Pedestal Sink vs. Vanity in powder room

[MamaBearTeacher]

What are the pros and cons of each? Which do you prefer? What has your experience been? Which is more durable, less likely to leak etc.? Which is more popular right now?

[mom@shiloh]

I like the looks of pedestal, but that's where the advantages end.  If your bathroom is very small, they may appear to take less space, but they're not as sturdy if you have small children hanging from them or leaning on them and they offer no storage space, so you still need a spot to store extra towels, soap, etc. You also need to run your plumbing differently if you choose a pedestal.

[Pawz4me]

Unless the bathroom is truly tiny I prefer a vanity. Because . . . storage and more counter space (yes, at least a little counter space is nice even in a guest bathroom). In our former house the guest bathroom was huge and they put a pedestal sink in. I never did figure the logic of that out. The room was big enough for a good sized basket on the floor to hold extra towels and spare rolls of toilet paper but I still would have preferred a vanity,

[PeterPan]

I've had pedestals for 1/2 baths for 20 years now, two different houses, so I guess I like 'em. :D To me the biggest downside is the surface and how you clean it. You're going to need to use something non-abrasive and a nylon covered sponge pad. At least that's what I use. We have slightly hard water, and dirty and the film will build up. 

 

Yeah, storage is of course obviously not there with a pedestal. I use a vertical rack for toilet paper and I don't keep anything else in there. I have a cute bucket (to fit the theme for that bath) that has the cleaning stuff right beside the toilet. I don't know, we've been in this house 13 years now and nobody has been aghast. But like I said, all the things in the bucket are color-coordinated to match the theme, very cute. 

 

My ds is terribly rough, and he's never had a problem with the pedestal. But you're right, I put him in gymnastics and don't let him climb in there. If you put a step stool in front, I'm not sure why they would. 

 

No issue with plumbing. It comes from the wall and the back of the pedestal is open.

 

I guess talk with your contractor, look at them and see. I like to have a big enough surface that soap, water, etc. has somewhere to go. You can put plastic on the wall to protect it if you want, or use a wipeable paint. We use glass shelves to hold nicknacks and a cup for things, since there's no counter space. I like a BIG bowl, not a small one. If it's small, well obviously you're going to have more issues with messy people. Ours is the 1/2 bath for the mudroom, right when you come in, so people can be pretty messy with frog pond water and all kinds of grossness. 

 

Leaking? Uh, no. It's really just how the bowl cleans compared to what other kind of bowl you were going to use. Is this a fancy powder room, like something cmopany will use? If it's totally for utility and muddy people use, you could put in a utility sink...

 

Popularity? No clue. Decorative vanities were really in a few years ago. You could order them super cheap on Wayfair and stuff. I got the pedestal sink for this house on a whim, because I could get it in a fun color that matched my fun color toilet. The price for the two was so cheap that it was just a fun way to pursue the theme. (scarlet and grey, if you must know, Ohio State colors, lol) So yes, I have a grey toilet and grey sink! They're way cute in the bath and it always makes for fun for our company. And I figure if I get bored with it in x number of years, it isn't expensive to change out like custom cabinets (like the rest of our main floor) would have been. 

[PrincessMommy]

I have no idea which is more popular but I've had both and I prefer a vanity for storage purposes.  

[lauraw4321]

Our pedestal sink fell over on one of our kids. We repeatedly told them to not hang on it, but... kids. I also didn't like that I had nowhere to store things. We replaced it with a small vanity, and it doesn't take up too much space, even though it is a small bathroom.

[Luckymama]

I personally love the look of pedestal sinks, but our powder room is arranged in such a way that there is no storage (even nearby) for toilet paper, extra hand towels, and such.

 

We are in the process of renovating all our bathrooms. For the powder room, we are choosing a vanity w a set of doors under the sink (to hide the plumbing and be able to stash extra tp etc) but that stands on 4 legs and is open to the floor.

[PeterPan]

Clean Bone Pedestal Sink Top | 4" Centers | American Standard

 

This looks like what I have. It's 24" wide. I know it's American Standard Champion, but it's from a number of years back. I don't know how we got it in grey. They must have had it as an option then. Sometimes you get get things through private contractors that aren't at Lowes/Home Depot. 

 

It's a really nice sink. The other trick, if you go this way, is to use a mid-height faucet. I don't like the really low ones, because then you have to kind of bend over. Victorian Bathroom Collection The Delta Victorian is what I used. Comes in widespread and center set, and that depends on the holes in the sink you choose.2555-MPU-DST - Two Handle Centerset Lavatory Faucet - Metal Pop-Up So sorta like this. I personally didn't want to deal with that wide ledge around the sink, but it could be fine. I like the Clean sink design because any water that *does* get wayward is easy to wipe off the face of the bowl. And it's really no big deal. Like it's not like my dh is making that kind of mess. Just when I clean, I give the face a swipe. 

 

So to me, that last picture I linked would be a total pain to clean, comparatively, because it has lots of surfaces. Totally gorgeous, maybe worth it. Just saying that can factor into your decision. 

 

We don't miss the storage for a vanity. I keep the towels for that bath in the hall closet. If all your cleaning things are in a bucket, you could store that in the hall closet too if you wanted. I have a paper towel dispenser on the wall for people to use when they're really muddy, so that's on the wall and doesn't have to be under the sink either. We just don't miss it.

