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jgardner618_gw

Long vanity

jgardner618
12 years ago

I am cross-posting from the building forum after some suggestions that you all may have some fantastic ideas :)

We are getting ready to start building in a few weeks and I am having 2nd thoughts about the planned size of my bathroom vanity. It is 7' long with one sink, DH has his own vanity which is 4'. He also has a linen closet on his side of the bathroom. My vanity just seems so huge to me. We share a family bath in our current house with a 3' vanity for all 4 members of my family! I can't imagine what I will do with this huge space. What can I do aesthetically so I don't have a long "plain" counter? Any ideas beside a drop for a vanity? And what should I do for mirrors/wall decor over that large space?

Comments (17)

  • birdgardner
    12 years ago

    You have so much space, enough to play with...how about a shorter vanity and a comfy chair, or a full length mirror, or a potted bamboo, a painting, a wall sculpture...

    The bath can have some non-bath elements - treat yourself.

    I think you're right about a long plain counter not being very attractive. If you need all the storage space, why not go for some wall or vertical storage instead.

  • MongoCT
    12 years ago

    You can make it a breakfront to break up the straight facade that and eliminate what might be a long run of "flatness". One cabinet can be pulled forward a bit from those on either side. Or recessed a bit.

    You can add knee space under a portion of the countertop and add a short bench for a sitting area, primping and preening, etc.

    You can break up the height of the run. Have one portion a few inches lower (the sitting area with knee space) than the adjacent cabinets, or higher.

    Add a cabinet (or cabinets) storage area above the countertop.

    Use a large drop-in sink that will dominate the sink area.

    I had a somewhat similar situation. We initially had a 7'+ long run that was going to be for two sinks. My wife nixed that idea, she wanted a single sink. She also nixed the idea of a kneehole/sitting area for makeup. She prefers to stand.

    I ended up redesigning and essentially made a floor-to-ceiling, 18"-wide, closet-type storage cabinet on the left. That left a little under 6' of run. I redesigned the remainder of the run into a 3-piece breakfront, with the middle of those three pieces being pulled forward a bit.

    I bowed the front of the countertop.

    Instead of a standard sink. I used the top of a pedestal sink as a "drop-in". Kohler Memoirs. It has a lot of visual mass. It has a nice wide bowl and the sink has a very wide rim to it.

    My center cabinet of the 3-piece breakfront area is about 3' wide. My flanking cabinets are 18" wide. For your 7' run, having 24" of counter space on either side of a center 36" piece would be perfect. Look at the photo below and just envision the cabinets that flank the center sink cabinet being 6" wider than they are in the photo.

  • sedeno77
    12 years ago

    Here is my 7ft vanity:

    {{gwi:1480780}}

  • treasuretheday
    12 years ago

    I love both Mongo's and Yvette's vanities as inspirations for your space. I think they both look beautifully proportionate.

    Yvette, would you mind telling me the depth and the width of each section of your base vanities and all of the dimensions on your upper cabinets (w, d & h)? My vanities will be made by an Amish cabinet maker and will look similar to yours only smaller (72") THANKS!!!

  • jgardner618
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Thanks for the pictures. The vanities are beautiful and proportionate, just what I was looking for! I like the idea of centering the sink and adding some visual interest with narrow uppers. I think that will suit me better than a makeup area with a dropped counter and bench. Thanks again!

  • sedeno77
    12 years ago

    the middle base is 52w 21d 34h (add two inches for granite)
    the two side bases are 16w 21d 41h
    the upper cabinets are 16w 13d 43h (including crown molding)

  • treasuretheday
    12 years ago

    Thanks for the measurements, Yvette! That is really helpful as we're about to meet with our cabinet maker.

  • treasuretheday
    12 years ago

    Thanks for the measurements, Yvette! That is really helpful as we're about to meet with our cabinet maker.

  • itltrot
    12 years ago

    My vanity is over 7' long too and DH wants to keep the two sinks even though we only use one due to the door hitting whomever is using the first sink. I'd love to do something similar to mongo or yvettes but we have a window pretty much in the middle of the 7' run.

  • gmp3
    12 years ago

    Yvette, is that a special bath cabinet on the counter or a 42" kitchen wall cabinet?

  • sedeno77
    12 years ago

    It was custom made.

  • treasuretheday
    12 years ago

    Itltrot, have you checked Houzz.com? I'm sure I've seen photos of long vanities that have a window in the middle and they looked quite nice. I'll try to fine one and get back to you.

  • treasuretheday
    12 years ago

    This is one of the photos that comes up on Houzz.com by searching for "vanity with window in the middle"...

    [traditional bathroom design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-bathroom-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_712~s_2107) by philadelphia general contractor Echelon Custom Homes

  • alku05
    12 years ago

    We have a window in the middle of our new 10 foot vanity:

    The window is counterheight and we ran the counter into it- we have this setup in the kitchen and like the brightening effect it gives.

  • itltrot
    12 years ago

    Thanks treasure and alku. THose are helpful. I have looked on houzz before but had trouble with my search terms. I have found one that amazed me but not sure I could pull it off as my carpentry skills are lacking and I have an arched window in the bathroom.

    And a horrible picture of the layout from a few years ago.

    DH think I should add a makeup area but I'm not sure how much I'd use it. Plus I don't want to lose the drawers. DH hates the way it feels like a runway vanity with all the wasted space between the sinks.

  • alku05
    12 years ago

    But that space between the sinks is the best part! Finally somehwere to lay out all the getting ready stuff without it falling in the sink. Hair dryer, flat iron, makeup kit, somewhere to put my laptop to watch/listen a video while straitening my hair...

  • youngdeb
    12 years ago

    We have a makeup vanity in front of the window, with two sinks on the side, and it's plenty of storage space. It's really nice to have natural light when I'm putting on my makeup. Which I do once a month...