When we built our house we paid extra for taller vanities. My husband and I are both taller and we love the extra height!

We have the taller vanities but I prefer the shorter ones we had before. :(

If it's a new standard I can accept it. I am more concerned about it being unorthodox and affecting resale value. I do have vessel sinks. I saw the cabinets for the first time yesterday, they are not yet installed.

vessel sinks look awesome....useful?? not so much with kids.

And how do you "lower" a cabinet? They came out 43 high, way too high.

I agree that 43 is too high. Most cabinet companies offer 34 1/2" H vanity cabinets. I was referring to ordering a lower height to compensate for the height of a vessel sink. I carry Crystal cabinets and they will reduce the height to whatever I specify at no extra charge.

this was the mistake i made--I had already purchased the vessel sinks then got the cabinets. I didn't lower my cabinets but I did replace the vessels with VERY shallow ones and it's ok. It isn't great--just too high--but very pretty and usable.

We're going to live with them for a while. There is an odd curiosity. I'll post a pic when they are installed. If they don't work, (or a picky potential buyer doesn't like them) I can cut a hole in the corian and install drop-ins. I'll report back.

So a 34" height w/ a vessel is comfortable, yes or no?

Always go lower than 34" when using a vessel sink. Cabinets should be ordered according to the sink height. The top of sink should not be more than 36", unless you are very tall!

Short answer: No

I was not told by my contractor that the vanity for my bathroom would be as high as my kitchen cabinets. This contractor has poor personal and listening skills. The cabiniet drawers are very deep 36"vanity is far to high. Lesson learned

Yes, this is common. This is called a "Comfort Height" vanity (36" just like kitchen counters). They are taller to reduce bending. Read this, it will tell you everything you need to know about standard, comfort height, and vessel sink height vanities.

http://www.tradewindsimports.com/blog/bathroom-vanities/standard-height-bathroom-vanity/

A very helpful discussion in helping homeowners choose options.

It can get confusing sometimes. That's why Houzz is such a great place to get involved and ask questions that would be hard to find otherwise!

Practice makes perfect so try a few different surfaces around the house to test what works. Place a large bowl on the kitchen counter and wash your face. If all the water runs down your arm and on to the floor then the counter top is too tall. Water down the drain good, water all over the floor bad. Now try the dining room table, then put a book or to under the bowl until like Goldie Locks, you will find the height that is "Just Right". A good custom cabinet maker can make any height of cabinet to be sure the combination of your vessel and cabinet will work.

What height vanity chair is appropriate for a 36" high bathroom vanity counter? I don't really want a counter stool. Can I use a 30" dining room chair?

There are counter height stools designed to look like chairs. If the counter top is 36" off the ground, you are going to want a seat height that allows functionality for 36" high (counter stool!).
You could also get a chair that has an adjustable height feature.

Regarding bathroom vanity height question posted.... the low vanity is dead because most of us don't want to splash the entire bathroom when we wash our faces and brush our teeth!
We are all taller than a few decades ago. Sorry to all you short people out there!!!!

Just kidding. It's ideal to design a house to reflect the unique needs of the owner. For some owners, who have bad backs, but are short in stature- we have to design 37" high kitchen based units!!!

I bought a vanity 33 inches height with 1 inch more with the sink top. My problem is that the pea trap cannot be accommodated and this means cutting the legs by at least 3 inches, making the vanity 31 ...32 inches. Is this ok for a resale?

Although not ideal, keep in mind 32" was the old standard. It really depends on the height of the potential buyers in a sense. Enjoy your new vanity. The resale of your home will depend on a number of things, this being only one of them.

Point, make sure your plumber knows you plan to install higher vanities. You can also reuse old cabinets by simple using a new higher kick board at the floor. No one will ever notice. Note plumbing, lighting fixture, electrical outlet placement and mirror sizing all play a part in what seems to be an easy decision. Higher counters are worth it.

You are so correct. Vessel sinks are another way to increase vanity height but warrant the considerations you list.

Where can we find vanity benches approx. 28" high, instead of the old 23" high?

Check different vanity manufacturers OR do custom vanity (many bath stores have references for you to work with) OR look for a semi-custom supplier of cabinetry. All of these could work.

Nancy, have you found the 28 in high vanity chair or bench? I am in process of getting new cabinets ..I have a corner vanity and thought it would look less choppy to have it the same height as my cabinets which are going to be 34.5 but not sure I will find a vanity bench..

Know this is an older thread but isn't recessing part of the vessel sink into the vanity an option?

That would depend on the sink. There are some vessels that are designed to be partially recessed into the counter.

I have higher counters and don't like them - can't wash my face without making a huge mess. An earlier post says lower counters make you splash water allover, but I think that post-er must live in our alternate universe. You have to be able to really get OVER the sink not to have water running down your arms. In addition, our plumber said the lower counters actually SAVE your back, because we're supposed to bend at the hip, not bend our backs. In addition, I wanted more counter space so I opted for a deeper counter, too. Now it's hard for me to reach things in the medicine cabinet.

Think it might depend on your height!

Glad I read this thread! Thanks for the info everyone.

reno226 you can buy a tail piece extension do not cut the legs code is 32 to 34 inches

43 in VANITY is not for a sink it's for a multiple height design used a 35 in sink is designed for a under mount sink used in granite or core an counter tops

@James, reno226 asked that question 22 months ago. Further, there are no codes for vanity height in the IRC (US) except that the Americans with Disabilities Act standards for vanity heights with built-in sinks cites 29 inches for the minimum and 34 inches for the maximum height of the sink and cabinet. However that doesn't usually apply to single family residential units.

I don't like it at all. I am just under 5'6" and find that when I wash my face the water runs down my forearms to my elbows more. Water everywhere. Hate it.

