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.
For designers, figuring out clever ways to make small spaces seem larger can be quite the creative challenge. For example, in a compact powder bathroom, utilizing a floating vanity with under cabinet lighting and light wallpaper or paint is optimal.
Replace the Bathroom Vanity Cabinet
For maximum room, replace your vanity cabinet with a cantilevered countertop or with a pedestal sink. Pedestal sinks can be self-installed and cost between $150 and $400. While pedestal sinks give you more floor space, keep in mind that your countertop space will shrink.
One of the easiest ways to give your room a spacious look is to use lots of white — white tile, white paint, a white vanity and so on. This noncolor-color naturally recedes, making the space look bigger. It also reflects any available light, rather than absorbing it.
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.
Disadvantages of Floating Vanities
Floating vanities tend to have less storage space than freestanding designs because the cabinets don't go all the way to the floor. However, this can be mitigated with modular wall storage solutions that can be designed to coordinate with the vanity.
It is not essential to tile behind a wall hung bathroom vanity unit, but it is possible to do if that lines up with your personal preferences. Many would-be renovators will prefer to begin upgrading their bathroom by first tiling the wall before adding a bathroom vanity unit to complete the look.
To create a luxurious small bathroom look, use white bath towels and a light neutral color. If you spend more on high-quality white towels and rugs, your casual bathroom can appear more luxurious. Also, make everything look cohesive and accessorize with natural materials to go with your white linens.
A small bathroom can actually benefit from a large tile. With fewer grout lines the walls and floor are less cluttered and the room visually expands.
With the most common design being a top-mount or under-mount sink, that means most vanities will be measured to the surface of the countertop. Standard bathroom vanity height starts at 32” and goes up to 36”, with 34” typically leaning towards the new universal average.
Painted Furniture Creates a High-End Custom Bathroom Style
Choose a paint color for your vanity project that you can repeat around the room in linens and accessories. A rich gray or greige paint color will give your bathroom vanity an expensive look while keeping it neutral.
What is the best paint color for a small bathroom? According to basic design principles, light colors such as white, crème, pastel blue, gray or yellow will visually expand a room, while dark colors such as a deep red, green or brown, will make a room feel smaller.
Instead, think about the overall size of your new bathroom and plan to install a vanity that will fit comfortably within it. Having a vanity that's too large in a smaller bathroom will make the entire room less functional and comfortable.
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.
Installation. Most vanity lights can be mounted with lights pointed up or down. Remember to mount the fixture with the lights pointed up for ambient lighting and pointed down for task lighting.
A chevron or herringbone pattern can make a room appear bigger, as the shapes move the eye along the surfaces. In this bathroom, the tiles lead the way along the floor and up the wall to make the space feel longer and taller. Similarly, a layout that creates diagonal lines can help the room to feel more spacious.
Use Light Coloured Tiles Throughout
Utilising light shades of bathroom wall tiles and bathroom floor tiles will reflect light and will visually open up space. The opposite can be said of darker tones, which will absorb the light and make your bathroom feel considerably smaller.
Fully tiled bathrooms are convenient, particularly for smaller and second bathrooms. They are easy to maintain with less decorating, and many homeowners enjoy the cohesive look of covered walls. Half tiled – or tiling around the appliances – is a traditional approach.
Generally, it is recommended to choose tiles that are 4" or smaller for small bathrooms because it's easier to contour around fixtures and appears visually proportioned in a smaller space. Another great option is to go for a more modern design, such as using large format tiles (12"x24").
Cracked Shower Glass and Rusty Metal Fixtures
Like an old medicine cabinet, cracked glasses and rusty metal fixtures all give the impression of neglect—not to mention, date your bathroom years.
Bathroom mirrors are often hung over the vanity or sink. If your bathroom has a unique design, such as windows that are situated awkwardly or structural constraints, you can get creative and play around with where you put your mirror. Above the vanity area, mirrors don't have to hang flat on a wall.
Generally, flooring contractors prefer that the cabinets go in first so that there is less possibility of the floor getting scratched. Cabinet installers like the floor to be in place so that the cutting and dust from the floor installation will not damage the vanity.
There are many dangers of having a bathroom vanity without a backsplash. Some include: Wall and paint damage: Water can seep and sit behind your bathroom sink. And, even if you used waterproof paint, you'll still have issues and damage can occur with constant water contact.
NKBA designers recommend a 30″ clearance between the front edge of a fixture, such as a vanity or toilet, and any other fixture or wall. The building code allows for a minimum of 21″.