Luxury Vanity Unit: Art Nouveau, Baroque and Marble Washstands
A luxury vanity unit does in the bathroom what a fine chest of drawers does in the drawing room: it is the piece of furniture that carries the whole space. Everything else in a bathroom is technology, tiling or accessories. That is why Casa Padrino treats the vanity as furniture and not as sanitaryware, from the Italian Art Nouveau washstand in white and gold to the marble-topped cabinet and the baroque washstand with drawers. You will find the collection in our categories vanity units and washbasins and washstands.
This guide is about the furniture: dimensions, heights, storage, materials and the way the bathroom vanity meets basin and tap. The basin itself, the vessel sink in marble, travertine, ceramic or glass, has its own page on the luxury washbasin. For a complete period scheme, our guide to the Victorian bathroom brings all the elements together.
For many years Casa Padrino has furnished private villas, hotel suites and boutique hotels throughout Europe. In each of these projects the vanity unit decides whether a room reads as a bathroom or as a living space with water. In British country houses and London townhouses alike, it is the piece guests remember.
The Italian Art Nouveau console in white and silver, 100 cm wide and 94 cm high. Pictured: Casa Padrino Luxury Art Nouveau Vanity Unit White / Silver 100 x 58 x H. 94 cm
The families in our range
Our vanity units fall into clearly distinct families, each with its own character and its own strengths:
- Italian Art Nouveau washstands, made in Italy: ceramic consoles on slender legs in white, white with silver or white with gold, 68 to 100 cm wide, 55 to 58 cm deep and 90.5 to 94 cm high.
- Period porcelain washstands on frames: a 56 cm three-hole washstand in black and silver, an 80 cm model in white and gold supplied with tap and waste, and a 121 cm one-hole washstand on a silver frame.
- Art Nouveau cabinets with stone tops: wall-hung units of 66 cm with a drawer and of 134 cm with a drawer and two doors, with marble or granite tops, and a floor-standing cabinet of 134 cm with marble top and four doors.
- Baroque washstands and sets: a handmade baroque washstand in white and silver with two drawers, made in Italy, and baroque sets with LED mirror, for instance in matt black and matt gold with a marble top.
- Contemporary designer pieces: a 150 cm vanity in white and gold with brass basin and tap, a 170 cm wall-hung cabinet with four doors in high gloss white, and complete sets with LED mirror from 80 to 142 cm.
- Column washstands: a grey ceramic column of 40 by 40 cm with integrated basin, made in Italy, and stainless steel columns in gold or silver from our hotel and restaurant collection, each 86 cm high.
In practice the choice between these families is decided by storage. If towels, toiletries and spare supplies have to live in the bathroom, a cabinet with doors and drawers is the right answer. If there is a cupboard elsewhere, an open washstand on legs gains floor space and visual calm, and makes a small room feel larger.
Height and width: the dimensions that matter
The most common planning error concerns height, because two figures have to be added together. A vessel basin stands on the top, so its height is added to the height of the furniture. A vanity of 75 cm with a bowl of 15 cm gives a rim height of 90 cm. That is comfortable for most adults, but high for children.
As a guide, the rim of the basin is comfortable between 85 and 95 cm. Anyone planning a tall vessel sink should choose a lower unit; anyone planning an inset or integrated basin can choose a taller one. Our range covers both: the Italian Art Nouveau washstands reach 90.5 to 94 cm with the basin already integrated, while wall-hung cabinets of 59 cm can be fixed at exactly the height that suits the household.
For width, a single basin needs at least 60 cm of furniture so that there is space on either side. For a double vanity with two basins, allow at least 140 cm, better 150 to 160 cm. Below 130 cm the basins sit so close that two people get in each other's way, which defeats the purpose of a double basin.
Depth is often overlooked. Our models range from about 40 to 59 cm. In a narrow bathroom, depth is the critical dimension because it determines the remaining passage. Leave at least 70 cm of clear space in front of the vanity, otherwise bending over the basin becomes uncomfortable.