Even though the taller vanities may be standard, I would always adjust the height to suit the user.

I am getting a custom made vanity built and I am curious as to what vanity height everyone suggests for a semi recessed sink..I like the height of the newer vanities, however I would still like a semi recessed sink (3" above counter height) Thank you

Debra,

The rule of thumb would be to put the top rim of the sink at 36”, making your cabinet 31.75” H. That is assuming a stone top at 1.25” making top of counter at 33”. You could certainly use standard 34.5” cabinet, making top of sink at 39”. To see how this might feel, put a 3”H box on top of your kitchen counter and imagine bending over and washing your face as if it was a sink. If it’s comfortable to you, go ahead and use the higher vanity. You can go anywhere in between those dimensions as well.
A good answer is also very dependent on the height of the users.

Cathy

Thank you for your reply! The sink I am interested in... the bathroom is your standard 5x6 not including the bathtub. I didn’t want to overwhelm the size of the room. However, I wanted a statement. This was the only sink I found that was was shallow. One more thing the size is 17” The vanity will be 42 inches . What are your thoughts? The sink will be 3” inches above counter height. Thank you.

"comfort height" vanities are just large mass production cabinet companies trying to consolidate operations and only make one size box/drawer/door, etc. between bathroom and kitchen cabinets (why have two separate assembly lines or re-tool?) now looking for a way to sell it to you. Similarly but different, in regards to "comfort height toilets" and "aging in place", you're better off going lower and lower as you get older to retain mobility and strength. Plenty of squat toilets with old people in the middle east and asia; use it or lose it (if you can't get off the toilet, you probably shouldn't be living alone at that point anyways, right?). Also, it's healthier and more effective the lower you are.

edit after good comment below- I was referring to the big box scale / national cabinet suppliers, where the name came from (not unlike how all the car brands were consolidated into just a couple). For us, comfort height is actually shorter (we're going for 34" countertop height on the MBR vanity, through a local shop) and for others it's obviously taller. I just didn't want people to hear a nice-sounding phrase "ooh, comfort height" and lose out on what might be in their best interest because a publicly traded company wants to make a few more cents on the dollar, and they don't think through whether or not it'd be comfortable for them.

Dave M--I must respectfully disagree with you on this matter. While it is true that there are stock cabinet lines that only make specific box sizes, there are many custom and semi-custom cabinet manufacturers that offer 2 or 3 options for vanity heights or allow full customization to any height that is needed. I order the appropriate vanity height that is best suited to my clients based on their needs and wishes expressed during the design interview process.

I moved into my house that has a 31 1/2" vanity/top. I am tall but frankly hadn't noticed any big problem using it and as most new ones are just a couple inches higher not sure if that will make a big difference. I want to renovate bathroom and easiest way is paint vanity and replace top but I keep hearing that I should get a taller one but when I look online they are costing alot of money. Would it be wrong to stick with the old vanity and renovate it?

we need to bend over bathroom sinks to spit when brushing teeth, etc

hbeing are you saying the shorter height is ok?

If you want the higher vanity, but want to refinish an older one, build a platform from 2 x 4's and trim it out with a higher baseboard.

Bathroom vanities keep getting taller, so part of this is aesthetics and part is ergonomics.

People who are taller may prefer a taller vanity, but for the amount of time you spend at the vanity and the tasks you are performing the ergonomics isn't all that important (Ergonomics really matter in a kitchen or at home office). Can you spit into the sink after brushing your teeth? Can you reach the sink comfortably to wet a wash your hands? If so, I wouldn't bother to change the height unless the aesthetics don't work with your style. I have a 30" vanity in the guest bath in my MCM home with 8' ceilings. It fits the aesthetics of the home much better than the 33" vanity in my master. I didn't think about the height when I replaced the vanity and it is fine, just not quite as authentic MCM as the guest bath. I am thankful that I didn't get a 36" height. I think it would look too high with my ceiling heights and wouldn't fit the aesthetics of the rest of the home.

thnx so much for your input, really appreciate it. Altho current vanities probably not top quality, the new ones I see online have become extremely expensive even if only made of MDF plus installation cost. Current one reaches the ground and apparently new flooring was installed around it so if I have it taken up it will mean we have to have some flooring put down underneath which will add to cost. The painting and new top will not be cheap but certainly alot less than installing new ones :)

Can you buy a piece of real wood furniture - such as a sideboard or dresser at a consignment shop? They make nice vanities

Yes, you can use a furniture piece but you may have to modify the interior to allow room

for a sink and plumbing underneath. Best for a bath with lower traffic to reduce wear and tear on the furniture. Height is important also. Current new vanities are 36"H with countertop so it helps to bear that in mind when using a found furniture item.

Owning a home is a large practice of compromise. I would love to renovate my fireplace and get a 10'x2' slab of the purple slate that is in my foyer for the hearth, but I priced it and it is far more expensive than I can afford, so I am picking something else for over the hearth and spending the money on new kitchen cabinets. I can only spend the money I have reserved for home renovations once. Think about everything you want to do in your house over the next 5 years and decide carefully what upgrades you have to do, what upgrades you want to do and prioritize the wants. If you are going to live in this home for the next 20 years the upgrades will bring you joy for a long time. If you are going to live in this home for the next 5 years the upgrades will be a gift to the new owner, who will pay more for your home with the upgrades, but only about 1/2 of what it cost you to make the upgrade. The other 1/2 that you spent is just that much less that you have to spend on the next home.

I have lived in my home for 4 years and my sister has been to my home at least 100 times since I moved in. She only noticed the height of my guest bathroom vanity in the past month while we were picking tile for over the new tub/shower. Up until now she just used the bathroom for the purpose for which it is intended, not for setting tile up against all the surfaces. The height is not a big deal if you are good with it.