Mirror size and shape for large single sink vanity, and lighting

2 years ago

last modified: 2 years ago

I'm remodeling my primary bathroom from the 80's. It will have a 72 inch wide single sink vanity, flanked on the right by a 18 inch wide linen tower. This will likely be the only mirror in the bathroom and will be shared by me and my spouse. What size and shape mirror do you recommend in this space? This vanity and sink configuration was chosen to maximize drawer storage and counter space and is different from most vanities I've seen on the market.

I'd also like to ensure there is adequate lighting to get ready. Currently this space has a 96" double sink vanity with a 96" mirror and two 36" horizontal Hollywood bar strips on top of each sink that provide plenty of lightning but not sure if they can be reused in the new layout. There are also 2 can lights that point towards the shower and tub. How do you recommend lightning up the area by the vanity and where do you recommend placing the lights? Mix of can lights and sconces? Or hollywood bar style?

I'm going for an organic modern bathroom look with soothing color tones. Bathroom will have:

Natural Maple vanity cabinets
Kohler Purist fixtures in Vibrant Brushed Bronze
Tiles TBD: Natural Zellige-handmade looking tiles on shower walls and tub surround, and very pale gray tiles on floors
Countertop TBD: Muted ivory with some warm variation
Pale gray wall paint

Sharing dimensions and layout. Everything is in inches unless otherwise stated. Thanks in advance for your advice!

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Comments (3)

Jenny
2 years ago
Here are some ideas that are not necessarily your style but will give you the concepts. What function do you need? Two people using the mirror at the same time? One person at a time?

* large mirror with sconces mounted through the mirror, with those side sconces giving great makeup light

https://www.houzz.com/photos/house-in-sonoma-traditional-bathroom-san-francisco-phvw-vp~298662

https://www.houzz.com/photos/bathroom-contemporary-bathroom-toronto-phvw-vp~940936

*mirror centered over the sink, with sconces to each side, and maybe even more storage beyond that; this could be a backlit frameless mirror

https://www.houzz.com/photos/calacatta-manhattan-marble-bathroom-traditional-bathroom-new-york-phvw-vp~47750893

https://www.houzz.com/photos/pulp-design-studios-contemporary-bathroom-dallas-phvw-vp~215360

https://www.houzz.com/photos/greene-county-master-bathroom-contemporary-bathroom-cincinnati-phvw-vp~4888080
Vasupyy thanked Jenny
Vasupyy
Original Author
2 years ago
@jenny The mirror may be used by 1 person or 2 getting ready at the same time. Brushing teeth at the sink, shaving, putting on makeup, etc.

Interesting idea about the sconces mounted through the mirror - would I need to order a special mirror for that or can that be done with any mirror? And do side sconces emit enough light? And how far should be placed from the edges so there is enough task lighting at both sink and edges?

Thinking of 60-70 inch width mirror like this for the 72 inch vanity: https://www.potterybarn.com/products/kensington-double-wide-mirror/, with a single 48 inch light fixture above the mirror like long LED bar or globe lights

Overkill on mirror size and light fixture width? There is not a lot of natural light in the bathroom.
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Jenny
2 years ago
Not a pro, just a homeowner like you learning for our new home, but this should answer your questions about installing: https://www.houzz.com/discussions/2332087/how-to-drill-holes-for-sconce-in-mirror

The farther away your light source is from its target (in this case, your faces) the less light gets to your face. So face-level sconces give you more light where you need it. You also need to select the lights providing the amount of light you need - for example lights that can only take a 40W bulb will put out less light than those that take a 60W or 100W bulb. You could mock up what your needs would be by taking a couple of bedside lamps into the bathroom and seeing what you think. Also going to a good lighting store with knowledgeable staff should provide you with a great resource.
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