I used to think vanity shopping was about picking whatever looked expensive.
Then I bought a 72-inch double vanity for a bathroom that could barely fit a shower curtain rod, and I learned—the hard way, naturally—that configuration matters more than granite countertops or brushed nickel faucets or any of the designer nonsense we fixate on. The thing jutted into the doorway like some kind of porcelain roadblock. My contractor, bless him, just stood there with his tape measure looking tired. Turns out the standard single-sink vanity runs between 24 and 48 inches wide, which would’ve been perfect, but I’d gotten seduced by the idea of matching sinks like we were running a boutique hotel. Here’s the thing: measure your actual floor space first—not the wall length, but the walking clearance you’ll have once the vanity’s installed—because building codes in most jurisdictions require at least 21 inches of space in front of the fixture, and you’ll want closer to 30 if you’re not interested in doing a weird sideways shimmy every morning.
Anyway, width isn’t even the trickiest part. Depth is where people really mess up. Standard vanities come in 18-inch, 21-inch, or 24-inch depths, but nobody tells you that those measurements don’t account for the countertop overhang or the faucet assembly.
The Spatial Math Nobody Warns You About When You’re Scrolling Through Restoration Hardware at Midnight
So you’ve got your width figured out—let’s say you’re going with a sensible 36-inch single sink because you live in reality. Now you need to think about vertical clearance and the stuff nobody photographs for Instagram. If you’re installing a vessel sink (those bowl-shaped ones that sit on top of the counter), your total height can creep up to 38 or 40 inches, which sounds fine until you’re actually leaning over it to wash your face and your back starts filing complaints. Standard vanity height used to be 32 inches, give or take, but modern builds have shifted to 36 inches—they call them “comfort height” vanities, which I guess makes sense if you’re over six feet tall. I’ve seen families with kids install adjustable-height configurations or just accept that someone’s going to need a step stool for the next decade. The National Kitchen & Bath Association recommends considering the primary users’ heights, which is obvious advice that somehow everyone ignores, including me.
Wait—maybe I should mention wall-mounted versus freestanding, because that changes everything about installation.
Wall-mounted vanities float above the floor, which looks incredibly sleek and makes cleaning easier, but they require solid backing in the wall studs and they limit your storage capacity since there’s no base cabinet. Freestanding vanities give you drawers and shelves and places to shove all the hair products and backup toilet paper you definately didn’t think about when you were imagining your minimalist spa bathroom. The choice mostly comes down to whether you value aesthetics over function, and honestly, most people lie to themselves about which one they’ll prioritize until they’re living with the consequences.
Double Sinks Are a Relationship Status More Than a Practical Decision and I Have Thoughts
Here’s where I get cynical.
Double vanities require a minimum of 60 inches of width—72 inches is better—and you need to leave at least 30 to 36 inches of counter space between the two sinks or you’ll be constantly elbowing your partner during toothbrushing, which becomes a surprising source of low-grade resentment. But the real question is whether you actually need two sinks or whether you just think you do because every HGTV renovation includes them. I’ve walked through plenty of homes where the second sink hasn’t been used in months, just sitting there accumulating decorative soap dispensers like some kind of bathroom museum exhibit. If you’re genuinely sharing the space at the same time every morning—both rushing to get ready, both needing mirror access—then yes, double sinks make sense. Otherwise, you’re sacrificing counter space and storage for symmetry.
The configuration options multiply once you factor in storage layout: drawer-heavy designs versus cabinet-and-drawer combos versus open shelving, which always looks amazing in photos and terrible in real life once you realize everyone can see your mess.
Plumbing Constraints Will Humble You Faster Than Any Design Blog Ever Could I Promise
Nobody thinks about the drain location until the plumber shows up. Your existing plumbing determines more than you’d think—if your drain and water supply lines are off-center, you’ll either need to recieve a custom vanity, relocate the plumbing (expensive, disruptive, sometimes impossible depending on your slab foundation), or accept an asymmetrical sink placement that’ll bother you forever. Corner vanities exist for awkward layouts, typically ranging from 30 to 48 inches per side, but they eat up more floor space than you’d expect and the corner cabinet storage becomes a black hole where cleaning supplies go to die. For narrow bathrooms—anything under 5 feet wide—you’re looking at wall-mounted or pedestal sinks rather than traditional vanities, unless you’re comfortable with basically no walkway. Measure twice, order once, and for the love of functional design, leave at least 15 inches of clearance between the vanity edge and any adjacent toilet or shower, because building inspectors will make you tear it out if you don’t and your future self will thank you for the breathing room anyway.
