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Design plan for ensuite mirror wall:

2 years ago

My en suite washroom has a 72 inch vanity with two sinks. It is placed 10 inches off the end wall and open on the other side next to the toilet.
Question:
Sconces or overhead mirror lighting? Can sconces provide enough lighting? We do have windows in this washroom.
I love the look of two separate mirrors with sconces on either side. If I go with this look, what size mirrors should I be looking for? I understand the mirror should be centred about the sink, but I’m not sure about the width and length dimensions and distance up from the vanity.
FYI - I’m not crazy about doing one large mirror because there are parts of a full reflection that I don’t care to see.
Thank you in advance!!

Comments (16)

  • 2 years ago

    30" wide mirrors are good with room for sconces.

  • 2 years ago

    Look for mirrors about 20" wide. I would do medicine cabinets actually. I much prefer sconces to overhead lighting so I'm with you there. The size of the mirrors depends on the size of your light fixtures, but 20" mirrors gives you 8" on the sides and 16" in the middle for fixtures. Of course you don't install the light fixtures right up against the mirrors; they need some breathing space. Maybe the fixture you like will have an option for a double you could put in the middle. It also depends on how the sinks are situated along the 72". If you know where the center of the sinks will be (based on the cabinet), measure it out on the wall and put up painters' tape outlines to show how things will fall.


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  • 2 years ago

    Thank you that is very helpful. Just looking online most mirrors seem to be about 24 inches wide by 36 high. We have 9 foot ceilings so I don’t mind going a little higher, especially if we’re going with sconces.

    What are thoughts on LED trimmed mirrors. My first thought is wow great lighting, my second thought is do I really want that piercing light all the time?

  • 2 years ago

    If you use 24" wide mirrors, you'll have 24" total for your sconces (72" - 48" = 24"). I'm assuming that you are planning on using three total sconces - one on each outer side + one between the two mirrors (it would be really tight to use four sconces - two for each mirror). That would leave 8" spaces for each sconce. You don't want your sconce base to be directly up against the side of your mirror/wall - it needs a little room (as explained by kandrewspa in above comment).


    It seems like that may be tight - depending upon what style sconce you are interested in installing.


    You really need to know where your sinks are being installed in your vanity - you'll want to center your mirrors over each sink - that will set where your mirrors need to be installed on your wall.


    The best way to figure all of this out is to use graph paper and draw it out. I have an 82 7/8" alcove in my primary bathroom - I'm having a custom made vanity to fit inside the alcove. My vanity is all drawers - so, two sets of drawers for each part of the vanity. Based upon the configuration of my vanity, I am able to locate my sinks in the middle of each set of drawers. This allows me to space my two mirrors + three sconces evenly across the back wall.


    I am using 24" x 36" mirrors - and my vanity is basically 11" longer than your vanity. I think that kandrewspa's suggestion to use 20" wide mirrors is a better idea than using 24" wide ones.


    Again, it really needs to be graphed out in order to make sure that your mirrors are centered over your sink. Many vanities will require a larger space between the two sinks vs. between each sink and the edge of the vanity. This is why kandrewspa suggested looking for a sconce that has a double sconce that can be used in between the two mirrors.


    Using tape to outline where the mirrors + sconces will be installed exactly on your wall is a very good idea - that way you can visualize how all of it will look once installed. Using graph paper initially is a good way to figure out a design plan - however, using blue painter's tape on your wall will be the best way to see how it will turn out.

  • 2 years ago

    Thank you very very much. That is so helpful. As it turns out my sinks are towards the end of the vanity as there are drawers in the centre so I may go with a large flat mirror instead. Should I get two above the mirror lights or a long one?

  • PRO
    2 years ago

    It was a mistake to not build a wall between the vanity and the toilet.






  • 2 years ago

    If you think that using one large mirror will be better for you than two 20" wide mirrors - what do you think about mounting the sconces directly on the mirror (as in Beverly's photo top photo - you wouldn't need to have the "extras" on the mirror - it could be just one plain mirror - maybe either with a frame or beveled edging?)


    Sconces provide better lighting in a bathroom when using the mirror vs. lighting installed over the top of the mirror (shadows). I have a chart saved somewhere with info regarding what height to mount your sconces/mirrors (although, that also depends upon the heights of the people who will be using the mirrors on a daily basis).


    If you have a larger mirror now - try using cardboard or paper to block off the mirror over the sink so that it is 20" x 36" in order to give yourself a feel for what a mirror that size would be like to use.


    Also, if you have some ideas of the type of sconces you'd like to use, you might be able to use mirrors that are a little bit wider than 20" - there are some pretty slim ones available. You can also have some custom made (not very expensive actually) - so, you could figure out the widest size that would work with the sconces you'd like to use - and have someone make them with a beveled edge. Having a couple more inches of width may actually work for you (e.g., if the mirrors were 22" wide).


    Personally, my last choice would be one large mirror with one long light fixure over the top. That is because my bathroom previously had this type of set up - so, it feels "dated" to me. However, if you had one large mirror in a thin black metal frame + an interesting long light fixture above it, I'm sure I'd feel differently (it wouldn't remind me of what I previously had in my bathroom).


