I Think About the Space-Savvy IKEA Hack from This Bathroom Makeover All the Time

Written by

Sarah EverettAssistant Editor of Home Projects
Sarah EverettAssistant Editor of Home Projects
I organize the Before & After series and cover DIY and design. I joined AT in October 2020 as a production assistant. I have an MA in Journalism from the University of Missouri and a BA in Journalism from Belmont University. Past editorial stops include HGTV Magazine, Nashville Arts Magazine, and local magazines in my hometown, Columbia, Missouri.
published Jan 26, 2025
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Before: Bathroom with black and tan floor tile
Credit: Ariana Ervin

There are some super-tiny bathrooms in this world that take some true fixture-Tetris to arrange — and so there are, of course, some super-tiny bathroom sinks in this world made to fit those bathrooms. Personally, the smallest sink I come in contact with regularly is in the restaurant Lobo in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn. It’s about 8 inches wide, and every time I wash my hands there I think about how adorably tiny it is — but it gets the job done. 

Another perfectly tiny bathroom sink I think about a lot is the one in Ariana Ervin and her wife, Lucy’s, bathroom, previously shared on Apartment Therapy. Equally as practical, it manages to sneak a bit of storage into the bathroom, saves on square footage, and doesn’t sacrifice floor space because it’s wall-mounted.

Credit: Ariana Ervin
Credit: Ariana Ervin

When Ariana and Lucy were renovating their bathroom, they needed to find a sink that would fit between the wall and the door frame. “I looked for months for a sink vanity combo that would fit in a 12-inch space, which is the space from the wall to the start of the door, and couldn’t find anything,” Ariana says. “We ended up repurposing an IKEA cabinet, sanding and staining a piece of reclaimed redwood, and buying the sink and faucet separately.” 

That’s right — an IKEA IVAR creates the base of this floating vanity, and it tucks snugly into the corner of the bathroom and takes up less floor space than the vanity from before, making the entire space feel larger, Ariana adds.  

Credit: Ariana Ervin

The sink is the perfect size to rest atop the already narrow shelf, 9 1/2 inches wide, and Ariana’s brother helped rig up the plumbing. Although the bathroom features vibrant wallpaper, stylish new tile, and fresh paint, Ariana says the sink is the true star in her eyes. Mine too!

For more ingenious solutions for a small bathroom, check out these 11 essentials for organizing a small bathroom and six designer tips for working with a teeny-tiny space.