Most bathroom-vanity advice treats it like a single decision: pick a style, move on. But in a full remodel with two secondary bathrooms, that’s really two decisions, and there’s no rule that says they have to match. On a recent East Sacramento remodel, we gave one bathroom a pedestal sink and a round mirror, and the other a floating vanity with a full framed mirror. Same white subway tile, same matte black fixtures, two completely different feels. Here’s how to think about which one is right for your own bathroom.
The Pedestal Sink: Small-Space Simplicity
This secondary bathroom keeps things simple: a pedestal sink on a single slim column, a round mirror above it, and matte black fixtures against floor-to-ceiling white subway tile. With no cabinet base taking up floor space, the room reads more open than its actual square footage, a real advantage in a smaller bathroom where every inch of visible floor matters. The tradeoff is storage: everything that would normally live in a vanity drawer needs another home, whether that’s a linen closet down the hall or a small wall-mounted shelf.
The Floating Vanity: Storage Without the Bulk
The home’s other secondary bathroom takes a different approach: a wall-mounted floating vanity with a large framed mirror, paired with the same white subway tile and matte black fixtures used throughout the house. Because the vanity is mounted to the wall rather than resting on the floor, it keeps most of the visual lightness of a pedestal sink while adding real drawer storage underneath; towels, toiletries, and everyday items all get a home instead of competing for counter space. This particular bathroom also happens to open directly off the primary bedroom, which is exactly why the extra storage earns its keep: a bathroom used every single day by the same person benefits from having somewhere to put things close at hand.
A Third Option: The Double Vanity
Pedestal sink and floating vanity aren’t the only ways to handle a bathroom sink; if two people share a bathroom every morning, a double vanity solves the storage-and-space problem in a different way entirely. This example comes from a separate AAR bathroom remodel in El Dorado Hills, shown here for comparison rather than from the East Sacramento project featured above: two full sink stations, each with its own framed mirror and sconce lighting, plus a built-in shelf niche for everyday toiletries. It’s worth considering any time more than one person needs the sink at the same time.
Which One Fits Your Bathroom?
As a rule of thumb: reach for a pedestal sink in a true powder room or a small secondary bathroom that guests use occasionally, where storage isn’t doing much daily work and openness matters more. Reach for a floating vanity in any bathroom used daily, a primary ensuite, a kids’ bathroom, or a secondary bath that pulls double duty, where the extra drawer storage earns its keep. And reach for a double vanity specifically when two people need the sink at the same time, whether that’s a primary suite or a shared kids’ bathroom. There’s more nuance to picking a vanity style than just these three options; see our broader roundup of bathroom vanity ideas for other directions to consider.
Ready to Update Your Bathroom Vanity?
Whether you’re leaning toward the open simplicity of a pedestal sink or the everyday practicality of a floating vanity, the right choice comes down to how that specific bathroom gets used, not a single house-wide style rule. At America’s Advantage Remodeling, we’ve been doing this kind of work in the greater Sacramento area since 2001, and we’re happy to walk through your bathrooms with you and figure out what fits each one best. Reach out for a free in-home consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What’s the difference between a pedestal sink and a floating vanity?
A: A pedestal sink is a wall-mounted or floor-standing sink with a single slim support column and no storage underneath, while a floating vanity is a wall-mounted cabinet with drawers or shelves below the sink. Pedestal sinks read as more minimal and open; floating vanities give up a little of that openness in exchange for real, built-in storage.
Q: Which is better for a small bathroom?
A: Both work well in a small bathroom, just for different reasons. A pedestal sink keeps the floor visible underneath it, which can make a tight room feel less cramped, while a floating vanity still reads as light and open, since it’s wall-mounted, not floor-standing, and adds storage a pedestal sink can’t. If storage is tight elsewhere in the house, the floating vanity is usually the better trade.
Q: Can I add storage to a bathroom with a pedestal sink?
A: Yes. A pedestal sink bathroom can still get storage nearby; a linen cabinet, wall-mounted open shelving, or an over-the-toilet cabinet all work well; it just won’t be built directly into the sink base the way a vanity’s drawers are.
Q: How much does it cost to switch from a pedestal sink to a vanity?
A: Swapping a pedestal sink for a vanity during a bathroom remodel typically adds a modest amount on top of the sink and faucet swap itself, mainly for the cabinetry and any plumbing rework needed to route supply and drain lines behind a closed cabinet instead of exposed under a pedestal. The exact cost depends heavily on the vanity’s size and material.
Q: Do all the bathrooms in a home need to match in style?
A: No. There’s no requirement that every bathroom in a home use the same fixtures or vanity style. Many remodels intentionally vary the approach room to room, matching each bathroom’s size, use, and storage needs instead of forcing one design across the whole house, which is exactly what happened in the project featured here.
Q: What is a floating vanity, exactly?
A: A floating vanity is a bathroom vanity cabinet mounted directly to the wall rather than resting on the floor, leaving a visible gap underneath. It gives you drawer or shelf storage like a traditional vanity while still keeping the room feeling open, a common middle ground between a bulky floor-standing vanity and a storage-free pedestal sink.
Q: What if two people need to use the bathroom sink at the same time?
A: A double vanity is the best solution when two people regularly need sink access at once, such as a shared primary suite or a kids’ bathroom. It gives each person their own sink, mirror, and counter space, avoiding the daily bottleneck a single sink creates, at the cost of more floor space and plumbing than a single pedestal sink or floating vanity needs.
CONTACT US
Our Services
Areas We Serve
Certificate
