Floating vanities aren't new, but they've become more popular recently due to the increase of styles they're available in, including looks using luxury materials like marble. Before, the style's limited options might have made the sink a fit in a sleek modern home, but not with more traditional or upscale designs.
The Cons Of A Floating Vanity Unit
Since they lack a bottom cabinet, the storage options on wall mounted vanites are usually limited to drawers or shelves, reducing the capacity for storing larger items. However, this can be a good thing if you want your bathroom to remain as clutter-free and tidy as possible.
It makes your bathroom look bigger.
Floating the vanity means the flooring can extend all the way to the wall, which instantly makes a bathroom appear more spacious. And a wall-hung vanity creates more usable space for stashing pieces like a wastebasket or a scale. A little foot room under the sink goes a long way.
If you have a smaller bathroom, the fixtures and fittings you choose are key to creating the illusion of more space. A wall-hung vanity works particularly well for this purpose. As it doesn't touch the floor, it creates an unbroken line of floor space, which automatically makes the room look larger.
Because they are raised above the floor, floating vanities make bathrooms look larger and help lighten the space, making them a great option for smaller baths and powder rooms. Light is able to bounce off the floor below, which makes the space feel more expansive.
Trending Up: Floating Vanities Continue to Rise in Popularity. In small spaces, a floating vanity is a fantastic way to make your bathroom appear more open. The continued effect of the flooring extended under the vanity allows the eye to travel and gives the bathroom a more spacious feeling.
Floating cabinets can be more expensive than traditional vanities due to the need for robust mounting systems and sometimes more complex installation. However, prices vary widely based on materials, size, and design.
Modern Bathroom Vanities
Bold paint colors, like black, will be everywhere since it's an easy way to achieve a high-impact effect. Pair it with mid-century modern finishes like a light wood vanity cabinet with a white marble top, slim legs and sleek fixtures to balance the vibe.
Tiling behind a wall-hung vanity gives your bathroom a polished and finished look. It creates a cohesive and seamless design that can elevate the overall aesthetic of your bathroom. Moreover, it can also help to protect the wall behind the vanity from moisture and water damage.
Floating vanity cabinets don't have a lot of drawbacks. They require special and careful installation with extra securing to the studs in the wall and will have weight limits on what you can put on the counter. However, these aren't usually enough to be prohibitive in any way.
Many homeowners ask whether they need a backsplash for their bathroom vanity. The answer is that it depends on your preference. Backsplashes are a great way to add style and personality to your kitchen or bathroom. They're also functional, as they protect surfaces from spills while adding some color and depth.
Gray has become a popular pick for bathroom vanities striking a balance between old-school and modern styles. This neutral color has caught the eye of homeowners and designers because it goes well with many styles and color schemes.
The typical comfort height for the positioning of a floating bathroom vanity unit can be anything between 25-30 inches from the floor, or 635 to 760mm. Usually, vanities positioned on the lower side of this scale will feature a vessel sink, which will generally add on five or six inches atop.
Laminate is one of the most cost-effective bathroom vanity material types.
Floating Bath Vanity Hold:
Factors such as mounting method, wall structure, and installation quality affect a floating bathroom vanity's weight-bearing capabilities. On average, a floating bath vanity can typically hold between 100 to 300 pounds of weight.
Securely fasten the vanity to the wall through back of vanity with appropriate screws/bolts at TOP and BOTTOM of cabinet. Fix the cabinet through the top left and right hand brackets and evenly space apart the horizontal fixings at a maximum of 300mm apart.
Seamless Look: Tiling the entire floor or wall before installing the vanity ensures a seamless and continuous tile pattern, providing a clean and cohesive appearance.
A cement board is often the best choice due to its robust moisture resistance and ability to support the weight of the tiles. This foundational layer is key to preventing water seepage that could otherwise lead to mould growth and structural issues.
While classic white vanities will always be en vouge, the two standout trends for bathroom vanities for 2024 are richly-painted cabinets (think navy, emerald, black or sage) and warm, mid-tone stained wood vanity cabinets.
Absolutely, neutral colors like beige, taupe, or gray can also establish a timeless look for your bathroom vanities. Striking the right balance is key—choose shades that neither veer too dark nor too light, harmonizing with your overall timeless bathroom design.
In any case, this list of 2024's most popular colors is designed to inspire ideas for your upcoming dream bathroom makeover. According to top interior designers, modern blue, light green, and warmer neutral bathroom color schemes are popular in 2024.
Labor. Labor to install a bathroom vanity costs between $200 and $1,000, but budget $45 to $200 per hour for a plumber. A small, prefabricated vanity with existing plumbing falls on the low end of labor costs, while a large custom vanity falls on the high end.
Even with that flexibility, floating vanities are typically installed with a 34” or 36” counter height. The increased height adds to the effect of the “floating” visual more than a lower 30” or 32” cabinet.
Plumbing in at 17-20" from the ground will allow the vanity top to be mounted at 34" from the ground. As a point of reference, kitchen countertops are mounted at 36" from the ground. Vanities are often mounted a bit lower than kitchen countertops for ease of use for smaller children.