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By Hadley Keller and Yelena Moroz Alpert
When it comes to interior design in the loo, playing with bathroom vanity ideas is an easy way to give your space serious panache. After all, the cabinetry often serves as a focal point—a crucial component in a successful bathroom remodel.
“The bathroom vanity serves as a crucial functional hub where people can perform daily tasks,” says Mike Fisher, creative director and founder of Studio Indigo in London. “Like a kitchen, it must do a lot. Firstly, it establishes the overall look of the space. Secondly, functionally it can provide valuable storage for all your personal grooming paraphernalia.”
It also provides a great space to be creative and add some unexpected design elements and surprises. Whether through striking stone, or materials, architectural curves or cantilevered sinks, they are crucial to creating the focal point within a bathroom space. If its beautifully designed and functional, it can help put you in a great mood. Here, 32 unique bathroom vanity ideas to consider even if you’re not about to do a complete makeover.
While major furniture retailers have plenty of ready-to-install vanity options, you can also get creative with bathroom vanity ideas by putting a spin on a vintage dresser or credenza. “These can be retrofitted to handle the storage you need and often have carved details and brass hardware not found on new vanities,” points out Jennifer Verruto, founder and CEO of Blythe Interiors.
Interior designer Liu even used a piece of wood to create a vanity with a vessel sink. If you do go the DIY route, keep in mind that transforming a piece of furniture into a vanity requires both plumbing and carpentry skills.
When polling design experts on what a timeless bathroom vanity means to them, all agreed that natural is the color of choice. This can be walnut or oak cabinetry. You can also stay neutral with navy, charcoal, and taupe, Hayward adds. White design ideas are also a popular choice and “suitable for any bathroom, regardless of the door style,” Saine adds. “Their enduring appeal speaks for itself."
A bold vanity color can also make a statement, but know that popular colors tend to change rapidly and may not always endure, Fisher adds. When in doubt, stick to a white or wood bathroom vanity and bring in a bright design via paint color or eccentric wallcoverings on the bathroom walls.
According to 2023 US Houzz Bathroom Trends Study, “wood is the new white for vanities.” The report shows that one-third of renovating homeowners are opting for this color choice, taking the top spot from white (which is still a favorite). “We are seeing a lot of darker greens, wood tones, and natural materials making a resurgence,” Hayward says. “Keeping the vanity style classic allows more freedom in color and materials.”
Clients and designers, however, are also experimenting with shades of blue and other whimsical shades. “I’d welcome the introduction of more vibrant colors such as pink, yellow, and orange,” says Saine.
Historically, a traditional vanity is typically a sink with legs and limited storage, so anything with storage is technically a modern vanity, Fisher explains. But design-wise, sleek, linear vanities that are cantilevered or appear to be floating are examples of a contemporary aesthetic, he adds.
For Verruto, flat panel or skinny shaker doors, as well as clean lines and minimalistic detail is what a modern vanity is all about. Unexpected elements are what draws Saine to fresh design ideas: Sleek slab doors, bold stone tops, and integrated sinks are what edgy aesthetics are all about.
Studio Indigo embraces the historical period details but adds “strikingly contrasting modernity” when coming up with design ideas for this bathroom. The artful vanity dominates thanks to a strong grayscale palette of grey and white that is as bold as it is harmonious. The surface features a dynamic assortment of stone levels, mixed with Dover White marble and Breccia Suprema stone, which creates sleek clean lines, with recessed vanity mirrors framed by marble surrounds. “To add depth and warmth, a Charcoal Tamo veneer has been added to the joinery to provide storage space that seamlessly blends in with the vanity,” Fisher says. Meanwhile, vanity lighting by Apparatus and Charles Edwards plays an important function by highlighting the architecture and providing a decorative feature.
Susan Hayward, founder, Susan Hayward Interiors in Milton, Massachusettes, used gold-and-white patterned wallpaper by Quadrille and brass hardware on a royal blue double vanity topped with a marble slab countertop to create a sophisticated and global allure. Two fluid rattan mirrors from Selamat sit above each sink, imparting natural materials into the space which are further echoed by subtle details such as bumblebees on the vanity light fixtures.
Paint the bathroom vanity a verdant shade for a fresh take on design. “While white cabinetry will always be classic, it is fun to break out of the box sometimes and go bold,” says Casey Putney, Putney House Interiors in St. Augustine, Florida. “Using color on cabinetry in kitchens and bathrooms is an unexpected choice, and when it is executed well, really makes a space come alive.” In this bright and cheery bathroom renovation, the owner wanted a Florida-inspired space that her children could grow to enjoy over the years. Selecting a vanity that featured a bold color was an easy choice to make the space seem more youthful and fun. Putney used the peppy green on the vanity to tie the wallpaper to the penny tile, creating a cohesive design.
A wood vanity with sleek curves is all you need if you’re looking for a modern vanity with plenty of storage. The RH Oslo double vanity is the bold and beautiful. Designed by Nicholas and Harrison Condos, it evokes chic simplicity rooted in early Swedish Modernism that balances natural oak finishes with minimalist lines. The vanity top comes in 12 countertop options that range from marble to Travertine to concrete.
