Bathroom Vanities Design Ideas — Modern Vanity Designs, Sizes and Formats
A vanity is a wash basin with storage under it, and the single most useful fitting in a bathroom that has no other cupboard. The best vanity designs start from the dimensions — height, depth, and whether it hangs or stands — and then choose the counter, basin and finish.
Bathroom vanity design ideas
- Floating vanity with open shelf — A wall-hung counter with a shelf beneath for towels — light, easy to mop under, ideal for small bathrooms.
- Slab counter with vessel basin — A porcelain slab counter with a round or rectangular counter-top bowl, the signature modern vanity design.
- Wood-look vanity front — Warm wood-effect doors or a wood-look slab against grey or white marble-look walls.
- Fluted or ribbed doors — Vertical fluting adds texture and hides fingerprints on handle-less doors.
- Waterfall counter — The slab runs over the top and down the sides of the vanity for a solid, seamless block.
- Double vanity with a tall centre cabinet — Two basins separated by storage in a master bathroom of 1500 mm or wider.
- Corner vanity — A triangular or L-shaped counter that uses a corner no other fitting can.
- Integrated basin vanity — Basin and counter in one ceramic piece — the easiest vanity to keep clean.
- Backlit mirror cabinet above — Adds storage and light without taking floor space.
- Book-matched marble wall behind — A mirror-image marble-look panel makes a simple vanity the focal point of the room.
Modern vanity designs by bathroom size
| Bathroom | Vanity width | Best format |
|---|---|---|
| Powder room or cloakroom | 400-600 mm | Wall-hung with a compact basin |
| Small bathroom, 5x7 ft | 600-750 mm | Floating vanity, shallow 450 mm depth |
| Standard bathroom, 5x8 to 6x8 ft | 750-1000 mm | Slab counter with vessel or under-counter basin |
| Master bathroom | 1200-1800 mm | Double vanity or long counter with one basin |
| Hotel bathroom | 900-1500 mm | Porcelain slab counter repeated across rooms |
Standard vanity dimensions
| Dimension | Standard | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Height to rim | 800-870 mm | Higher than the old 750 mm. People are taller and nobody misses stooping. |
| Height, children | 650-700 mm | Schools and family bathrooms. |
| Depth | 450-550 mm | 550 mm suits a counter-top bowl; 450 mm is the practical minimum. |
| Width, single | 600-900 mm | 600 mm is the smallest that takes a usable drawer. |
| Width, double | 1200-1800 mm | Below 1500 mm the two basins crowd each other. |
| Clear floor in front | 750 mm minimum | 900 mm if the doors swing out. |
| Mirror above | 150-200 mm above rim | Lower and splashing reaches it. |
Vanity formats
- Wall-hung — Floor runs clear underneath, which makes a small bathroom read larger and makes the floor far easier to mop. Needs a fixing into something structural — this is the detail that fails on site.
- Floor-standing — Carries its own weight, so it fixes to any wall. More storage, and it hides the plumbing completely.
- Counter-top basin on a slab — A bowl sitting on a tiled or slab counter. The most specified format in hotels, and the one that most depends on getting the counter height right.
- Under-counter basin — Basin fixed beneath the counter, so the counter wipes straight into it with no rim to catch dirt.
- Integrated basin and counter — One ceramic piece, no joint at all. The easiest of all to keep clean, which is why it dominates in institutional buildings.
- Double vanity — Two basins on one run. Worth it above 1500 mm width and a waste of money below it.
The counter is where tile and sanitary ware meet
A vanity counter in porcelain slab is now the default specification in hotel and apartment projects, and it is the clearest case in the building for tiling a horizontal working surface. A 12 mm slab cut to the vanity run, with the basin cut into it or set on it, gives a seamless counter in a material that does not stain, does not etch and never needs sealing.
It is also why we quote vanities and slabs together. The counter, the splashback behind it and the floor can all come off the same design, which is a specification a developer can repeat across two hundred bathrooms without matching anything on site.
Where budget rules, a tiled counter on a ply or blockwork substrate does the same job at a fraction of the cost — with the usual caveat that every joint is grout, so use epoxy and keep the tiles as large as the run allows.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best bathroom vanity design ideas for a small bathroom?
A floating wall-hung vanity 600-750 mm wide and about 450 mm deep, with an open shelf below and a mirror cabinet above. The clear floor makes the room look bigger and the mirror cabinet adds storage without taking floor space.
What are modern vanity designs?
Floating vanities, porcelain slab counters with vessel basins, integrated basin counters, fluted or handle-less doors, waterfall counters and wood-look fronts against marble-look walls are the main modern vanity designs.
What is the standard height of a bathroom vanity?
800 to 870 mm to the rim in current practice, up from the older 750 mm standard. Use 650 to 700 mm where the basin is primarily for children.
What are standard bathroom vanity dimensions?
600 to 900 mm wide for a single basin, 1200 to 1800 mm for a double, 450 to 550 mm deep, and 800 to 870 mm high. Allow 750 mm of clear floor in front, or 900 mm where doors swing outward.
Should a vanity be wall-hung or floor-standing?
Wall-hung in a small bathroom — the clear floor underneath makes the room read larger and is far easier to mop. Floor-standing where the wall cannot take the load, or where you want maximum storage and the plumbing hidden.
How wide does a double vanity need to be?
At least 1500 mm. Below that the two basins crowd each other and neither has usable counter beside it, so a single basin with more counter space is the better fitting.
Can a vanity counter be tiled?
Yes, and porcelain slab is now the standard hotel and apartment specification for it. A 12 mm slab cut to the vanity run gives a seamless counter that does not stain or etch and never needs sealing.
Quote vanities with the slab
Tell us the run length and basin type and we will quote the unit, the counter slab and the matching wall tile together.
Browse the full range
Buying Guides
- Tile Buying Guide
- Full Body vs GVT Tiles
- Step & Riser Tiles Guide
- GVT vs PGVT
- Tile Size Guide
- Laminate Guide
- Porcelain vs Ceramic Tiles
- What Are Vitrified Tiles
- Types of Tiles
- Tile Thickness Guide
+21 more
- Glossy vs Matte Tiles
- How to Clean Tile Floors
- How to Remove Tile Stains
- How to Fix Cracked Tiles
- How to Clean Marble Floors
- Bathroom Size Guide
- Powder Room Guide
- Epoxy Flooring vs Tiles
- Wall Tiles vs Floor Tiles
- Small Bathroom Ideas on a Budget
- How to Clean Kitchen Tiles
- How to Remove Tile Scratches
- Floor Tile Border Designs
- Indian Flooring Tiles
- Indian Toilet Bathroom Design
- Kitchen Dado Tiles
- Wash Basin Counter Design
- Flush Valve vs Flush Tank
- Wall vs Floor Mounted Toilet
- Portico Design
- Outside Stairs Design