900mm Vanities Buying Guide
The width is only the start. The basin layout, the depth and the way the unit mounts decide whether a 900mm vanity works in your room.
Who a 900mm vanity suits
A 900mm vanity suits a main or family bathroom, where it balances one basin, a full set of drawers and some bench space. It is usually not wide enough for two basins, so a single bowl is the normal choice at this width.
Basin layouts at 900mm
Most 900mm vanities take a centre bowl, and many offer the bowl on the left or the right, which leaves a clear run of bench on the other side. A small number offer an offset bowl, and a couple offer a double.
Check what is included
A vanity listing can mean a cabinet only, a cabinet with a top, or a cabinet with a top and basin, and the waste and tapware are usually separate. Read the inclusions on the product page before you compare prices. The tap hole position is set when the top is made, so choose your tapware first, or confirm the tap hole count, before you order.
Depth and clearance
Standard vanity depth is about 450mm to 500mm, and slimline units are shallower, at roughly 320mm to 400mm. Compact depth units are offered at 900mm, so check the depth on the product when floor space is tight. Leave about 700mm to 750mm clear in front of the vanity so you can stand and move, and check that drawers and doors open fully without hitting the toilet, a shower screen or the bathroom door.
How to measure for a 900mm vanity
Measure the wall before you measure the vanity. A 900mm unit needs 900mm of clear wall, plus room at each side for the door swing, the toilet and the shower screen. Work through these steps with a tape and a pencil.
- Measure the wall from corner to corner at bench height, then again at floor level, because older walls are rarely square.
- Mark where the toilet pan, the shower screen and the door swing finish, and check that 900mm still fits between them.
- Measure out from the wall to the front edge of where the unit will sit, and compare that with the depth on the product.
- Mark the waste and the water supply positions on the wall or floor so the cabinet back and drawers clear them.
- Note any window sill, power point or light switch near the top of the unit.
A vanity that is exactly 900mm wide leaves nothing spare. If the wall is only a few millimetres wider than the unit, order a size down or plan a small gap that gets finished with tile or sealant, and decide that before the tiler starts. Tile adds thickness to the wall, so measure after tiling where you can.
Plumbing and waste position
The waste and water supply decide which style of 900mm vanity is easy to install. If the pipes come out of the wall, a wall hung cabinet hides them behind the drawers, and the drawer is cut around the waste. If the waste comes up through the floor, a floor standing cabinet covers it with no extra plumbing work.
Swapping one for the other is possible, but it means a plumber relocating the pipes, which adds floor and wall work. Settle this with your plumber early in a renovation, and give them the vanity drawing so the waste and supply positions match the cabinet cut-outs.
Most vanities in this collection are sold without the tapware and the waste, so plan a pop-up waste that suits your basin and top. If the basin has an overflow, the waste needs to match it. On the products that include a waste, the product description says so.
Left bowl or right bowl
A left or right bowl sits to one side of the top and leaves a clear run of bench on the other. Put that run on the side of the room where you will use it, and check the bowl does not clash with the door swing.
Wall hung or floor standing
A wall hung 900mm vanity leaves the floor visible beneath the cabinet and makes cleaning underneath easier. Wall hung furniture needs fixing to a support beam fitted between the studs, with extra noggins added before the wall is sheeted if the cabinet height calls for it, so decide early in a renovation. A floor standing vanity carries its weight on the floor and can cover floor pipes, so the wall fixing is lighter, and it suits a room with finished walls. See wall hung vanities and freestanding vanities for the wider range in each style, and the bathroom vanity guide for the two side by side.
Drawers, doors or both
Drawers are the most common layout at 900mm, many units combine doors and drawers, and doors only is the rarest. Drawers show everything at once and can be cut around the waste, while doors leave a taller open space for bulky items.
Tops and basins at 900mm
The top is the part of a vanity you touch every day, so choose it deliberately. The range includes ceramic tops with an integrated basin, engineered stone tops, solid surface tops, porcelain tops and units sold with no top at all.
