Bathroom Vanity Units and Wash Stands Buying Guide

Key takeaways

• Measure width, depth and height carefully, including door swing and circulation space, before choosing any bathroom vanity or wash stand.
• Wall hung units make small bathrooms feel bigger, while floor standing vanity units are often easier to fit and provide more internal storage.
• Moisture-resistant MDF and lacquered finishes are practical and affordable, while solid wood adds warmth but needs a bit more care.
• For compact spaces, a cloakroom-sized unit such as a 400 mm floor standing vanity can be a smart alternative to a pedestal basin – for example, the Crawley Grey 400 mm unit with basin.
• Plan your plumbing, storage needs and preferred materials at the same time so you do not end up with a beautiful unit that is awkward to use or difficult to maintain.

Why this category matters

Bathroom vanity units and wash stands do far more than simply support a sink. They define how you use the space day to day. A good vanity offers clear countertop space for essentials, hidden storage for clutter and a practical working height that suits the people using it. A poor choice can leave you bumping into corners, short of storage or constantly wiping up splashes because the basin is too small or set too close to a wall.

In many homes, the vanity area is also the visual focal point of the bathroom. The proportion, style and finish of the unit have a big impact on whether the room feels airy and modern, cosy and traditional or cramped and messy. Because vanity units sit around plumbing, they are also trickier to swap than a freestanding cabinet, so it pays to get the decision right once and enjoy it for years.

From a practical point of view, choosing the right size and layout can even make a small bathroom feel bigger. A slimline or wall hung unit opens up floor space, turning a tight cloakroom into a room that feels usable, while a double-sink vanity can transform a busy family bathroom into a space where two people can get ready side by side without competing for the mirror.

Finally, quality matters. Bathrooms are humid, and furniture is exposed to splashes, steam and lotions daily. A well-constructed vanity unit made from moisture-resistant materials will withstand that environment far better than a basic cupboard. Understanding the differences between solid wood, MDF and high-gloss finishes – covered in more depth in our guide to bathroom vanity unit materials – helps you balance budget, looks and durability.

How to choose

Selecting a bathroom vanity or wash stand starts with the space you actually have, not the picture in a showroom. Begin by measuring the width of the wall where the unit will sit, the depth from the wall to any door swing or opposite obstruction, and the height from floor to windowsills, mirrors and other fixtures. For most adults, a comfortable basin rim height is around 840–900 mm, but this can vary, especially in cloakrooms or where children are the main users.

Next, think about layout. Do you want the basin centred or offset to one side to give more counter space? Is the door or a radiator close by? Do you need drawers that pull fully out, or will a simple cupboard be enough? At this stage it is useful to sketch a simple floor plan and mark clearances. Aim for at least 600 mm of clear floor in front of the vanity so you can bend and open doors or drawers comfortably.

The type of vanity you choose should also reflect how you use the bathroom. Wall hung units fix to the wall with open floor beneath, which helps the room feel larger and makes cleaning the floor easier. Floor standing vanity units essentially act as a piece of furniture that rests on the floor and is fixed back to the wall for stability; these tend to offer more internal space and are often simpler to install, especially in older properties with less-than-perfect walls.

Storage style matters too. Deep drawers are excellent for everyday items like hairdryers, shaving kits and bottles, because everything is visible from above. Cupboards with shelves suit bulkier items and cleaning products. Many compact units, such as a 400 mm cloakroom vanity, offer a cupboard with soft close hinges, balancing simplicity with neat storage. In larger bathrooms, consider a wider unit – for example a 600 mm or 500 mm floor standing vanity – to gain both counter space and more storage without making the room feel crowded.

Practical measuring checklist

It is worth taking a few minutes to measure systematically before you fall in love with a particular unit. Use this quick checklist as you plan:

• Width: Measure wall to wall, then subtract at least 50–100 mm clearance on each side so the unit is not jammed against a wall or shower screen.
• Depth: Measure from the wall to the nearest obstruction opposite (door, bath, shower, radiator) and leave at least 600 mm of clear standing room in front of the vanity.
• Height: Check the position of any window sills, mirrors or shaver sockets, and note your preferred basin height.
• Doors and drawers: Mark out the proposed unit on the floor with masking tape and make sure doors or drawers can open without hitting anything.
• Plumbing: Note the location of waste pipes and water feeds so you can choose a unit that will work without major re-routing.

Tip: If you are unsure between two sizes, mark both on the floor and live with the tape lines for a day or two. It is often easier to feel whether a 400 mm, 500 mm or 600 mm unit will suit the room once it is visualised at full scale.

Common mistakes

One of the most common mistakes with bathroom vanity units is focusing on width and forgetting about depth. A unit that is too deep can intrude into the room, making it awkward to move around and causing clashes with inward-opening doors or shower screens. Slimline vanity units are designed to solve this, with reduced projection from the wall, yet still offer enough basin size and storage for everyday use. Always check the depth measurement against your available space, not just the advertised width.

Another pitfall is underestimating plumbing constraints. Choosing a beautiful vanity only to discover that the existing waste and water feeds clash with drawers or internal shelves can lead to costly modifications. Floor standing units with cupboards, such as many cloakroom vanities, often provide the easiest route for disguising pipework without major changes. Wall hung units can require more thought about how pipes enter the unit, particularly in solid walls.

