<p>For another opinion:</p>
<p>Just remodeled our master bath. I’m 5’4", new counter is 36 inches high and I like it. Don’t have to lean over so far, etc. Also like the elevated toilet seat height.</p>
<p>FYI, both elevations may be part of basic “aging in place” planning.</p>
<p>We are about to do a master bath reno and I’ve seen a lot of 36" vanities and ADA tall toilets on Houzz.com “aging in place” remodel pics.</p>
<p>We’re doing both. We put in a 36" vanity in the guys’ bathroom two summers ago and I like it. 5’8" here, DH is 5’9".</p>
<p>Honestly, the right height is the one you like. Get a bowl, a stack of books and try them out on something lower like your dining room table. See what feels right. I love our new vanity which is 36" high. I’m 5’-6". DH hasn’t complained either - he’s a few inches higher than me.</p>
<p>When I re-did my bathroom I put in a 36" vanity and I like the additional height. I can easily wash my hair in the sink when I color it now and that’s a bonus. I did think that if I was in a wheelchair for some reason, it would be too high, but I guess I’ll deal with that if the time ever comes. I got the taller toilet too, which is easier if in a wheelchair because the transfer is more level.</p>
<p>I’m about 5’4" and I definitely want a higher sink – that’s a priority for me when I remodel the back bathroom. I’m shopping for ADA-compliant sink pedestals just to make sure I get what I want. My kitchen sink is 36" and I can’t imagine doing dishes any lower – it’s hard enough for me to bend to load and unload the lower rack of my dishwasher. </p>
<p>My pants waistband is about 37" high when I am barefoot. I’m leggy, but the point is that I don’t personally use my bathroom sink as a urinal (where the current height would seem optimum) – so I will be happy when I don’t have to bend over so far when I brush my teeth. If I ever redo the hall bathroom, then I’ll probably keep the vanity lower in there – that’s the one with the tub and is more suited for kids to use. But it’s easy enough to get a step stool or booster for small kids.</p>
<p>H and I have 30" pant inseam. The 30" counters in our kitchen and bath vanity serve us well. The bathroom has built in cupboards under existing sink and cabinet above sink we aren’t really interested in replacing anytime soon.</p>
<p>We have 36" height in powder room (piece of furniture with sink set in)–seems fine.
Rest are at 34" high.</p>
<p>We renovated our house this past year. Went with Kraft Maid cabinets for vanities so height was 36". So much better than leaning over the old ones. No complaints or problems for my foot shorter 4’ 9" M-in-law on an extended stay. Nice to have an architect’s input- happy to hear the height is good. Higher toilets are nicer as well- chair height is so much easier to stand from sitting. </p>
<p>I researched where to put toilet paper holders- the 1/2 bath (with the same old pedestal sink btw) was the only one that could have had the optimal distance from the edge of the toilet; unfortunately a very tall construction worker ignored my parameters- he put it a few inches further away, good for him but likely a reach for short people. </p>
<p>It is amazing how many little details there are in renovations. Do not be bound by the past- this is the time to modernize. See what is in spec homes in your area- likely 36".</p>
<p>The bathroom with a single-sink in our house has about 32” high cabinets. The bathrooms with duals sinks have 36” H counters except for the makeup area which is about 28” high.</p>
<p>We remodeled the baths around five years ago. We are not tall (DH is 5’6") and in the master went with 34" cabinets with a 1" limestone slab. The height is good for us. In the second bathroom the counters are 2" lower to accommodate children, keeping resale in mind. We also went with the lower height in our pool bathroom because the room is smaller and the taller counters looked awkward and made the room look cramped.</p>
<p>A friend of mine has 38" counters in her kitchen. She and her (architect) husband are both tall and it is a comfortable height for them. (They plan to stay in the house through retirement.)</p>
<p>Pants inseam measurement should only be necessary for installing a urinal, not a vanity or any other bathroom plumbing fixture.</p>
<p>Inseam is a point of reference about relative leg length. We are 5’5" and thereabouts in this family. The idea of raising the vanity another 6 inches is fascinating but not something we are contemplating in our household as it would involve major changes to the built-in shelves and cabinets in both bathrooms. My bro & his wife just redid 3 of their bathrooms and did NOT raise the vanities to the best of our knowledge because their bathroom counter tops stood at the top of the cabinets. Bro is 6’ and SIL is 5’ 2."</p>
<p>If you are comfortable with lower counters that you have I certainly wouldn’t switch them out, but you might be surprised at how much you like a higher vanity if you should ever remodel. It all depends on whether you would end up having to do extra tiling or moving pipes, but for most people I think *if *you remodel switching to taller cabinets is a no brainer.</p>
<p>We have a regular height vanity but our sink is a vessel sink which brings it up a bit.
I think people should have what they feel comfortable with because its likely whomever buys it will change it anyway.</p>
<p>We owned a second home that was sold about five years ago; its master bathroom had the hi/lo vanities separated by a large corner tub. It was pretty typical in that market for houses less than 10 years old. Around here I’ve never seen that arrangement.</p>
<p>I considered making our new vanities different heights, but both our builder and our Realtor (who I consulted so as to not do anything that might reduce eventual resale value) advised against it. Things like this may depend on the norm for your area.</p>
<p>After reading some of the other replies, I have to wonder if I’m doing something wrong. My problem isn’t with hand washing, it’s with washing my face (which, in the 8+ months of the year that are warm/hot here, I do multiple times a day.) When I bend over a tall vanity to wash my face, I always end up with water on the front of my blouse/t-shirt. I have to make sure the counter is totally dry before I brush my teeth, too, or else the same thing happens when I lean over the sink. (Sorry if that’s TMI, but surely I can’t be the only short woman with that problem.)</p>
<p>Our house was built in 2005. The sinks are 36" with the exception of mine which is split 36" for the sink and 30" for the vanity with a stool. DH’s sink is on the opposite side of the bathroom and the same width, simply a different configuration of cabinet underneath and sink centered. I never really gave it any thought, it’s what height the designer ordered. I was glad for any decision I didn’t have to make in this house. I think I didn’t have to pick out pvc pipes, but that’s about it. ;)</p>
<p>FWIW, DH is 6’ and I’m 5’6". The boys range from 6’-6’2".</p>
<p>We redid our master bath 2years ago but re-used the cabinets. DH’s sink is at 36" but mine (on another wall) is 32. I am really wishing it were higher. It hurts my back bending over all the time brushing teeth and washing my face. I have noticed that newer/nicer hotels have higher vanities…especially when I put my foot in the sink during a recent stay to shave my legs and couldn’t get it back out without calling DH to help! So maybe lower has one advantage…<br>
Contrarily, we put a “comfort-height” toilet in our guest bath remodel and I don’t like it. I’m tall, so I expected to find it an improvement.</p>
<p>Well according to Kira our toilets should be lower not higher. :)</p>
<p>Mathmom, I didn’t want to get into that…</p>
<p>30" standard for lavy was probably used to better accommodate both adults and young children. 30" might be best still for baths in wing of a house used by both guests and children…higher sinks better maybe in master bedroom for use by taller adults only.</p>