Vessel basin, inset basin or integrated basin
The vessel basin sits visibly on the top and is the stronger design statement. It turns the vanity into a two-part object in which furniture and basin each speak for themselves, and it allows change: a different bowl transforms the bathroom without touching the furniture. The price is the extra height and a joint that needs cleaning.
Inset and integrated basins disappear into the top. They are the calmer and more practical solution, because water can be wiped straight from the surface into the basin. In bathrooms in constant use this is a real advantage. Many of our pieces work this way: the baroque set in matt black and gold has a built-in ceramic basin under a marble top, and the period porcelain washstands combine basin and top in one piece.
White porcelain on a gold frame, 80 cm wide, supplied with tap and waste. Pictured: Casa Padrino Luxury Art Nouveau Vanity White / Gold 80 x 51 x H. 90 cm
The tap must match the choice. A tall vessel sink needs a correspondingly tall mixer, otherwise the spout will not reach over the rim. Our wash basin taps come in gold, silver, chrome, matt black and antique brass, including Art Nouveau mixers with crystal glass handles.
The vintage vanity and the Victorian bathroom
Few looks are as firmly rooted in the British imagination as the Victorian and Edwardian bathroom: white porcelain, polished metal legs, a roll top bath and a cistern high on the wall. A porcelain washstand on a frame, with a vintage basin and a period tap, is the heart of this scheme.
The 80 cm washstand in white and gold arrives with tap and waste, so the look is complete from the start. The 121 cm one-hole model on a silver frame offers generous space for a family bathroom, and the compact 56 cm three-hole washstand in black and silver suits a cloakroom. For more storage, the floor-standing Art Nouveau cabinet of 134 cm combines solid wood, brass fittings, a marble top and four doors.
Solid wood, brass fittings and a marble top: the 134 cm cabinet with four doors. Pictured: Casa Padrino Luxury Art Nouveau Washbasin Cabinet with Marble Top and 4 Doors
A period vanity only convinces when the rest of the room follows. Our high level cistern toilet, freestanding bath taps and a luxury towel warmer complete the picture. Choose one metal finish, gold, silver or brass, and carry it through every fitting.
Baroque splendour and complete bathroom sets
For clients who see the bathroom as a room for receiving rather than a functional space, the baroque vanity is the answer. The handmade washstand in white and silver, made in Italy, is built like a commode: curved front, two drawers, curved legs and a basin set into the top. It is a piece that would look at home in a château or a palazzo.
Built like a commode: the handmade baroque washstand in white and silver with two drawers. Pictured: Casa Padrino luxury baroque washstand white / silver
Our bathroom sets go one step further and bring vanity and mirror together. The baroque set in matt black and matt gold combines a vanity of 112 cm with marble top and built-in ceramic basin with an LED wall mirror. A set in grey and black pairs a 143 cm vanity with an oval ceramic basin and a 120 cm mirror. Contemporary sets in high gloss white and gold or matt black and rose offer the same idea in a modern language. A set saves the most difficult part of the planning: matching furniture, mirror and proportions.
Materials in the bathroom: wood, marble, ceramic and steel
The most common concern about a wooden vanity is moisture. It is justified, but manageable. Three things matter: an intact surface finish, a joint between furniture and wall that never stays wet, and a bathroom that is aired after showering. Under these conditions a well-made wooden cabinet lasts in the bathroom just as long as in a living room.
The danger is not humidity but standing water. The typical damage point is the top edge around the basin, where splashes collect and seep into the joint over months. Wiping it dry once a week and keeping an eye on the silicone joint prevents the problem entirely.
Marble and granite tops need pH-neutral cleaners, never acidic limescale removers, which etch the stone. Ceramic and porcelain are the most robust surfaces and simply need a mild cleaner. Stainless steel, as used for our column washstands and the 150 cm designer vanity, is hygienic and hard-wearing, which is why it is a favourite in hotels and restaurants.
