Long or short vanity?

last month

I'm remodeling/refreshing my awkward bathroom. Husband and contractor have talked me out moving any plumbing or any walls. What I dislike about the layout is that there is very little room between the tub/shower and the vanity. If I make it a short vanity then the toilet is very "exposed" which I also don't like. If I keep a long, but narrower vanity then I haven't really opened up space in front of shower.

Any thoughts/preferences on the short vs long vanity? Any other ideas I'm missing? The tub needs to stay as it's the only one in the house. As for the vanity storage size, i don't care if it's long or short.

Featured Answer

PRO

BeverlyFLADeziner

last month

last modified: last month

With some creative ideas your small room can appear spacious.

I recommend a banjo style countertop that extends over the toilet and a mirror that runs the full length of the wall.

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Comments (23)

Lyn Nielson
last month
it's already a tight space, you can't change that.

I would be up for more countertop rather than another sink.
linda b thanked Lyn Nielson
kandrewspa
last month
If you have more space from the edge of the toilet to the vanity than there is from the toilet to the exterior wall it's going to look odd. Is it currently centered? The toilet is the most expensive fixture to move usually, but if you think it's too close to the exterior wall you could move it. The thing to keep in mind is that it's not always possible to move it just a couple inches. We moved ours from one joist cavity to the next when we remodeled the last time. That was perfect for us. That may not work for you. If you don't know where your joists are you won't know what you can do until you do some demo. While DH doesn't want to move any plumbing - and I understand where he's coming from - this may be the only way to solve the problem. He may not share your perception of the issue however. If you keep the toilet where it is, I agree with Lyn about having more counter and only one sink, but would this work for the way you use the room?

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PRO
Jill Nelson Design Service
last month
Depends on how many people are using this bathroom… You could get a single bowl set to the left with a little bigger base as a compromise between long or short.
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linda b thanked Jill Nelson Design Service
rockybird
last month
Do you need the bathtub?
ffpalms
last month
A wall mounted vanity that allows you to see the floor will give the impression of more space.
linda b thanked ffpalms
Maureen
last month
last modified: last month
Suggest a shower/tub combo and therefore can skip a shower door. Entering bathroom and the flow in front of vanity will be much better.

A longer vanity is a better decision.

Visually:

Better functionality:
Nancy R z5 Chicagoland
last month
I had a similar problem in my small bathroom and this is how I solved it in 2014. These cabinets were from Lowe's Schuler line. As part of this project, I also got a new prehung door that opens outward into the hall.

(The wall color did not come out correctly in the photo--it actually is a pinky-coral light brown.)
arcy_gw
last month
One sink. Give yourself as counter as possible .
terrib962
last month
It depends on how often both of you use the sink at the same time. I would probably go for two sinks.
HU-115263868
last month
keep the short vanity but add a narrow storage cabinet between the vanity and toilet
PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
last month
A tub/ shower will solve many issues try doing thT with a sliding door on the tub / shower
0
thinkdesignlive
last month
I vote for long vanity. Single sink. BUT 18” max depth would be key. Maybe even less depth if you can do custom cabinets.
aniluap2
last month
The longer vanity will look better but I would get a tankless toilet. They do not stick out as far, so you could have a narrower vanity. The tub shower combo suggested, would also open the space up more.
gatkinson1
last month
Have you considered not having the vanity flush against the side wall so that it looks more like a freestanding piece? Move it down about a foot. The smaller sink would work well for that. Plumbing would need to be slightly moved. As for the toilet being exposed we added a pony wall. Visually the space is still open but you aren’t directly seeing the toilet.
hollywaterfall
last month
How about a knee wall to separate the toilet from rest of things? Or a tower storage? Then you'd get more storage and separation while using a short vanity.
alidenson
last month
One sink, longer vanity. And a pocket door if it will fit.
amanda
last month
last modified: last month
I had the same issue. I moved my vanity closer to the toilet leaving room to step out of the shower and towel off. Also an antique brass hat shelf that had S hooks (for coats or purses) under the rack portion so I could hang fresh towels within step out distance.
linda b thanked amanda
me
last month
Hard to tell without dimensions, but how about a tub/shower combo? Then use the current shower space as a separate vanity, utilizing the existing water & drain lines. Shift current vanity over towards the toilet and add a linen cabinet to match in the corner next to the door.
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Faye
last month
Amanda has the best solution to moving the vanity closer to the toilet to increase your space coming out of the shower and doing a small wall by the toilet so it is concealed somewhat. The vanity doesn’t need to be full wall length but you have enough space to do a good sized vanity with single sink. Also if you can do a wall mounted vanity it will make the room seem larger. Good luck!
Lynne
last month
Who uses the bathroom? It has the only bathtub in the house, so I agree about a tub/ shower combo or the wet room idea with one opening. I would move the vanity down a bit to make room for getting out of the shower if you keep the current tub/shower setup. If this is a rarely used guest bathroom, and storage is not an issue, I wouldn't worry about hiding the toilet.
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Diane Smith
last month
One sink but a wider centered cabinet would look amazing. I didn't like the entry door that clashed with the cabinet behind. Consider a Barn door that slides in the other room to enter the bathroom, there won't be extra feeling of congestion with the doors being open and interferring with the activity of the moment.
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eurekahd
last month
I like the long vanity (with one sink and more counter space, if you don’t care about the second sink). But can you swap the tub and the shower? Not having the shower door in front of the entry door will make it feel less congested, and having the space above the tub when you walk in will make the whole bathroom feel more spacious.