We went pedestal a few years back too and ended up doing a narrow wall-mounted cabinet instead of recessed shelves—mostly because I chickened out on cutting drywall, lol. It worked out fine, but I do envy the recessed look. Curious, did you run into any plumbing or wiring surprises when you opened up the wall? That's always been my worry with recessed shelving...
"Curious, did you run into any plumbing or wiring surprises when you opened up the wall? That's always been my worry with recessed shelving..."
Yeah, that's a legit concern. I've opened up plenty of walls for repairs and you'd be surprised how often plumbing or wiring isn't exactly where you'd expect it to be. Usually it's manageable, but occasionally you'll find something weird—like pipes routed in odd angles or wires tucked right behind drywall. Did you check your wall with a stud finder or inspection camera first?
I feel your pain on the hidden surprises behind walls. When I swapped out our old vanity for a pedestal sink, I thought it'd be a quick weekend job—famous last words, right? Turns out the plumbing was routed in a way that made zero sense. Like, whoever installed it originally must've been playing Tetris with pipes. Ended up having to reroute some plumbing lines to get everything centered properly behind the pedestal.
Honestly though, even with the extra hassle, I'd still say go for it. Pedestal sinks open up smaller bathrooms so much and make cleaning around them a breeze. Just make sure you have a backup plan (and maybe a plumber friend on speed dial) in case things get weird behind the drywall. A quick peek with an inspection camera beforehand can save you from some serious headaches later on...trust me, learned that one the hard way.
Did you find the pedestal sink gave you enough storage space afterward? I've been tempted to switch ours out too, but I'm worried about losing all that hidden storage under the vanity. Also, how tricky was it to patch up the drywall after rerouting pipes? Drywall repairs always seem simple until you're knee-deep in joint compound dust...
"Drywall repairs always seem simple until you're knee-deep in joint compound dust..."
Couldn't agree more with this. Pedestal sinks look sleek, but storage is definitely a trade-off. If you're used to stashing cleaning supplies or toiletries under the vanity, you'll need alternative solutions like wall-mounted shelves or a nearby cabinet. Regarding drywall repairs after rerouting pipes—it's straightforward if you plan carefully. Mark your cuts neatly, use drywall patches rather than large sheets, and feather out your joint compound layers gradually. Patience here saves headaches later...