All you need to know about floating vanities

Is it right for your bathroom?

Floating vanities are becoming increasingly popular — and it’s easy to see why. It can give the illusion of big bathroom space, while delivering a contemporary aesthetic to die for.

But if you’re thinking about installing one, consider the following key criteria to see if it’s right for you.

First, think about the size of your bathroom. A floating vanity does not extend to the floor and feels lighter within the space — making the bathroom appear bigger. However, don’t feel the need to join in with the latest trend if space isn’t an issue.

Next issue to consider is height. A floating vanity is a lot more flexible than normal, set vanities, with its ability to be installed at any height. This can make it ideal for seniors or young children as you can tuck a stool underneath. This can also show off more of your flooring — so if you’re thinking about putting expensive stone-work flooring into your bathroom, it’s certainly something worth showing off.

Check the clearance of existing elements you already have. Things like doors, mirrors and medicine cabinets need to come into consideration when choosing the height and width of your new vanity. Also, think about what type of plumbing you have and where the pipes are placed. Some floating vanities require for your drainage pipe to go into the wall as opposed to down to the floor. 

Once you’ve done all your checks and decided the floating vanity is right for your bathroom, take advantage of all it can offer you.

Sleek storage

Storage is just as important in the bathroom as it is in every other room in the house. As in the kitchen, drawers are a great way of creating more user-friendly storage in your bathroom. These look particularly good as part of a floating vanity, but you will need to have the drawers cut around the sink drainage pipe — like this one from Wentwood Kitchens.

If your vanity is big enough, incorporate some open shelving. This allows you to store towels within easy reach, creating a spa-like feel in the bathroom. 

You could also get creative and find a place for tricky-to-store hairdryers and straighteners like this bathroom in the US.

Great use of space

The width and height of your floating vanity are up to you. It enables you to gain extra bench space, like this one shown in the picture below by Annabelle Chapman Architect in Sydney, where the benchtop has seamlessly extended over the end of the bath.

You can also just fit it to fill a whole feature wall, allowing for a his-and-hers sink area complete with separate mirrors.

At the other end of the scale, a smaller vanity to fit a petite bathroom can look just as good. It effortlessly makes a small room feel much bigger — the more floor space you can see in a room the larger it will feel.

Room for something else

With all that new-found space underneath the vanity, why not give your bathroom some extra light? A feature underneath the fixture will not only achieve this, but also give your bathroom an extra dimension — use it for mood lighting when relaxing in the bath or use it in the morning if you’re not a fan of bright lights when you first get out of bed.

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(Hero image: Anchor & Cecil)