A ceramic top with an integrated basin has no join between the bench and the bowl, so nothing collects water or soap. Ceramic is fired in a kiln, and a size variation of about 5mm is normal on the finished top, so allow for that when the unit is a tight fit between walls. An engineered stone top, such as the Caesarstone, Dekton and Vasari tops offered on some Marquis vanities, gives a thin, flat bench. A solid surface top, such as the Durasein top on the ADP Surry, has a smooth finish with the basin moulded in.
Some units are sold with a 12mm porcelain top, and some with no top, so you can supply your own. A cabinet with no top suits a project where one stone runs through the whole room. The basin is then chosen separately, and the cabinet drawing shows the cut-out to give your stone fabricator.
If you want a bowl that sits on the bench, look at above counter basins. If you want a flat bench with the bowl fixed underneath, look at undermount basins. An above counter bowl raises the rim, so pair it with a taller tap or a wall mounted spout.
Tapware and tap holes
The top is drilled for the tap at the factory, so the tap hole count is decided when you order. Across the range you will find tops with no tap hole, one tap hole for a basin mixer, or three tap holes for a set with separate hot and cold taps. Some products offer more than one of these on the same unit.
A single hole suits a basin mixer. A top with no tap hole suits a wall mounted spout. A three hole top suits a traditional tap set and sits well in a Hamptons or classic room.
Wall mounted tapware frees the bench and gives a tidy look, but the pipework has to go into the wall before tiling. A wall mixer cannot be added after the tiles are down without opening the wall, so decide before the plumber starts. The spout also has to reach the middle of the bowl, so compare the spout length with the basin size.
Construction, finishes and how they wear
Bathroom furniture lives in steam and damp, so the carcase material matters. Many vanities in this collection use moisture resistant plywood or moisture resistant board for the cabinet, with a melamine interior that wipes clean. Drawers run on soft close runners, which close quietly and hold up to daily use. Some units use push to open drawers with no handles at all, and others use a finger pull or a handle.
How a finish ages depends on what it is.
- Polyurethane gives a smooth painted surface in solid colours and wipes down easily. It suits a busy family bathroom.
- Woodgrain laminate or melamine copies the look of timber and handles humidity well. It suits a bathroom with a shower used every day.
- Timber veneer and solid timber fronts show real grain, so no two units look exactly the same. Colour and grain can differ a little from the photos, and that is part of the material.
- Fluted fronts add a ribbed texture. Wipe along the grooves with a soft cloth so dust does not settle in them.
Warranty terms differ from product to product. Some products carry a lifetime warranty on the cabinet, and others split the term, for example ten years on the cabinet and seven on the benchtop. Check the term on the product you choose.
Care and cleaning
Wipe the top and the cabinet with a soft damp cloth and a mild detergent. Dry any water that sits at the base of the tap, around the basin edge and along the front of the drawers, because standing water is what damages bathroom furniture over time.
- Avoid abrasive pads and powders on ceramic, solid surface and timber finishes, because they dull the surface.
- Run the extraction fan during and after a shower so steam leaves the room.
- Wipe grit out of the drawer tracks once a year.
- Tighten drawer fronts and handles if they loosen, and adjust the hinges if a door sits out of line.
- On timber veneer, wipe spills at once and keep wet towels off the top.
Mirrors, shaving cabinets and lighting
A 900mm vanity needs a mirror that works with it. A mirror the same width as the vanity looks planned, and a mirror a little narrower sits comfortably between wall lights. Hang it so the centre sits near eye height for the people who use the room, and leave enough bench below for the tap spout and any wall light fittings.
A shaving cabinet adds storage behind the mirror. The range includes 900mm shaving cabinets with mirrored doors and an adjustable shelf, and some mount on the wall or semi recessed into it. Check the depth of the cabinet against the tap and the basin so the doors open fully. If you want the light built into the glass, see LED mirrors, which light the face evenly and save running extra wall lights.
