Build Bathroom Cabinets Around a Free-Standing Sink

white, round freestanding sink
  • 1 hours
  • Beginner
  • 400-3,000

While free-standing sinks that sit atop a vanity have gained traction in contemporary bathroom design, they are not complete without the bathroom cabinets or vanities upon which they rest.

Choosing a Sink

bathroom with double sinks and large bathtub

Free-standing bathroom sinks come in an array of creative materials, including hand-thrown pottery, hammered copper, and glass. This range of materials makes free-standing sinks a favorite in designing custom bathrooms.

If you're designing the bathroom yourself, carefully consider the whole design scheme from floor tiles to fixtures and finishes before buying a sink and cabinet. You will want to achieve a coherent look.

Also consider how the room will be used to determine how much cabinet space you'll need. A master bath will need more cabinet space than a powder room.

Bathroom Cabinets

water running into a bowl sink

Once you've chosen your sink, select a cabinet or vanity that completes the look.

While it might be tempting to choose the least expensive stock cabinets from your home improvement center, it is worth a little extra money to buy a quality unit that will provide years of functionality while looking great.

Like sinks, bathroom vanities are available in all styles, from traditional to contemporary and everything in between.

Make sure the sink and vanity are stylistically matched.

A hand-thrown ceramic sink would look wonderful on an antique or craftsman-style bathroom vanity cabinet, but might look out of place on a high-gloss modern Scandinavian style cabinet.

Keep functional features in mind when choosing a cabinet for your free-standing sink. Look for a solid counter surface that will withstand constant exposure to moisture.

Many vanity cabinets are designed with a stone or ceramic surface on which the sink is installed.

If the cabinet isn't equipped with a hole for the drainage pipe, you will have to have a unit installed before mounting your free-standing sink.

Bathroom cabinets for free-standing sinks need ample space for the drainage pipes that will be located under the counter top.

It is an important consideration because if you decide to buy a real antique piece to use as a vanity cabinet, you may have to destroy the interior of the cabinet to adapt it to a modern bathroom application.

Consider using a new vanity cabinet that is designed in an antique style but is configured for a top-placement, free-standing sink.

A free-standing sink in a designer material is a great inspiration object for a bathroom remodeling project. To enjoy it to its full potential, pay just as much attention to the cabinet on which it will rest.