"storage is a real headache"
Yeah, storage is the biggie with pedestal sinks. Another thing to keep in mind is plumbing access—if you ever need repairs, they're actually easier to work around than bulky vanities. Just something I've noticed crawling under sinks all day...
I swapped to a pedestal sink a couple years back—love the look, but yeah, storage became an issue pretty quick. Ended up installing shelves nearby, which helped. On the plus side, fixing a leak last summer was way less hassle without the vanity in the way... trade-offs, I guess.
I went pedestal sink about five years ago when we redid our tiny guest bath. Honestly, I was hesitant at first because I'm all about practicality and storage is king in our house (especially with kids). But the old vanity was bulky and made the room feel cramped, so we decided to give it a shot.
First thing I noticed—yeah, storage disappeared overnight. We ended up putting a small cabinet above the toilet and a few floating shelves on the opposite wall. It wasn't perfect, but it did force us to get rid of all those half-empty shampoo bottles and expired meds we'd been hoarding for years. Funny how much junk you realize you've accumulated when you're forced to downsize storage space...
On the upside, cleaning became way easier. No more awkwardly squeezing between the vanity and toilet to mop or wipe down surfaces. And like you mentioned, plumbing access is a dream compared to before. Had a slow drain issue last winter, and it was honestly refreshing not having to empty out an entire cabinet full of stuff just to troubleshoot.
Would I do it again? Probably yes—but only in smaller bathrooms or guest baths where you don't need tons of daily-use items stored right there. For our main bathroom, I stuck with a vanity because there's just too much stuff we use regularly that needs hiding away (hairdryers, extra towels, cleaning supplies...you know how it goes).
If you're leaning toward pedestal but worried about storage, maybe consider one of those narrow rolling carts or baskets underneath? My sister-in-law did that and it's surprisingly functional without cluttering up the look too much.
Anyway, just my two cents from someone who's been there!
Good points about the cleaning and plumbing access—those are definitely underrated perks. One thing I'd add from experience is that pedestal sinks can sometimes make plumbing repairs trickier if the installation wasn't done thoughtfully. I've seen a few cases where the pedestal itself blocked easy access to shut-off valves or made replacing faucet components a bit of a headache. Not a deal-breaker, but something worth double-checking during installation.
Also, curious if anyone's had issues with stability? I've noticed some pedestal sinks can feel a bit wobbly or insecure over time, especially if kids lean on them or climb up to reach the faucet (speaking from experience here...). Did you have to reinforce yours at all, or was it pretty solid from the start?
Totally relate to the stability issue—our pedestal sink felt solid at first, but after a few months of my kids using it as a jungle gym (seriously, why?), it started feeling a bit shaky. We ended up adding some extra silicone caulk around the base and tightening the wall bolts again. Not a huge hassle, but definitely something to keep an eye on if you've got little climbers at home...
