We're redoing our tiny bathroom and I'm seriously considering ditching the bulky vanity for one of those sleek pedestal sinks. I love how they open up the space, but I'm kinda worried about losing storage. Anyone here made the switch and regretted it later? Or maybe you've got some clever storage hacks to share...I'm all ears. Also, is installing one of these things a DIY nightmare or manageable for someone who's handy-ish?
"I love how they open up the space, but I'm kinda worried about losing storage."
Yeah, that's exactly what stopped me from switching to a pedestal sink in one of my rentals. I mean, they look fantastic, no doubt about it, but storage is always at a premium, especially in smaller bathrooms. Have you thought about wall-mounted shelves or maybe a slim cabinet above the toilet? I've seen some pretty clever setups that look tidy and still hold a decent amount of stuff. Also, curious—are you planning to redo the flooring too? Asking because I've heard pedestal sinks can sometimes leave visible gaps or marks on the floor if you're not careful with the install. Wondering if anyone else ran into that issue...
I went through something similar when we redid our guest bathroom a couple years back. Pedestal sinks definitely open things up visually, but yeah, storage was a big concern for us too. We ended up going for it anyway because the bathroom was tiny and felt super cramped with the old vanity. Here's what we did to make it work:
First, we installed a couple of floating shelves above the toilet. Nothing fancy—just simple wooden shelves from the hardware store, stained to match the mirror frame. They hold towels, extra TP, and a basket with toiletries. Honestly, it holds more than you'd think, and it looks pretty nice too.
Second, we got one of those slim rolling carts that fits between the toilet and the wall. It's narrow enough to tuck away neatly, but it has three shelves that hold cleaning supplies, extra soap, and random bathroom stuff. It's not the prettiest thing ever, but it's practical and easy to move around when cleaning.
As for flooring, we didn't redo ours at the time, and yeah, there was a bit of a visible mark from the old vanity. Luckily, the pedestal base covered most of it, but if you're picky about details, you might want to consider touching up or replacing the flooring at the same time. If you're careful with measurements and placement, though, you can usually minimize that issue.
One thing I didn't anticipate was how exposed the plumbing would be. Our pipes weren't exactly pretty, so we ended up painting them white to blend in better. Just something to keep in mind if your plumbing isn't already neat-looking.
Did you already pick out a specific pedestal sink, or are you still shopping around? Some models have slightly wider edges or built-in towel bars, which can help a bit with storage and functionality.
We swapped ours out a while back too, and yeah, the plumbing visibility was something we didn't fully anticipate either...ended up wrapping ours in a chrome sleeve thingy from the hardware store—worked pretty well. Curious though, have you thought about corner pedestal sinks? They can save even more space visually, but honestly, they seem even trickier for storage. Are you leaning toward a particular style yet or still weighing options?
Did a pedestal sink swap last year, here's my takeaway:
- Agree with others—storage loss is REAL. Had to get creative with wall-mounted shelves and baskets underneath.
- Plumbing exposure bothered me more than anticipated; chrome sleeve mentioned above is a decent fix but not perfect.
- On the eco side, less vanity means fewer materials used, which is a plus if sustainability matters to you.
- DIY doable if you're patient. Just triple-check pipe alignments before committing.
