH know if he missed a spot shaving.

Think of your bathroom as "quiet elegance" rather than Hollywood glam. That's why I love the fabric. The chandelier and tub fixtures give you bling for the tub, which is the area for indulgence, both physically and visually.

Quiet elegance is the feeling I prefer, for sure. Okay, I ordered all the accessories, including the vintage RH hardware pulls you suggested. I'm so grateful for that advice; they will work much better than the ones I picked out originally.

Update?