Bathroom vanity height

[Aaron Fude]

Hi,

My wife and I find that the standard height of vanity of counter in the bathroom of about 30" is pretty low. (I actually have a bad back and end up brusing my teeth and shaving standing on my knees in front of our counter. But even when my back was fine I found the height inconvenient.) What's the reason for this being the standard height? To me, it seems that 37" - the standard height for a dining room server - is much more comfortable.

Anyway, what's your opinion? Now that we are remodeling, should we still not go with a 37" high vanity top (from a resale point of view?)

Many thanks in advance,

Aaron Fude

[dadiOH]

Someday I'll sell my house. I still made all counters 37+-. If I get a smart buyer - or one with a bad back - I figure I'll get more than I would if I made the counter tops hunch height.

If you do make them higher, set the basin forward as much as possible else it will require a slight stretch to get your hands under the faucet stream. Better yet, use a faucet that can be mounted somewhere other than the back.

[John Grabowski]

I put 36" high vanities in my bathrooms and everyone loves the height. It isn't so good for small children, but is wonderful for adults. I also got the additional benefit of more storage room and extra drawer in the vanity.

[RicodJour]

The standard 32" vanity does seem to have shrunk quite a bit since I was a kid trying to clamber up on them. Use a kitchen cabinet at 36"

- it's done all of the time and most adults like it better unless they're really short. The kickspace can house a slide out step to allow kids to use the higher lavatory more easily.

R

[Rick Blaine]

I know people who use kitchen counter height cabinets in the bath. Works fine.

-- "Tell me what I should do, Annie." "Stay. Here. Forever." - Life On Mars

[N8N]

Seems like a good idea to me. I know that it is difficult for me to shave/trim beard without making a mess because the mirror is at eye level but the sink is so far down, and it drives SWMBO nuts. Were it up higher perhaps this wouldn't be such an issue.

nate

[terry]

Gee. Aaron. You got me thinking. So just measured ours. Bathroom is 29.5 inches. Seems convenient height to lean in towards mirror. Can sahve etc. without using reading glasses. Kitchen is 35.25 inches. We mounted the upper cabinets a little lower than usual because my late wife was 5 foot 3 inches. Lived here since 1970 (37 years) brought up 3 and never realised we had/have a problem! I am 5 foot 10 inch, medium build 190+ pounds, approaching 74 years. Having seen how people have to live (Nay; just try to survive) in some other countries and having myself lived for sometime growing up up during/after WWII in Europe am glad we have more important things to complain about! How's the war in Iraq for example; the decreasing value of the US dollar, trade restrictions with other countries .................... which may/will boomerang on US industries if we are not careful. Have fun!

[franz frippl]

Could it be that the "standard" height was to appease the disabled and kids of yore?

Too bad bathrooms don't have adjustable vanity tops with memory controls. Walk in the bath, flip on the light and everything adjusts for a particular user. Cars have this feature. Maybe I ought to pee and wash in my car.

[HeyBub]

Decreasing value of the dollar is a boon for domestic manufacturers and service providers: it makes our stuff economically more attractive. Check the Dow-Jones - almost 14,000 on the "weak" dollar.

[RickH]

There are no real standards for bath vanity, 29 inch is std table height, 36 is std counter height. Most bath units fall around 32. But with the higher sink you will notice that the water runs down your elbows when you are washing your face, unlike the 32 inch.

[KLS]

Good point about the face washing, but overall the higher bath counter height really is nice, especially if the sink is close to the edge of the counter as another poster suggested. That's how our attic bath is set up, and the housemate likes it a lot. I'd love to redo our master bath with a similarly high vanity, but that's unlikely.

[Rudy]

In our last house, I made mine 36 " cabinet plus tile..just under 37". Worked great for us. When I sold the house the buyers who were about 5'5 didnt complain. In this house, they're the same again. Works well for us (I'm 6'4)

I also put "comfort height" Kohler toilets in both houses (2" taller than standard)

[Phisherman]

I don't see anything wrong with raising the height a couple inches for a master bathroom. For the main bathroom keep the standard height. Short people buy houses too.