Put It On A Pedestal: Vanities For Vessel Sinks

Posted on September 16, 2011 by Shannon

The best and worst thing about vessel sinks is that, to install one, you also have to get a whole new vanity. Because they sit on top of a counter rather than the big hole that’s probably drilled in your current one, rest at a different height than normal sinks, and tend to need different and differently spaced hardware, picking your favorite sink is only step one in your bathroom renovation. While this means that upgrading to a vessel sink ends up being a more extensive, expensive project than just swapping out a regular drop-in sink, it’s also a fantastic opportunity to re-envision your entire bathroom.

Palma Bathroom Vanity with Glass Countertop

One of the coolest things about vessel sinks is that, because they sit on top of a vanity rather than nestling inside it, the stand needs only to be as big as the drain pipe – especially if the faucet is wall mounted – and the counter only has to be wide enough for the sink itself to rest on. That means you can get some really cool stuff like this Glass Top Vanity that’s ultra minimal and modern. Works great for a smaller bathroom, especially a guest bath, where you won’t need a place to put your toothbrush, but the sink will see a lot of traffic.

Esprit Custom Bathroom Pedestal Vanity

This Esprit Bathroom Pedestal takes the same minimal/modern approach, but rather than the sleek, artistic lines of the glass vanity, this one looks more like a museum pedestal, meant to display a valuable work of art. A vanity like this is best for either an extremely simple vessel (as the one pictured) for a stark, minimal look, or an extremely ornate vessel sink, to play up on the museum display chic. Again, though, a vanity without doors, drawers, or much counter space is better suited to a guest bathroom than a master bath.

Vanity Base Drilled for Single Hole Faucet and Vessel Sink

Of course, not all ultra-modern vanities have to be impractical. This Zigzag Base With Shelves affords at least some shelf space – though again, vanities of this type are much better suited to wall mounted vessel faucets. While tearing out your wall and raising the plumbing to affix a new faucet can add a lot to the length and price tag of your project, it really does make a huge difference in the end result. As you can see in the picture above, this vanity, with a regular faucet, leaves the hot and cold water supply lines completely exposed. With a wall mount sink these are hidden in the wall, and in a regular vanity they’re hidden behind closed drawers, but with a very minimal vanity like this one, you have to consider where your plumbing is going to be able to hide. If it’s left exposed, it will majorly detract from the finished look of your project.

Mahogany Glass Vanity Base with Cabinet

That said, there are sleek, minimal vanities that not only hide all your plumbing, but also afford a little discreet storage to boot. This Mahogany And Glass Vanity is about the same size as the other modern-styled vanities, but has a discreetly hinged cabinet and a pull-out drawer for storage. While it still might not be quite as convenient for a nightly trafficked bathroom, the added storage both makes it a livable, functional (as well as attractive and ornamental) vanity, and hides your plumbing without any additional renovation.

Olde World Flourish Pedestal Sink Stand in Distressed Iron

Not all of the decorative vanities are modern or minimal. This Olde World Pedestal Stand has a lovely antiquated feel that can turn the same vessel sink from a modern marvel to a beautiful relic. The distressed iron finish enhances the aged, classical style; paired with some nice travertine tile flooring and an Italian tile mosaic backsplash, and your bathroom really will have an old world feel.

RonBow Shoji Vanity Set

There’s also a wealth of Asian-styled vessel vanities. Usually combining dark or black wood and simple lines with some kind of ornamentation – either gold or red accents or fittings, or a faux rice paper panel like the one on this Shoji Oriental Vanity, these vanities can be just as spare as modern styled ones, but feel warmer and more luxurious, mostly because of the use of wood rather than metal or glass.

Wood Vessel Sink Stand with Granite Top

Even very simple wood vanities like this Wood Vessel Sink Stand can add a little warmth to a room. This vanity and others like it combine very well with dark neutral or red and orange walls, which highlight the underlying warm tones in the wood.

Nava Panticosa Double Bath Vanity Set in Espresso Brown

If you’re going to be getting a vessel sink for a master bathroom – regardless of what style or material you choose – you’re going to want to make sure you get one that’s going to be able to accommodate your daily rituals as well as your new sink. This Double Bath Vanity solves the problem of storage with a simple his/her design. It’ll take double the sinks and double the plumbing, but the open shelves beneath the sink, combined with the simple, straight shelf mounted above provide ample space for two, even if it does result in a little exposed plumbing.

Bradford 60in Double Vessel Bathroom Vanity Set

This Bradford Double Vanity Set goes a step farther, and is probably the closest to a traditional vanity in this list. His and hers sinks, drawers, and cabinets, along with a shared middle space (including even a little counter space!) make this vanity far and away the best suited for daily use, and probably prone to keep the peace with that little extra real estate!

When planning your big bathroom remodel, there are a lot of boring practical things that you should take into consideration to improve the appearance and functionality of the finished product. Getting the look you want at the price you want to pay should always be the deciding factor, but before you even get that far, consider what you want your bathroom to look like, but also how much work you need to get there. Is it a matter of a can of paint and a new vanity, sink, and faucet, or to get the effect you want, will you need all new bathroom fixtures? Maybe more importantly, what are you going to need your bathroom to do for you on a day to day basis? As pretty as your dream vanity might be, does it have a (convenient, accessible!) place to put your toothbrush? Whether you want a sleek, modern look, an asian fusion style, or something a little more traditional, picking the right vanity is the key not only to getting the look you want to go with the sink you love, but also ensuring that you stay in love with it once you start to use it!

Have you ever chosen form over function and regretted it? Would you rather have a vessel sink and vanity in a private bathroom or a more public one, as a conversation starter? What style are you most attracted to? Let me know in the comments!