The steel blue vanity with detailed molding anchors the rest of the details—specifically the white backsplash set against the silver metallic leafed wallpaper, the etched glass vessel sink, and the honey bronze faucet. Jennifer Verruto, founder and CEO of Blythe Interiors in San Diego, also notes that the small drawers flank the center sink cabinet, creating a lovely storage idea that fits seamlessly in the elegant bathroom.
For San Francisco interior designer Noz Nozawa of Noz Design, a modern bathroom entails bringing in warm and organic elements. She custom-designed a flat-panel walnut vanity to complement the monochromatic geometric floor space. “I love how the vertical grain walnut wood vanity and the perky brass hardware give a nod to midcentury modern nostalgia in this otherwise contemporary bathroom,” Nozawa says.
Interior designer Megan Evans of Covington, Louisiana, elevated simple slab front cabinet doors with trim pieces to create a playful fretwork design. “Swapping out the hardware on the vanity instantly dressed the space up,” Evans says. This is one of the best small bathroom vanity ideas you can do on a DIY budget.
A stand-alone single vanity with a marble countertop can completely transform a powder room. RH Maison is a gem that looks as if it’s been pulled out a Parisian pied-à-terre. The fluted legs—inspired by 18th-century French furnishings—are the kind of detail that can go a long way in a small space.
Evans loves using natural bamboo to invite a spa-like feeling into a bathroom makeover. “We used Carrara marble for the countertop, and mixed brass and nickel tones to add interest,” Evans says. Having that extra vanity top space allows for extra storage for toiletries or decor ideas like an ornate vase with greens.
The team behind Chinotto House in Gainesville, Florida, spruced up a bathroom renovation when working on a teenage girl’s space. “We customized her vanity to have a drop-down seated area where she could experiment with make-up and hair styling,” says cofounder Rachel Rector. The design included plenty of storage space for toiletries, eyeshadow colors, lipsticks, and hair accessories. The same walnut wood vanity tone is carried throughout the home to pull in the mid-century modern undertones of the design. The bathroom mirror reflects Fireclay tiled walls in shades of pink.
Take a page out of this designer’s style book: JuliAnne Kelly, principal of Carrier Design Co. in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, coordinated a white sink vanity with glitzy brass legs with a whimsical mirror and darling lamp shades that all pop against the patterned wallpaper. “With blue tones and shapes reminiscent of sea urchins, the wallpaper is quite fitting for a home at the beach,” Kelly says.
Channel the clean lines of Kallista’s Art Deco design that puts emphasis on the steel brass console legs of the bathroom vanity.
One way to optimize the bathroom wall is to install a floating vanity, which is synonymous with quiet luxury. “Crafted with utmost care and precision, this floating vanity showcases walnut wood, clean lines, and the illusion of weightlessness,” says Kelly Sopel, owner of Trim Tech Designs in Naperville, Illinois.
Concrete details are excellent if you’re looking for a modern vanity. This Pottery Barn freestanding vanity with a single sink can fit well in a farmhouse bathroom or a contemporary condo. The water-resistant acacia hardwood open shelving makes this vanity look airy and not too industrial.
Dallas-based interior designer Jean Liu got creative when she turned a piece of wood into a vanity with a vessel sink that contrasted against the neutral bathroom tile on the wall. Keep in mind that such a DIY project does require specific measurements and plumbing expertise.
Jean Liu Design opted for a narrow floating vanity in a light-colored wood and a wall-mounted faucet to serve as a backdrop for the large vanity mirror and hanging light that helped expand the bathroom space.
Between the honed marble countertop and washbasin and the aged brass console legs, this Stone Forest vanity design invokes a historical touch that could be further elevated with an ornate vanity mirror.
A white bathroom doesn’t have to be vanilla. Lexie Saine Design in San Francisco took it up a notch by adding a dose of maximalist design ideas such as the Claudette single vanity by Robern that features a fluted apron front, a brash-finished stainless steel frame and marble open shelf. “My clients and I were truly captivated by the stunning fluted details,” Saine says. “With its allure, we orchestrated the entire bathroom’s design, recognizing it as the pivotal piece that would define the space.”
The Crate & Barrel Carmen vanity is all about craftsmanship and clean lines, which are highlighted by cylindrical bar pulls on the cabinetry. The open shelf below works for towel storage or a basket for toiletries. The honed white Volakas marble top pops against the grain of FSC-certified wood.
Gold Bathroom Vanity Investing in a gorgeous floating marble vanity anchors the entire bathroom space, especially if you opt for a large mirror and offset clustered pendants to balance out the heaviness of the stone. “The clients wanted a clean but dramatic aesthetic for their pool bath,” says Lisa Carrothers, interior designer at Sandifer Design Build in Jacksonville Beach, Florida. “The ijen blue quartzite material with waterfall edges checked all the boxes for the vanity.