Some vanities fit a power point inside a drawer, with USB-C and USB-A ports for a charger or an electric toothbrush. If you want that, confirm the power point position before the electrician starts, because the cabinet needs a supply run to it.
Room and style pairings
Choose the vanity to suit the style of the room, then match the tapware and the handles to it.
- A Japandi or Scandinavian bathroom suits a light woodgrain or white front with simple lines, a flat top and matte black or brushed tapware.
- A Coastal bathroom suits white or pale timber, a shaker or slim front, and chrome or brushed nickel tapware.
- A Mid Century Modern room suits warm timber tones and a wall hung unit with a strong horizontal line.
- A Hamptons or traditional room suits a white shaker front, a floor standing cabinet and a three hole tap set.
- An Art Deco or Maximalist bathroom suits a fluted or curved front in a deeper colour, with brass detail.
In a small ensuite, a wall hung unit in a pale finish keeps the floor visible and makes the room look larger. In a family bathroom, drawers and a hard wearing top matter more than looks. In a powder room, a 900mm unit gives a guest a generous bench and a place for spare towels.
What to confirm before you order
- The overall width, depth and height, and how the unit sits against the wall and the door swing.
- Whether the price includes the top, the basin, the waste and the tapware.
- The tap hole count, and whether it matches the tapware you have chosen.
- The bowl position: centre, left or right.
- The finish and the handle style, including whether the handles come with the unit.
- The lead time for a made to order unit, and the delivery arrangements for a large cabinet.
- The wall fixing for a wall hung unit, and who is fitting it.
Questions buyers ask about 900mm vanities
What size basin suits a 900mm vanity?
A single basin that leaves a clear run of bench suits a 900mm vanity. A very wide bowl leaves too little room for a soap dish and a tap. A centre bowl is the usual choice, and a left or right bowl suits a room where you want a landing area on one side.
Is a 900mm vanity big enough for two people?
A 900mm vanity suits one basin used by two people in turn, but it is too narrow for two basins side by side. For two basins, step up to a double vanity, which is built wider so each person has space.
Can I fit a 900mm vanity in a small bathroom?
Yes, if the room has 900mm of clear wall and the door and shower screen clear the drawers. A slimline or compact depth unit takes less floor space, and a wall hung unit makes the room look larger. See slimline vanities for shallower options.
Does a 900mm vanity need a wall support?
A wall hung 900mm vanity needs a solid fixing behind it. In a renovation, the builder adds a support beam or noggins between the studs before the wall is sheeted. A floor standing unit carries its weight on the floor and needs only a light fixing to keep it upright.
How long does a made to order vanity take?
The lead time depends on the product and the finish, and it is shown on the product. Order early in a renovation so the vanity arrives before the plumber and the tiler need it for their final measurements.
Finishes and styles
The range comes in white, woodgrain, black and grey, and many products come in more than one finish. The most common design styles are Japandi, Coastal and Mid Century Modern. For natural timber, see solid timber vanities, and for the lightest finish, white bathroom vanities. Fluted and curved fronts add texture and softer edges, and Hamptons vanities suit a classic room.
Made to order and pricing
Most vanities in this collection are made to order, and many are Australian made. Made to order gives you a choice of size, top or finish but a longer wait than a stocked item, so confirm the lead time on the product page before you book trades. Price depends on the top, finish and how the unit is made, so compare the full inclusions rather than the headline price. For a one-off size, see custom vanities.
Compare nearby sizes
If 900mm is close but not right, compare the 750mm and 1200mm collections, or browse vanities from 1000mm to 1800mm in one place. For a tight room, small vanities is the better filter.
Completing the room
Settle the basin and tapware before you finalise the vanity, because the tap hole layout and basin position decide the final configuration. Our basins, taps and mixers and mirrors are listed by type.
Shop by brand
Browse 900mm vanities by brand: Timberline, Marquis, ADP, Otti, Ingrain.
