Bathroom Vanity Ideas: Single, Double and Floating Designs

The vanity is the heart of your bathroom. It’s the first thing you see in the morning, the last thing you see at night, and it’s what ties the whole room together visually. Bathroom vanity ideas have expanded a lot in the past few years. You’re no longer choosing between a basic box with a mirror. You’ve got single, double, floating, vessel sink, custom-built, and everything in between.

At 7 Cities Kitchen & Bath, cabinetry is literally our specialty. We design and install bathroom vanities across Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, and the rest of Hampton Roads. We know what works, what holds up, and what looks good five years after installation. 

Here’s your complete guide to bathroom vanity ideas in 2026.

Quick Answer: How Do You Choose a Bathroom Vanity?

Choose a vanity based on bathroom size, number of users, and your storage needs first. Then choose the style. A single vanity works well for most secondary bathrooms and smaller spaces. A double vanity is ideal for any shared bathroom. Floating vanities work in most spaces and create a more open, modern feel. Custom cabinetry is the best option for unusual room dimensions or specific storage needs.

Single Vanity Ideas

Single vanities are the most versatile. They fit in almost any bathroom size and come in a huge range of styles. A single vanity typically runs 24 to 48 inches wide.

Here’s what’s trending for single vanities in 2026:

Statement Sink Combos

A single vanity with a vessel sink creates a bold focal point in a smaller bathroom. The sink sits on top of the counter rather than dropping into it, which adds height and visual interest. Pair it with a wall-mounted faucet for a very clean look.

Furniture-Style Vanities

Vanities that look like a piece of furniture rather than a bathroom fixture are popular in transitional and farmhouse-style homes. Think turned legs, a hutch-style upper section, or a distressed wood finish. These work especially well in guest bathrooms where you want the room to feel warm and inviting.

Bold Color Choices

Navy, forest green, charcoal, and terracotta vanities are having a real moment. Against a white or light grey wall, a deep-colored vanity cabinet with brushed brass hardware looks incredibly sharp. It’s a low-risk way to bring personality into a bathroom without committing to a dramatic tile choice.

Compact Floating Singles

In small guest bathrooms or powder rooms, a narrow floating vanity (18-24 inches deep, 24-30 inches wide) with an undermount sink creates a sleek, space-saving look. Keep it wall-mounted and the floor looks bigger and easier to clean.

Double Vanity Ideas

The double vanity is one of the most requested upgrades in Hampton Roads bathroom remodeling projects. If two people share a bathroom, this is a quality-of-life upgrade that pays for itself almost immediately.

Standard double vanity widths run 60-72 inches. Here are the double vanity ideas people love most right now:

Side-by-Side Undermount Sinks

Two undermount sinks set into a continuous quartz countertop is the most popular double vanity configuration. Clean, practical, and easy to maintain. The quartz countertop resists staining and moisture better than most materials.

Two-Tone Finishes

Mixing a white upper cabinet with a warm wood-tone lower cabinet, or using two slightly different cabinet colors for each person’s side, is a trend picking up momentum. It adds visual depth and makes a large double vanity feel more intentional.

Matching Medicine Cabinets

Two recessed medicine cabinets mounted above each sink give both users their own mirror and hidden storage. This is one of the most practical double vanity setups we install, especially in master bathrooms where storage is always at a premium.

Sconce Lighting Between Sinks

Instead of one long light bar above the vanity, a wall sconce between the two sinks (or on the outer sides) gives each side its own light source for grooming. It also tends to look more polished than a single overhead strip.

Our bathroom remodeling services team installs double vanities in all sizes. If you’re in a space that’s too small for a standard double, there are custom configurations that can make it work.

Floating Vanity Ideas

Floating or wall-mounted vanities are the most modern option available right now, and their popularity isn’t slowing down. They’re mounted directly to the wall with no legs or base touching the floor.

Here’s why floating vanities are worth considering:

• The open floor space beneath makes bathrooms feel significantly larger
• The floor is fully exposed, making it easier to mop and clean
• They can be installed at any height, which is great for customizing to user height or for accessibility
• They work especially well with large-format floor tile where you want the tile to be visible all the way across the room

Design ideas for floating vanities:

• Pair a matte white floating cabinet with a waterfall quartz countertop for a very clean, minimal look
• Use a warm walnut or wood-look finish for warmth in a mostly white bathroom
• Add undermount LED lighting below the cabinet for a soft ambient glow that makes the vanity appear to float even more dramatically
• Mount two side-by-side floating cabinets with a gap between them for a modern take on the double vanity

For a custom floating vanity built to your exact dimensions, check out the cabinet brands we use and our custom bathroom design services.