    Why don't you post photos of your vanity (and include the measurements of where the sinks will land on the wall) + a few sconce options + mirror styles. I'm sure that with all the talented people on this site (much more talented than me! LOL!), you will receive assistance on determining the best way to do this!


    I don't want you to have to "settle" for something that may not be what you'd really like to have - there may be a way to accomplish something that will make you happier than one large mirror with lighting installed above the mirror.



  • PRO
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    Wear a bathrobe. You already have gone the non custom route for the bath?

    Get a "60 w x 36h " framed single mirror. : ) Stop worrying about seeing yourself. You can even do this with a trim on four sides and have a glass company "insert" the mirror via template on site.

    Center lights above the SINKS .Good example as was provided above



  • 2 years ago

    I had the same as you, a 72-inch vanity with one large mirror and two lights overhead. When we updated, I switched it to 2 mirrors with a light above each one. Looks nice. But to be honest the full mirror gave more flexibility on standing anywhere when using the counter. Not sure I care for putting on make-up always over the sink, but it works. So think about function vs appearance I guess, if this helps.

  • 2 years ago

    Thank you for your comments.

    I agree I also have the same opinion that the large flat mirror is a bit of a dated look, however, when framed nicely and sized correctly and may be flanked with sconces, it can look updated. I will attach our vanity and some of the sconce options I’m considering. There is 10 inches between the end of the vanity and the wall on one side and the toilet on the other. The ceilings are 9 feet and I could use some help with dimensions of mirrors and whether I should put a sconce between the two mirrors if I go with separate mirrors and what size mirrors. I’m flexible on the sconces.

  • 2 years ago

    These may be more clear. I could see doing a 60” wide flat mirror perhaps right up to the ceiling with sconces on either side??

  • 2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    It's difficult to read the dimensions on the plans that have been attached - but it does help to see how the vanity will look + where the sinks will need to be located.

    I agree with Jan - a 72" vanity with two mirrors + three sconces is a bit tight (as I explained earlier when giving my 82 7/8" vanity as an example of using two mirrors with three sconces).

    Here are some examples:

    Beth H. is a pro on here that has provided a lot of advice for people - she used a 72" vanity in her bathroom renovation. She used two mirrows + three sconces. Her mirrors were 20" wide - but she also had extra room on the sides (she was not blocked in by a wall on either side) which allowed her to evenly space her sconces across the wall:



    Here is an example re: drawing everything to scale on graph paper. This user had a 72" vanity that appears to be set up similarly to how yours will be:


    While many people told her to use one large mirror, she stuck with her original plan:



    What you need to be careful about is installing your mirrors + three sconces so that they are evenly placed on the back wall - but ignoring where your sinks are installed in the countertop/vanity. It would really bother me to not have my mirrors centered on the sinks + the opening between the two doors:


    The above user appears to have installed her single handle faucets off center to the drain in her sink (or maybe she had sinks with offset drains??). In any event, the mirror should be centered on the faucet + sink drains (middle of sinks) + where the two doors located directly below the sinks meet.


    This user inserted her 72" vanity in the alcove in her bathroom - and trying out one large framed mirror + using two mirrors:




    The difference between her bathroom and yours is that the alcove where she placed her 72" vanity is 90" wide - this allows for a single sconce on each outer side of each of the mirrors + add either a third sconce between them (with different spacing between the sconce and the frame of the mirrors vs. on the outer side) OR she could use a sconce that has single and double light options (this would allow her to use a double sconce in the center spot = the spacing between the sconce and the mirror frames would be similar in size to the space on the outer edge of the mirrors.).

  • 2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    Here is what a vanitiy that is set up similar to yours looks like using two mirrors + one light fixture across the top of the mirror (I think it might be smaller than 72" across):


    Here is a 72" vanity with a single framed large mirror + two light fixtures (I am not sure if the lights were centered over the sinks below OR if they were evenly spaced across the wall - I assume that they were evenly spaced on the wall = spaced based upon the large framed mirror):




    Here is a drawing that someone posted showing lighting/mirror options for a 72" vanity - HOWEVER, the person assumed that two equal 36" bases would be used in order to make the 72" vanity - which I think is probably more unusual (although that's how I decided to have my custom vanity made for my alcove - I wanted four large drawers - I wanted both "sides" of the vanity to be exactly the same in order to be able to space my mirrors + sconces evenly across the back wall):



    The above just gives you a side by side comparison of how the mirror/sconces or light fixtures would look over the vanity.


  • last year

    Very helpful thank you!

  • last year

    Just a quick FYI - sconces provide better light if you’re putting on makeup in this bathroom. It provides more evenly placed light onto your face.

  • last year

    I agree 100% with RedRyder re: installing sconces vs. lighting over your mirror(s) - that's why I'm using three sconces and two mirrors in my primary bathroom renovation (as I explained yesterday). The difference is that my vanity is eleven inches wider - which makes it easier to be able to use three sconce + two mirrors.