Does my bathroom vanity need to be flush against my wall?

In almost all cases, yes, your vanity should be flush against your bathroom wall. This should hide unsightly plumbing, but there are practical reasons, too. If a vanity isn’t set flush against the wall, it will shift slightly with daily use. Since your vanity is attached to your sinks and pipes, these small shifts will put strain on your plumbing and could cause leaks. There’s just one exception to the rule. If you happen to have a very spacious bathroom, and your plumbing comes up through the floor rather than out of the wall, then you might consider a bathroom vanity island.

Best bathroom vanities 2024: chosen by an expert

An example of the best bathroom vanities, a double bathroom vanity set.

(Image credit: Getty)

By Emilia Hitching

published 27 September 2023

in Advice

Emilia is our resident sleep writer. She spends her days tracking down the lowest prices on the best mattresses and bedding and spends her nights testing them out from the comfort of her own home. Emilia leads a team of testers across America to find the best mattress for every sleep style, body type, and budget.

Emilia's quest to learn how to sleep better takes her all around the world, from the 3Z mattress factory in Glendale, Arizona to the Hästens headquarters in Köping, Sweden. She's interviewed luxury bedding designers at Shleep and Pure Parima, as well as the Design Manager at IKEA. Before she joined Homes & Gardens, Emilia studied English at the University of Oxford.

I’m a shopping writer − these are the best bathroom vanities

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