Sinks, Countertops, and Hardware

The details on top of and around your vanity cabinet are just as important as the cabinet itself.

Sink Types:

Countertop Materials:

Quartz is the most popular bathroom countertop material in 2026. It’s non-porous (important in a bathroom), available in a huge range of looks from solid white to dramatic veined patterns, and needs very little maintenance. Marble looks stunning but stains and etches easily in a bathroom environment. Porcelain slab countertops are a newer option that mimics marble with far less maintenance.

Hardware:

Hardware is the jewelry of a vanity. The most popular finishes in 2026 are:

• Brushed gold or champagne bronze for a warm, luxurious feel
• Matte black for a bold, clean contrast on light cabinets
• Brushed nickel as a timeless, versatile choice
• Mixed metals (matte black pulls with brushed brass faucet, for example) for a more curated, layered look

Stick with one or two metal finishes per bathroom. Mixing too many creates visual clutter.

Vanity Lighting

Lighting above or beside the vanity mirror is critical. Bad lighting in a bathroom makes the whole room feel dim and makes grooming difficult.

What works best:

• Side-mounted sconces at eye level (around 60-65 inches from the floor to the center of the fixture) give the most flattering, even light for faces. This is what you want if you’re grooming, applying makeup, or shaving.
• Overhead light bar above the mirror is fine for general illumination but creates more shadows on the face.
• Backlit mirrors are a popular modern choice. They give a soft glow around the entire mirror and work especially well in minimal, clean-lined bathrooms.
• Dimmer switches on vanity lighting are an easy upgrade that let you shift from bright task lighting to a more relaxed ambiance.

For a double vanity, one long light bar or two separate sconces (one above or beside each sink) are both popular approaches.

Custom vs. Stock Vanities: What’s the Difference and What Does It Cost?

This is a question we get a lot. Here’s the honest breakdown:

Stock vanities come in fixed sizes (usually 24, 30, 36, 48, 60, or 72 inches wide), fixed styles, and are available at home improvement stores. They’re the fastest and least expensive option.

Semi-custom vanities offer more size and finish options. Delivered in a few weeks, moderate price point.

Custom vanities are built to your exact dimensions, in your exact finish, with your exact storage configuration. Cabinetry is 7 Cities Kitchen & Bath’s specialty, and custom vanity builds are a significant part of what we do.

2026 cost ranges for bathroom vanity installation (Angi):

Custom vanities cost more upfront but they fit your space precisely, last longer, and hold up better to daily use than stock units. In a bathroom with unusual dimensions (common in older Hampton Roads homes), custom is often the only option that actually works.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most popular bathroom vanity?

The 36-inch single vanity with a quartz countertop, undermount sink, and white shaker-style cabinet is the most popular choice overall. For primary bathrooms, the 60-72 inch double vanity with quartz top is consistently the top seller. Floating vanities are the fastest-growing style in 2026.

Single or double vanity: which is better?

A double vanity is better for any bathroom shared by two people. A single vanity is better for smaller bathrooms or spaces used by one person. Single vanities are also better when you want a statement piece. Double vanities are a strong investment for primary bathrooms and increase home value.

How much does a custom bathroom vanity cost?

Custom bathroom vanities typically run $3,000-$8,000 for a single unit and $5,000-$15,000 or more for a custom double vanity, including installation. The exact cost depends on cabinet materials, countertop choice, size, and local labor rates. Stock vanities are available from $400.

What is the standard height for a bathroom vanity?

Standard bathroom vanity height is 32-36 inches from floor to countertop. The traditional standard was 32 inches, but most modern vanities are built at 34-36 inches (sometimes called “comfort height”) to be more ergonomic. Floating vanities can be mounted at any height to suit the user.

Ready to Design Your Ideal Vanity?

A great bathroom vanity doesn’t just look good. It functions better every single day. Whether you’re looking for a sleek floating single or a fully custom double vanity build, the team at 7 Cities Kitchen & Bath can design and install it. Cabinetry is our core specialty and we’ve done it all across Hampton Roads.

Get a Free Quote or call us at 757-966-8230 to get started.