Storage can also be misjudged. A minimalist wash stand with an exposed frame and countertop basin looks stunning, but offers little hidden space for everyday clutter. If you share a bathroom or prefer clear countertops, a fully enclosed vanity with drawers or cupboards is usually more practical. Think carefully about what you actually need to store: spare towels, cleaning products, toiletries, children’s bath toys and so on, then choose an interior layout that suits.

Finally, material choice is sometimes treated as an afterthought. In a humid room, furniture not designed for bathrooms can swell, peel or discolour. Look for moisture-resistant MDF cores and properly lacquered or sealed finishes, especially in white gloss or painted units. Solid wood can be beautiful but may require slightly more care to prevent warping. To understand the pros and cons in more depth, our guide on wood, MDF and gloss compared is a useful next step.

Top bathroom vanity unit and wash stand options

To make the choices more concrete, it helps to look at real examples of popular floor standing vanity units in practical widths for typical UK bathrooms and cloakrooms. The following options illustrate different sizes and finishes that work well in many layouts, from compact cloakrooms to standard family bathrooms.

Each of these units combines a vanity cabinet with an included ceramic basin and waste, which can simplify both purchasing and installation. They are designed with a single tap hole, allowing you to partner them with a mono basin mixer tap of your choice. Use them as benchmarks when comparing similar products, paying attention to width, depth, finish and storage style.

Denvor White 600 mm Floor Standing Vanity with Basin

The Denvor White 600 mm floor standing vanity unit with basin combines a practical width with a clean, modern lacquered finish. At around 600 mm wide, it suits standard bathrooms where you want a comfortable basin size and usable counter space without overwhelming the room. The included ceramic basin has a single tap hole and comes with a waste, making it straightforward to pair this unit with your preferred mixer tap.

Because this is a floor standing design, the unit rests on the floor and anchors back to the wall, which can be reassuring in homes where walls are not perfectly even. The cabinet doors help disguise pipework neatly, and the lacquered finish is designed to cope with everyday splashes and steam. The white colour works well with both modern and traditional schemes and makes the room feel brighter.

This 600 mm Denvor White vanity is a strong choice if you have a medium-sized bathroom and want a balance of storage and presence. It will feel more generous than a 400 mm cloakroom unit, but still fit comfortably on most standard walls. You can explore more detail and current availability by visiting the 600 mm Denvor White floor standing vanity with basin, or compare it with other 600 mm units on the bestselling wash stands and vanity units page.

Crawley Grey 400 mm Floor Standing Cloakroom Vanity

For smaller spaces such as cloakrooms or compact ensuites, the Crawley Grey 400 mm floor standing vanity unit offers a neat, space-saving footprint. At around 400 mm wide, it tucks comfortably into tight corners while still providing a proper ceramic basin with a single tap hole and included waste. The grey lacquered finish brings a subtle contemporary touch that contrasts well with white tiles and sanitaryware.

The cupboard-style storage with soft close hinges is ideal for tucking away cleaning products or spare loo rolls, keeping a tiny room calm and uncluttered. Because it is floor standing, it can often use existing pipework without major alterations, especially when replacing an old pedestal basin. The reduced width makes it particularly suitable behind doors or beside toilets where every millimetre counts.

If you are trying to decide between a corner basin, a pedestal or a slimline vanity, a compact unit like this Crawley Grey option gives you hidden storage and a smarter look in roughly the same footprint as many cloakroom basins. You can see more details on the Crawley Grey 400 mm floor standing cloakroom vanity, or browse other compact units among the popular bathroom vanity and wash stand options.

Denvor White 500 mm Floor Standing Cloakroom Vanity

The Denvor White 500 mm floor standing vanity unit with basin sits between the compact 400 mm cloakroom size and a standard 600 mm unit, making it a useful compromise for many British bathrooms. The 500 mm width provides a noticeably more generous basin and storage capacity than a 400 mm unit, without demanding as much wall space as a larger vanity.

As with its larger 600 mm sibling, this 500 mm Denvor White unit pairs a lacquered white cabinet with a ceramic basin featuring a single tap hole and included waste. The door design and soft close hinges help keep contents out of sight and noise to a minimum. This size is well suited to small family bathrooms, ensuites or larger cloakrooms where you can spare a little extra width for a more comfortable washing area.

If you find a 400 mm unit looks a little small in your space but a 600 mm vanity feels dominant, a 500 mm width like this can be a sweet spot. It gives enough room for everyday tasks without crowding the room. For design and specification details you can look at the Denvor White 500 mm floor standing vanity with basin, and compare it with other mid-size vanity units listed among popular bathroom wash stands and vanity units.

Insight: When browsing product listings, always check both the cabinet width and the overall width including the basin overhang. The total footprint on the wall is what really matters for fitting.

Conclusion

Choosing a bathroom vanity unit or wash stand is ultimately about balancing space, storage, style and practicality. By measuring carefully, thinking through how you use the room and understanding the basic differences between sizes, types and materials, you can avoid common pitfalls and end up with a unit that feels as though it was made for your bathroom.

Compact cloakroom units such as the Crawley Grey 400 mm vanity show how much storage and style you can add in a small footprint, while mid-size and standard units like the Denvor White 600 mm floor standing vanity give more generous washing space in bigger rooms.

Take your time to compare dimensions, interior layouts and finishes, and do not hesitate to use masking tape, sketches and our related guides to test ideas before you buy. With a considered choice, your new vanity can make everyday routines smoother and your bathroom feel both calmer and more organised.