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Good Questions: Ideas for a Bathroom Sink?

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I have the teeny tiniest bathroom and I know it's not uncommon for New York City apt bathrooms to not have sinks, but it kinda bugs me. Does anyone have any suggestions on a bathroom sink solution? The Japanese top of the toilet thing won't work because I have the cabinet thing, and I think that's kind of weird anyway. Maybe something really skinny that could go on the ledge of my shower, like a water fountain thing but with a faucet knob??? Or some sort of thin basin that could drain into the shower? I'm open to any suggestions, please help!

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The tiniest sink I have ever used is in the bathroom of Against the Grain on 6th Street — right in your neighborhood! I would suggest you scope it out!

Anyone else?

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Good Questions, bathroom, tubs, toilets, showers & sinks

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Comments (28)

We're dealing with a similar issue now. I've found some great potential lavatories on the following sites:

www.lacava.com
www.duravit.com
www.vintagetub.com/

posted by jamilkb on May 5th 2009 at 8:17am
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I know I would be bugged, too without a bathroom sink. I did a search online, and there really isn't much out there about tiny/small sinks, not that I could find, anyway. But, I did see this:

http://www.cribcandy.com/bathroom/f0d889a0ba08a37155ae63dc75e93da9&pageoffset=0

It's a sink in a drawer. I don't know that it would work for you, but I don't know what the other side of you bathroom looks like and if you would have an available wall for something like this. But, maybe it could inspire some thinking outside the box creativity?

Good luck!

posted by AprilAries on May 5th 2009 at 8:25am
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I always say they should create a ledge in a shower that you can flip up and it has a toilet seat under it. That way you would have room for your sink. Good luck on your hunt. nj countertops by replacementcounters.com

posted by replacementcounters.com on May 5th 2009 at 8:28am
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Kohler makes a kitchen prep sink called Crevasse that might fit on the half wall, but it's expensive.

This would be a great time to make your own sink! Anything that is water tight can be a sink - a nice window box planter, or serving dish... whoever is going to do the plumbing can easily install the drain assembly in the bottom of whatever you find.

Tricky situation... good luck!

posted by lemonadefish on May 5th 2009 at 8:28am
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Make better use of the cabinet space - hang 2 ikea lack shelves 32" or higher above toilet tank, this leaves enough space for a Duravit Vero hand wash sink (9" deep) set about 8" above tank. Use baskets on shelves for storage.
Or, center sink on 1/2 shower wall - plumber can run lines & drain within 1/2 wall.

good luck!

posted by cobblehillbilly on May 5th 2009 at 8:35am
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Duravit Vero handrinse basin 070225
$288 on homeclick.com

posted by cobblehillbilly on May 5th 2009 at 8:38am
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Here's something similar to your description of mounting a sink on the half shower wall.

http://www.dyersonline.com/Products/RV-Exterior-Sink__53878.aspx

It looks like it comes with a drainage hose that you could maybe affix to the wall and allow to drain into your shower. And it's cheap!

posted by AprilAries on May 5th 2009 at 8:43am
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looks like there was a post on itty bitty sinks a while ago....

maybe that corner sink would work. I had one like that in an apartment.

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/look-a-small-sink-at-ino-more-044815

posted by bigcityboy2 on May 5th 2009 at 8:49am
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Well, I hate to say it but short of re-plumbing, the easiest thing to do is get a toilet/sink option. You'll have to lose the current cabinet above the toilet, but if you want a sink badly enough, it's worth the compromise.

Besides, you can add a hanging cabinet above the sink, so you don't have to lose storage.

Otherwise, I don't see how you can do it in a rental, which I'm assuming this is.

posted by modtramp on May 5th 2009 at 8:51am
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No sink in the bathroom? How very French. At least you can wash your hands in the bathtub. I'm with the others...find another storage solution and put a small sink above the toilet.

posted by msmezzo on May 5th 2009 at 9:33am
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My cousins, who lived in tiny European apartments, had a sink that swung between the bath and outside the bath. It was small, round and stainless. When you didn't need it for washing your hands, it swung into the shower for storage. Might work in your space.

posted by mschatelaine on May 5th 2009 at 9:57am
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With the absolute necessity of hand-washing these days, it might be worth it to invest in one of the small sinks previously posted.

posted by MaeEast on May 5th 2009 at 10:07am
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Lovely bathroom...

Maybe you can adapt a tiny sink onto the cabinet open shelf.

Or something more crafted like these basins http://european-patio-garden.com/handpaintceramic.aspx

posted by *Thessa on May 5th 2009 at 10:28am
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Lovely bathroom…

Maybe you can adapt a tiny sink onto the cabinet open shelf.

