So, it’s time for a bathroom renovation. You’re practically gleeful at the thought of replacing your old pedestal sink, and transforming your bathroom into your very own centre of calm and relaxation, but you’re seeking some inspiration.
This is the blog for you.
Read to explore our top 5 reasons to replace your pedestal basin with a vanity unit, and discover the perfect basin to complete your vision of the perfect bathroom.
Pedestal Sinks Vs Vanity Units –
Why You Should Choose a Vanity Unit
1. Vanity Units Offer Tons of Storage
Classic pedestal sinks have a streamlined design that, while sleek and space-saving, offer no storage space or counter space, for even the most basic bathroom essentials.
Some homeowners especially committed to their pedestal basins have adopted the sink skirt, enabling them to store some bathroom accessories around the base of the pedestal, and pull the curtain around. However, this “solution” has a very particular old-timey, country look, that in 2024 is likely only stylistically appropriate in a tiny number of modern bathrooms.
Of course, the sink skirt does nothing to create a little more space around the basin itself, which in most pedestal sink designs is just about large enough to fit a toothbrush holder, lay down your razor or place the smallest toiletries products while in use, if you’ve got the balancing act down to a fine art.
Vanity units rectify both these problems, offering cabinet space, and countertop space around the basin, which can be either mounted on top of the countertop, or mounted under, and sunken into the countertop.
At Parker Howley, we manufacture bespoke vanity units in Yorkshire UK, and tailor our models which offer a varied range of storage options, to your unique aesthetic and practical requirements.
Browse models like our Thornton 4 Drawer, which features 4 large drawers and a spacious open shelf to store your towels or display decorative accessories, The Italian Combinato, which features 2 doors and 3 drawers for all your storage needs, the reeded Daphne H9, with one open shelf and 2 scalloped doors, and tailor the colour, countertop, basin, and taps. You can also work with our team to tailor your unit’s internal storage to your unique requirements.
2. Your Pedestal Sink Could Be Ageing Your Bathroom Design
While there are a number of manufacturers of more contemporary pedestal sinks, most widely available pedestal designs sit in the hyper traditional design category.
Vanity units however, are a far more versatile basin option, with both traditional and contemporary designs widely available. This means, whatever your chosen school of design, you can find the perfect centrepiece to transform your bathroom, and if you shop Parker Howley’s bespoke vanity units, tailor almost every element to your most exacting tastes.
Furthermore, vanity units like ours are commonly thought to increase the value of your home, whereas bathrooms featuring a traditional pedestal sink could be seen as something of a relic of the past, impacting your home’s resale value should you want to sell it.
3. Vanity Units Offer You More Aesthetic Control
Most widely available pedestal basins, even those by leading luxury bathroom brands, have a classic white porcelain aesthetic. Sure, some are more angular, flatter and wider for a slightly more contemporary look, but generally speaking, most pedestal sinks could be considered stylistically restrictive.
Vanity Units, on the other hand, especially bespoke builds like ours, offer you greater aesthetic versatility.
Browse our range of unit designs and tailor your favourite design to feature either a stunning plain wood, wood stained, or painted finish, select the kind of countertop, the orientation of your basin (countertop or undermount), the specific basin or basins your vanity unit will feature, its taps, and the unit’s door handles. We give you full aesthetic control of your bathroom’s design, using only the highest quality timber, paint, Rubio Monocoat stains, fixtures and fittings.
4. Most Pedestal Sinks Are Only Available as Wall Hung Models
Though their appearance may suggest otherwise, Pedestal sinks are actually wall hung. The bases are only a secondary support for the basin and also serve to obscure the sink’s plumbing. The basins tend to be hung from a bracket, and mounted to either a brace or the framing of the wall.
However, despite their wall hung status, pedestal sink designs don’t offer the benefits that truly floating wall hung basins (without pedestals) and wall hung vanity units do.
The benefit of wall hung vanity units like ours (and indeed wall hung basins generally) is that they highlight your bathroom’s tiled flooring, maximise your space, increase the light across your bathroom, and create an open, airy feel that supports relaxation.
Freestanding vanity units offer different benefits, making a stunning focal point and centrepiece for your bathroom, offering a timeless sense of luxury and sturdiness to your bathroom design, and providing the ability to safely redecorate around your unit or take your bespoke vanity with you should you move home.
5. Vanity Units Offer Easier Installation
Pedestal sinks are widely known to be tricky to install. Even for professionals. The list of materials and tools involved to complete a pedestal installation is extensive, and it takes a considerable level of skill/experience to fit and to effectively hide the piping.
Only the most accomplished DIY whiz should attempt an install, due to the precision involved, and that’s without having to relocate pipes, which is not only a potentially complex job in itself, but will require you to redecorate over the patch of wall that will be disturbed.
Vanity units on the other hand, are much easier to install, taking a professional significantly less time to fit, with far fewer tools.