Edited July 6, 2017 by OhElizabeth

[PeterPan]

Better Homes and Gardens Toilet Paper Holder - Walmart.com

 

That's what I use for tp. :)

[Junie]

As others have said, I don't like the pedestal sink because there is no storage.

[Garga]

We have a pedestal and a vanity sink in our two bathrooms.

 

Pedestal is cute.

 

Vanity has storage and I can prop up my ipad on it and watch movies while I get ready in the morning. Or prop up a book to read.

 

I prefer the vanity.

[HeWillSoar]

I prefer a vanity for the storage.  I see a lot of vanities being done in the decorating blogs and magazines I read.

[alisoncooks]

We have a tiny hall bathroom and thought about a pedestal sink to make it feel roomier.  Then we decided that we needed the storage underneath.   We went with this style (which has a smaller footprint and the feel of a pedestal to me, with the sink bowl like that).

 

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Style-Selections-Euro-White-Integrated-Single-Sink-Bathroom-Vanity-with-Cultured-Marble-Top-Common-25-in-x-19-in-Actual-25-in-x-18-6-in/50311379

[Caroline]

I replaced my pedestal with a vanity for storage and for looks. TP and Clorox wipes and hand towels all fit neatly underneath. I also like the heartier look of the vanity. The pedestal is too girly for my house.

[Jaz]

I like vanity sinks for storage!

[Joules]

Hate the pedestal here!  Part of it is the layout of the bathroom.  The toilet is between the tub and the sink.  Without a vanity, there is no where to attach a toilet paper holder, so there is this weird metal stand that gets knocked over all.the.time!!!  There is a closet in that bathroom, so storage isn't as much of an issue.  We have a small wooden knick-knack shelf next to the pedestal to sit things on, but I would much prefer the single unit of the vanity.

[Lostinabook]

I love the look of a pedestal sink, but I'd only ever have one in a half bath. When I've stayed as a guest in other people's homes it's really frustrating to have no place to put my stuff when I'm trying to get ready in the morning.

[samba]

Even if it's a small bathroom, I'd go with a vanity. I'd want a place for toilet paper, hand towels, disinfecting wipes, tissues, etc. I don't think cute baskets would stay neat looking for very long in my house.

 

I think pedestals are cute! Kind of like the pixie cut; great for other people but wouldn't work for me. ;)

[TechWife]

Our powder room is very small. While we could get  a vanity in there, it would be uncomfortable for people who are beyond slightly overweight to turn around easily. The pedestal sink meets everyone's needs, which are to wash their hands. In addition, vanity cabinets can be costly - is the cost worth the benefit to your family in the short or long term? 

[TechWife]

Hate the pedestal here!  Part of it is the layout of the bathroom.  The toilet is between the tub and the sink.  Without a vanity, there is no where to attach a toilet paper holder, so there is this weird metal stand that gets knocked over all.the.time!!!  

 

Don't you have any wall space for the toilet paper holder? 

[Guest]

I like the clean look of a pedestal but it doesn't look clean if you have junk all over it.  And around it.  And baskets to hold all the stuff that would go in a vanity.  

 

I'll tell you a look I *do* like is the "floating" vanity...it's attached to the wall, so the floor under it (3-6") is uncovered.  Storage space, less bulk, and easy to keep clean floor.  Win win.  

[Joules]

Don't you have any wall space for the toilet paper holder? 

 

The toilet is a "comfort" one so it is out from the wall too much to put the holder next to the toilet.  You'd have to twist around and back.  The opposing wall is also too far away.  The bathroom is a bit larger than necessary, but it originally had a vanity, so it wasn't a problem.  The last owners remodeled with the pedestal.  There are so many things to do here that replacing it is low on the list.

[G5052]

We have tiny half bath with the sink on one wall, the toilet across from it, and the door in between.

 

I couldn't find a vanity that went wall-to-wall when we renovated it. None of the solutions for the gap really worked, and a custom cabinet would have cost more than I wanted to spend. So we went with a pedestal sink with a wide base that nearly fills the space. It's easy enough to wipe the floor once a week under it. It's very sturdy and doesn't move at all. It's well-anchored to the wall too.

 

On the opposite wall, we put up a narrow cabinet to store toilet paper and such above the toilet.

 

When we were looking at houses, the tiny half bath was really the only downside to the house, so we deal with it.

 

 

[Seasider]

I love the look but the extra toilet paper and toilet bowl cleaner have to go somewhere. In a true powder room (versus an actual full or half bath), there aren't typically cabinets. If you could put in an unobtrusive cabinet somewhere, it might be fine.

 

Also, if any guests are ever going to need to use that to brush their teeth or put on makeup, you might want to include a shelf somewhere. These are the things that keep steering me away from a pedestal in a small bathroom I'm starting to plan a reno on.

[TechWife]

I love the look but the extra toilet paper and toilet bowl cleaner have to go somewhere. In a true powder room (versus an actual full or half bath), there aren't typically cabinets. If you could put in an unobtrusive cabinet somewhere, it might be fine.

 

 

For my powder room, the extra toilet paper and bowl cleaner are kept in the storage closet across the hall. In my master bathroom (which has a vanity), I have a wicker box with a lid that holds four rolls of toilet paper. It sits on the top of the toilet tank. I don't keep cleaning supplies in that bathroom either. 

 

The family supply of toilet paper and bathroom cleaning supplies are kept under the vanity in the hall bathroom, which is communal. 

[Suzanne in ABQ]

I love my pedestal, but my powder room contains a separate cabinet for storage.