If you wanted a deeper cabinet, you could recess and have some sticking out ;) too. A third option!

I've had recessed in old bathroom and it was fine. I now have a new surface mounted one that just got put up this friday. I have an exterior wall in cold Iowa. It was made for me by my fab carpenter to go with an old Robern medicine cabinet mirror door I've had for 20 years (got it for free in an alley outside a design shop-she said "take it").

With the recessed and want to change the set in the future, you'd have to do major wall repair or find a cabinet that fits. But wouldn't that be unlikely?

If I didn't like the protrusion, then recessed is what I'd do.

enduring, thanks. After this remodel, it's unlikely that I'll want to change things. I do like the look of recessed. One unit I'm considering can be either recessed or surface-mount, so there's that.

I can't quite visualize what you're doing with the old Robern mirror door and what your carpenter did to make it work. Is it in any of your photos?

Hey, I just posted my own thread ;)

I've got both in the house - the bath I'm remodeling has recessed; the second bath has surface mount. I would strongly suggest you go with recessed. It just looks cleaner and more finished.