Bathroom / Mirrors, Cabinets & Shelves

Bathroom mirrors, cabinets, and shelves for storage above the vanity

Bathroom mirrors, medicine cabinets, and open shelves cover the storage and reflective surfaces above the vanity counter. The category sits at the intersection of furniture and architecture. A mirror is essential, but where it lives and whether it doubles as storage depends on the bath's layout and the household's needs. Most installations group a mirror centered above the sink with shelves or a cabinet either flanking or replacing the plain mirror.

Mirror, medicine cabinet, or open shelf

A standalone mirror gives the most reflection but no storage. A medicine cabinet (mirror on the front, shelves behind) hides daily items like razors, prescriptions, and toiletries while still serving as the main mirror. Open shelves above or beside a separate mirror put towels, baskets, and decorative items on display but offer no concealment. Most baths use one of the three based on which storage tradeoff matters most to the household.

Sizing and placement

The bottom edge of a bath mirror or medicine cabinet typically sits 5 to 10 inches above the backsplash. Cabinet width either matches the sink width (single sink) or runs between vanity bowls (double sink). Recessed medicine cabinets sit flush with the wall but require an opening cut between studs during construction; surface-mount cabinets project from the wall and install without wall surgery. Plan for door swing clearance, since a surface-mount cabinet door can hit a sconce if the layout is tight.

Coordinating with the rest of the bath

The cabinet finish (if visible, since most medicine cabinets present a mirrored face) should sit in the same finish family as the vanity hardware and the robe hooks. Open shelves take wood or metal brackets that should match the bath's other accent metals. For matching vanity-side pulls, see bar pulls.