I don't know that it will necessarily be overpowering but think carefully about how much storage you will actually get in a cabinet that is only 9" wide. Once you allow for the cabinet sides, you will likely be left with only 8". And tall cabinets are great, but the top shelves are useful only for things rarely used unless you are both very tall. We have two tall towers (14" wide x 9" deep) at the ends of our 88" long vanity. They look great but I wouldn't want them any narrower. We use the bottom (with separate door) as an appliance garage where we keep hair dryer, razor, clock, etc. Above that is a separate cabinet with four shelves. Only the first two (maybe three) are useful.

Thanks nyc. Good food for thought. I was planning on using the first couple of shelves for hair dryer (would have an outlet put in), hair stuff, deod, meds and other small medicine-cabinet-type things. Do you think a 5' vanity could take something wider than 9"?

Do you have any walls available? I recessed a 8" deep cabinet into the wall in my toilet room that goes almost floor to ceiling. I love it! I believe the measurements are 11 wide x 8" deep x 74" tall Those numbers are not exact but when I recessed it it only sticks out about 4.5" and I have ton's of storage. I got the cabinet from Ikea, it has a glass front and you can use the insert they gave you black or white or make your own. Even cover it with fabric of choice. I plan on putting a few more into a smaller 2nd bathroom.

What is your layout like? Perhaps you could do one wider cabinet vs the two narrow ones- that would give you MUCH more usable space.

jjaazzy, we so have some space available next to the vanities, and we're meeting with the kitchen/bath planner this weekend, so we'll look at that as an option.

alku, it's possible that we could put the sink to one side and do a wider cabinet. I'd have to draw that on paper to see how it would look, but another good option.

I am really happy with how much storage I have in my Broan 15 x 25 inch mirror-lined medicine cabinet model 72SS246D. We ordered the Broan frame you get separately unfinished and contractor stained to match the vanity. I keep the blowdryer in the vanity drawer (toe kick size) and the med cab holds hair stuff, deod, meds, toothpaste, moisturizer, contacts lens stuff, etc. and it's still not full. If you have two, one over each sink, it would look nice and give you a more open room than with a tall tower.

Thanks, sue b, another nice option, and I love your light fixture. We met with the kit/bath planner and he only has 12" cabs available, and agreed that a 9" wouldn't hold enough to be useful anyway, as nyc mentioned above. With the 12" cabs, however, he said we'd only have 7 1/2" on each side of the sink, and of course 12" in front of the cabs. We're now thinking about recessing them, but in your opinion, would that 7 1/2" allowance make a person feel cramped?

We are putting our sink (in a 5'4" vanity) off center, so have a single 18" cabinet on the end, counter to 8' ceiling.

A present bath has a 48"x31"x5" mirrored medicine cabinet that holds a tremendous amount of stuff, but surface mount of such a deep cabinet only works because the counter/cabinet is pretty deep for a bath (I'm thinking 26").

Here is a link that might be useful: Mirror cabinet something like this (bought at Expo, R.I.P.)