Plumbing and installation
The water connection is a job for a plumber, because isolating valves, trap and waste have to be matched to the chosen basin. The order matters: first choose vanity and basin, then let the plumber set the connection heights. The other way round, existing pipes limit the choice of furniture unnecessarily.
Most of our vanity units are supplied without taps, so the tap should be planned together with the furniture. With cabinets, the back panel has to leave room for the trap; clarify this before installation. Wall-hung units with stone tops are heavy, the 134 cm cabinet weighs 87 kg, so the wall and fixings must be suitable. For projects and larger quantities we coordinate details in advance.
Vanity units for hotels and holiday homes
In the contract sector the vanity unit offers the best ratio of effect to effort. It can be replaced without opening tiles and changes the perception of a bathroom completely. Boutique hotels and high-end holiday homes use it deliberately, because the bathroom is among the most viewed photographs on booking platforms.
Casa Padrino supplies vanity units in series for hotel bathrooms, serviced apartments and private projects, internationally and in coordination with architects and interior design studios. Stainless steel column washstands for restaurant cloakrooms, Italian Art Nouveau consoles for hotel suites and baroque sets for representative guest bathrooms can all be combined within one project.
Casa Padrino: luxury furniture for every room
Casa Padrino has long stood for luxury furniture in the baroque, Art Nouveau and Art Deco tradition and furnishes villas, hotels, restaurants and castles internationally. The bathroom range runs from a single vanity unit to freestanding baths and the complete fit-out of a bathroom, including taps and accessories, all presented in our bathroom furniture collection. Discover the full range at www.casa-padrino.de/en.
Our bathroom series at a glance
- Victorian bathroom
- Traditional radiators
- Designer radiators
- Luxury towel warmer
- High level cistern toilet
- Freestanding bath taps
- Victorian bathtub
- Freestanding bathtub
- Gold bathtub
- Luxury washbasin
Frequently asked questions about luxury vanity units
How high should a vanity unit be?
What counts is not the furniture height but the rim of the basin, which is comfortable between 85 and 95 cm. With a vessel sink, add its height to that of the furniture: a 75 cm vanity with a 15 cm bowl gives a 90 cm rim.
How wide should a double vanity be?
At least 140 cm, better 150 to 160 cm. Below that the basins are so close that two people get in each other's way. A single basin needs around 60 cm of furniture width to leave space on both sides.
Vessel basin or integrated basin?
A vessel basin is the stronger design statement and can be changed later without replacing the furniture, but it adds height and a joint. An integrated basin is more practical, because water can be wiped straight into it, and suits busy bathrooms.
Which tap suits which basin?
A tall vessel sink needs a tall mixer whose spout clears the rim. With integrated or inset basins, a standard height is enough. Compare spout height and basin height before ordering, it is the most common mismatch in the bathroom.
Is a wooden vanity suitable for a bathroom?
Yes, with an intact surface finish, no permanently wet joint between furniture and wall, and regular airing. Damage almost never comes from humidity, but from standing water at the top edge around the basin.
What is a vintage vanity?
A vintage or retro vanity recalls the Victorian, Edwardian and Art Nouveau bathroom, typically a porcelain washstand on metal legs or a cabinet with stone top and brass fittings. We offer both, from a 56 cm washstand to a 134 cm cabinet with four doors.
How much space do I need in front of the vanity?
At least 70 cm of clear floor, so that bending over the basin stays comfortable. In narrow bathrooms depth is the critical figure. Our models range from about 40 to 59 cm deep.
Are taps included?
Most vanity units are supplied without taps, so plan the tap together with the furniture. Some models include them, such as the 80 cm Art Nouveau washstand in white and gold with tap and waste, and the 150 cm designer vanity with brass basin and tap.
Can I install the vanity unit myself?
The water connection belongs in professional hands, because valves, trap and waste have to match the chosen basin. Choose vanity and basin first, then let the plumber set the connection heights.
Do you supply vanity units in series for hotels?
Yes. Casa Padrino supplies larger quantities of the same model internationally and coordinates selection and dimensions with architects and interior design studios.
