Vanity unit
A vanity unit, sometimes called sink unit or cupboard, under-sink or basin cabinet, is simply a cupboard with a flat surface that houses a sink, normally a wash basin and normally located in a bathroom. The units are normally made from timber or composite material and can be a wall-hung, freestanding or corner units with the sanitaryware basin above, whole, inset, recessed or resembling a bowl sitting on the surface. In all cases the sanitary pipework is most likely to be hidden by the unit itself.
Historically, vanity units pre-age running water and would have originally been a simple closed bowl or basin sitting on a small cupboard, often in a bedroom, filled and emptied by hand for an early morning wash. As early as 1762, Thomas Chippendale, a London based cabinet maker, working in mid-Georgian, English Rococo, and Neoclassical styles is recorded as having made what was then called a toylet table. Now this would be spelled toilet table, the same units may have more commonly been called washstands around the same time and potentially earlier.
In the middle-upper classes these units would have slowly come to be referred as vanity tables or dressing tables, the later of which tending to remain with a mirror in bedrooms but without a sink and the former more commonly located in bathrooms, or washrooms in effect as a washbasin with a mirror and a sink. These would have eventually included a waste feed and then taps with the on set of running water.
Today vanity units, are useful because they hide waste and supply pipes, whilst making better use of wasted space under neath sink basins or bowls, providing additional storage space for sanitary bathroom goods.
A pedestal sink or pedestal basin (also vice versa) is a variation and maybe seen to as an opposite style of vanity unit which refers to a sink unit sitting on a single leg or pedestal, normally made of the same ceramic material as the basin, though today is also likely to be fixed to the wall. A vanity unit may also be retrofitted around a pedestal sink to hide the original older feature or simply to create more storage space.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
Featured articles and news
Celebrating architecture's eloquent champions.
Unusual perspectives on 1960s’ thinking.
AI and the challenges to intellectual property
The legal landscape of adopting AI now and in the future.
Worrying landscape for Welsh construction SMEs revealed.
In recent risk factor analysis report completed by CIOB.
Construction Sport survey highlights risks of dehydration
Supporting construction workers to avoid dangers.
Can your business afford to ignore mental well-being?
£70 - 100 billion annually in UK construction sector.
Mental health in the construction industry
World Mental Health Day 10 October.
Construction awards provide relief in wake of ISG collapse
Spike in major infrastructure awards, housing up but short of targets, are ISG collapse impacts yet to come.
Biodiversity net gain with related updates and terms
Only 0.5% of applications subject to BNG in the context significant proposed changes to planning.
As political power has shifted from blue to red
Has planning now moved from brown to green?
The role of construction in tackling the biodiversity crisis
New CIOB Nature of Building digital series available now.
The Nature Towns and Cities initiative
Grants of up to 1 million for local councils and partners.
The continued ISG fall out October updates
Where to look for answers to frequently asked questions.
Building safety remediation programme for Wales
With 2024 October progress updates.
In major support package for small businesses.
Conservation and transformation
Reading Ruskin’s cultural heritage. Book review.