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haley_lowell

Off Center Sink—Design Help

6 years ago



Hello! I need some helping deciding where to put a mirror and lighting in my bathroom. The sink is off center and the vanity is also not centered. I was thinking either a mirror centered over the sink and lighting above or one large mirror slightly narrower than the vanity and two light fixtures above. Any help would be greatly appreciate!

Comments (10)

  • PRO
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    My electrician is a hoot, but when he makes a suggestion I always listen. He believes that overhead lighting is not flattering, as shadows are cast down your face. He likes side lights. I would choose one large mirror and have the electrician and the installer work it out so that the sconces are on the mirror. I did that install in a large commercial bathroom and the result was lovely. I did have the contractor frame the mirror.



    Or you can add a top cabinet for extra storage using one mirror.


  • 6 years ago

    Thanks for your ideas!

  • 6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    any reason why you didn't get a sink in the center of the vanity?? would have looked better


    what's going to the right?



    In a pinch you could do something like this^

    go w/the sconces like Judy recommended





  • 6 years ago

    Thank you for the ideas. I love the photo with the navy cabinets. We moved into this house recently , so we didn’t have a choice about the sink. We hope to do a bigger renovation down the road, but for now just want to make some lower budget changes. Thede used to be a very unfortunate wallpaper border.

    There’s only a small space to the right if you account for the door opening, so perhaps a small hamper or stool.

  • 6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    I was thinking perhaps you could extend the countertop, or maybe to a drop down for a little vanity/makeup spot.


    this is a little dated looking, but imagine this type of set up


    then you could have a sconce out past the edge of the cabinet without it looking weird.

    or, just do what they did w/the navy one. the mirror is shifted slightly more to the left in order to place the sconce within the vanity edges. (actually a wall, but would work the same for yours)

    maybe pick a very thin sconce.

    or just do one large mirror and center a 4 or 5 bulb light over the center.

    something like this


    and move your elec outlet over to the side, or have a hole cut in the mirror for it.

    that's prob the cheapest.

    (and you can find those large mirrors for next to nothing on craigslist. people are always taking them down and giving or selling. you could do a custom frame around it or get it cut and beveled to fit your size)

    it's not too late to bring in a larger vanity w/two sinks. is that something you could swing right now?


    or you could do a 60" single sink vanity for less than 900 (sink/countertop included)


    Haley thanked Beth H. :
  • 6 years ago

    Overhead lighting in the right location will bounce light off the mirror to help illuminate your hair and face for grooming. Sconces will perhaps light your face more directly, but I like the combination of lighting sources when I am doing my hair and makeup.
    In that particular bathroom, I would have the mirror the same size as the two right-side cabinets (two top right-side drawers) and a medicine cabinet over the last cabinet.

    Haley thanked felizlady
  • PRO
    6 years ago

    It's never going to be ideal.. Poor design on the vanity. Don't waste more money. Pick two lights, get a large framed mirror, ( a floor mirror often works, simply hang it ) and put the lights above the mirror. Is it ideal? No....................but this is why its not always wise to start putting lipstick on a pig. : ) You need a plumbing change and a different vanity. ........and photos of the entire bath, or a drawing, and all dimensions.

    Haley thanked JAN MOYER
  • 6 years ago

    An off center sink can be an advantage. I use the counter top far more than the sink where I pull out my make up and hair appliances and set my coffee cup each morning. Also, an off center sink is more conducive to two people using the vanity at the same time.


    Your current configuration of one bar light and one small mirror makes the off center sink the focal point.


    I'd enlarge the focal point and include the entire vanity. Hang a wider framed mirror that includes the sink, flank it with two narrow sconces on a separate dimmer switch (simple gold sconces with your your hardware would be lovely) and add two pots lights in the ceiling above the counter top, also on a dimmer switch. It's nit picking but as long as the electrician is there, I'd move the outlet on the mirror wall to the adjacent wall and place it closer to the counter top.


    When you're ready to decorate, you can balance out the sink with a simple, pretty arrangement on the other side of the counter top.

    Haley thanked JT7abcz
  • 6 years ago

    We did an off-center sink on purpose in our teen daughters bathroom. They/we valued the counterspace more than two sinks and it made more sense to give them a larger piece of uninterrupted counterspace vs two smaller pieces on either side of a centered sink. We also did this knowing that this bathroom isn't going to be seen by anyone but them, us and their friends so any focus on making this a Houzz masterpiece was the lowest priority. Anyway, I opted for two separate mirrors with a single overhead light. My first preference was wall sconce lighting but there ended up not being enough room on the outsides of the mirrors.

    Here's a shot at their bathroom and as you can see, not staged for pictures at all! They are responsible for keeping it clean and it mostly is on the weekends. But for a mid-week view, this is as good as it gets. :) It's pretty amazing how much hair, skincare and makeup products can accumulate!

    Haley thanked gthigpen