From the moment we met, I knew our 1980s half bath was destined for the dump. Like a big hair rock band that didn’t know when to hang it up, this powder room had overstayed its welcome. Never in a million years, did I think we’d live with its clunker of a vanity or open front toilet for more than a minute. But this blog is here to tell you Rome and home redesigns weren’t built in a day … and finding a tiny vanity is a tall order!

The advantage in waiting for funds to come along and finding things like a teensy vanity is plenty of time to develop a design plan, and your taste. By the time this project took center stage, we were well on our Coastal French way to overhauling the first floor. The kitchen, family room, dining room, entryway and living room were already done. For this Coastal French Half Bath -to-be, the color palette, hardware and textures were narrowed down for us.

The Space:

5 feet x 4 feet = 20 square feet.

The Challenge:

Making this half bath feel larger and more inviting

The Solutions:

1. A tiny vanity (20″ x 16″)
2. A round, skirted toilet
3. A large scale floor pattern & attention-grabbing accent wall
4. An oversized arched mirror
5. Fun art (in our case, French … duh)

The Vanity Problem

The original vanity was a solid block that barely allowed room for the door to swing in. It made everything feel tight. Bailing on a vanity and just installing a wall faucet/sink wasn’t an option either. We didn’t want to deal with ripping out the wall for repairs if something went wrong. Plus, you need a little storage in a powder room!

We had our eye on Pottery Barn’s Benchwright vanities — solid, rustic, with open shelving that created, well, openness. Unfortunately, the smallest Benchwright was still far too large for the space … not to mention expensive, at $3000.

We scoured the interwebs for something similar. We browsed showrooms, too. Bertch, a custom cabinet maker, has a Pottery Barn Benchwright copycat called Interlude. Extra points for the Interlude console because you can customize the wood species and stain. But even the smallest option was still 24″ x 18″. The hunt continued.

A Tiny Vanity

Desperation (and frustration) finally set in, and we found a tiny vanity in a place I struggle to love: Wayfair. I find the volume of products overwhelming, and the return policy restrictive/nerve-racking. However, the reviews of their Alvah vanity were great, so we took a chance. At 16″ deep x 20″ wide (and a price to match), it’s a winner. The Alvah is unrivaled for it’s diminutive dimensions and the rustic modern style we wanted:

It checks all the boxes for a Coastal French look — a driftwood finish and open shelving for that air of relaxed organization. It comes with the white sink built in (one less hunt/decision)! The sink is ample, and not so shallow you get splashback when turning on the faucet.

We also love that this tiny vanity has a cabinet door and not drawers. You need a place to stash taller cleaning items, toiletries and the plumbing — this keeps it all neatly hidden. To complete the look, my husband found an antique brick mold we use for extra hand towels at Jayson Home. (This post was written before we established a relationship with Jayson Home. By clicking on the link we may receive a small commission on purchases at no cost to you).

Coastal French Faucet

The Alvah vanity comes with a pre-drilled single hole for a faucet. Unless we drilled two more holes, there would be no widespread awesomeness here. It’s just as well given how small it is. The single faucet makes room for soap, lotion and a decorative diffuser (Mersea’s ‘Sun Kissed’ — love, love, LOVE this scent!) It also means easier cleaning with only one element to wipe down!

That said, I wasn’t easily letting go of my cross handle vision. Or the gooseneck. There aren’t many faucets falling into both camps so the field narrowed fast. We settled on the Riobel Momenti C spout in nickel (looks like stainless steel) and black. We liked how it made for a monochromatic look with the tile, mirror, and lighting. However, no one knows how to turn it on at first. Everyone assumes you turn the cross handle, but that would be wrong. You tip the entire cross handle out — turning it only adjusts the temperature. We use it as a conversation piece with guests … and an intelligence test (just kidding).

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