Or something more crafted similar to these basins http://european-patio-garden.com/handpaintceramic.aspx

posted by *Thessa on May 5th 2009 at 10:31am
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A friend of us constructed a sink for his really tiny bathroom by fixing a small round metal camping sink like this http://www.flickr.com/photos/94063850@N00/3504844990/ (diameter approx. 24 cm / 10 inches) on a swivel, added a faucet to his shower fitting and a flexible plastic hose to the bottom of the sink (I uploaded some pics to Flickr). You can wash your hands and the water runs down into the shower tub.
If you want to take a shower, you just push the sink aside and the hose hangs over the toilet.

Would love to show you the original thing, but I can get no picture, as they moved.

It is surely not elegant, but desperate situations need clever solutions.

posted by Elbe1 on May 5th 2009 at 10:47am
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Wow! I need to get out more....or maybe not. I don't think I have ever been in a bathroom with no sink. NYC apartments astound me.

posted by LB783 on May 5th 2009 at 11:05am
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Put the sing on top of the toilet.

You can easily move the cabinet up above the sink, and then you could replace the red panels of the cabinet with small mirrors to have an actual functional mirror for washing your face, shaving, brushing your teeth, etc.

Then take the photo collage off that wall, and either move it to the back of the door (unless that's where your towels hang), or just move it to another room.

posted by ErikTheRed on May 5th 2009 at 11:13am
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How about going back to an old fashioned pitcher and bowl set like they have in some Bed & Breakfast's? If you could put a small table just outside the bathroom or as someone else noted I can't see what's on the opposite wall but is there room for a shelf of some kind where you could keep a pitcher and bowl?

I found a nice Bennington stoneware set for $89 that won't chip of crack like the ceramic kind and won't cost as much as a sink:

http://www.benningtonpotters.com/product/51/gift_ideas

Plus when you move you can take the washstand and pitcher/bowl with you. As a cheapskate I've always leaned towards solutions I can either keep or sell later to recoup my investment.

posted by Motherbear on May 5th 2009 at 11:30am
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Look at the Porcher Elfe:

http://www.porcher-us.com/ProductNew.asp?prodID=790

posted by JENK968 on May 5th 2009 at 11:32am
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I think April Aries is onto something with the RV website... I couldn't connect to the link but there were a few good ideas. RV designer have to think about space saving at all times!

posted by Cyb on May 5th 2009 at 12:08pm
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Check out sites for nautical interiors. I've seen amazingly tiny sinks on boats, including corner sinks.

posted by Lisa (Montreal) on May 5th 2009 at 12:28pm
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Motherbear: I love the bowl and pitcher idea. Simple, cute, immediate, cheap. Sweet. http://antiques.shop.ebay.com/items/Pitchers__W0QQ_nkwZwashQ20basinQQ_armrsZ1QQ_fromZQQ_mdoZAntiquesQQ_pcatsZ63521Q2c20086Q2c20081QQ_sacatZ63528

posted by mskk on May 5th 2009 at 1:44pm
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Thank you all so much! To those that asked about it, there is no other wall or other side of the bathroom unfortunately, basically there's enough space for the toilet, then the teeny tiny shower stall (24x24 inches) is right next to that, there's only enough space in front of the shower to stand there and get in. Thanks for all the suggestions. I will run them by my landlord and see what he's willing to go for, he's a pretty good guy so I'm hopeful :)

Thanks again!

posted by EastVillageAmy on May 5th 2009 at 1:57pm
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Check out sites for nautical interiors. I've seen amazingly tiny sinks on boats, including corner sinks---> Super Idea there~

posted by Haunted_Studio on May 5th 2009 at 2:30pm
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I've lived in NYC a long time, and I have never been in a bathroom with no sink. Now I am going to go on a hunt! Like someone else said, it is normal in France, but this is the first I have heard of it here.

posted by littlecat on May 5th 2009 at 8:04pm
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Could the shower be adapted with a really tiny hand sink tapping into the current plumbing? The RV site might have some similar products you can order and have a plumber install (or handy person) install. Some of those sinks flip up or down so you could still take a shower without losing any space.

posted by baileyb on May 5th 2009 at 8:11pm
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Get rid to the cabinet. Mount it higher in hte wall. Mount the procher sink over the back of the toilet. Use the gray water from the sink to fill the toilet.

posted by quiltmaster on May 5th 2009 at 10:10pm
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Livingstone company sells high quality kitchen sinks

posted by livingstonesurfaces on October 20th 2009 at 8:37am
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