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Bathroom vanity layout help, please.

last month
last modified: last month

Contractor is starting in about 4 weeks so I need to finalize actual cabinet layout. This is a bathroom in a carriage house apartment. I will live there for a few years until I retire and move to back to Atlanta, at which point it will become a vacation rental for a couple retreat in the mountains. I NEED storage in this bathroom. It currently has a 64 inch that I am going to change to 48 inch vanity with a storage tower of some sort. From what I’m gathering the countertop type towers trend is changing? Not really in style anymore? Having said that, I do not want to be a slave to trends and miss out on what I need functionally.

So pic 1 is the current space, pics 2 and 3 are the updated layout. Pics 4,5,6 are the different ways to do the storage tower.






Shallow tower on top of countertop


Deep storage tower made from cabinet materials



Some sort of freestanding piece


Thank you!

Comments (8)

  • PRO
    last month

    1) I would reverse the setup and place the tall unit on the left, next to the return wall. It will make the space feel larger. 2) a full depth linen cabinet will give you the most storage but I think a tower sitting on the counter looks better.

  • last month
    last modified: last month

    Thank you! You can barely see in the pics, but there is a bulkhead against the wall on the left that has the return for the heat/ac in it, so it needs to stay, also the light switch is in the middle of that wall so not sure where to move those or how much that would cost.


  • last month

    You could place the tower cabinet next to the bulkhead and add a couple shelves to fill space above the bulkhead.

  • last month

    I like the tower acting as a sort of privacy wall for the toilet. Many people appreciate that setup. Beyond that -- what do *you* need to store? A shallow cabinet is good for medicines and toiletries, while a deep cabinet can hold more linens or cleaning supplies. If there's no medicine cabinet, then maybe you need a place for makeup and bottles? or will you stand that stuff in drawers?


    I think people still do the cabinet-on-counter, but it's a more formal or traditional style. So factor in what vibe you're going for. It might come down to what vanity you like and what you can find that goes with it.

  • last month
    last modified: last month

    I do like the fact that the tower makes the toilet less ”out there”.

    I should have room in the small laundry closet for a back up set of towels and toilet paper, so I will need to store skincare(an absolute boatbload lol) extra shampoo/conditioner/soap plus hair dryers and such.Oh, can’t forget vitamins and supplements plus an assortment of OTC meds. I can use the drawers in the main vanity as well, so the tower portion will probably be skincare and makeup.

  • last month

    I wonder if the height of the bulk head can be reduced to allow the vanity top to extend over it so you have more countertop space? I do like the looks of the countertop tower but I feel the full height one will give you the storage you really need. I like that it hides the toilet.

  • PRO
    last month

    I have never found better function where a cabinets steals counter space . I kea does really great vaitiies with storge drawers even where the plumbing is that honestly are so much better than doors under the counter I would keep the longer vanity for sure good counter space is a huge plus in a bathroom .. Hiding the tolilet is IMO the last thing to try to acheive it is a bathroom they have toilets

  • last month

    Patricia, you are correct of course lol. While I do love having countertop space, I will say that in my case, one level of countertop just won’t cut it. I have covered every inch of my current double vanity, plus the few drawers in the vanity and then overflow and backups in the closet. I will be thinning out my product collection, but will need every inch of storage I can forage. What I’d really hope is that I can put my plethora of products away in said storage and have the countertop actually clear except maybe some handsoap and lotion.