Bathroom Basins: The Options + Which Is Best For Your Space

By Zephyr and Stone

Building or renovating a bathroom? When it comes to choosing fixtures and fittings, the options can seem endless and overwhelming! So how do you choose something as simple as a bathroom basin or sink, and feel confident about your choice?

You settle on a bathroom sink style first, and then choose a bathroom basin to compliment your design. But that’s not all you need to consider, because each basin style varies when it comes to installation costs, how much usable storage you’ll end up with inside your vanity, and how easy it is to clean.

Feeling confused? Don’t be! We’ve covered the three key bathroom basin designs to ensure your new vanity — and bathroom comes up trumps!

countertop basin in Scandinavian bathroom with double bathroom basin, vanity mirrors and wall lights — Zephyr and Stone • Scandi Ensuite with Countertop Basin

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Undermount Basin

Contemporary in style, an undermount basin is glued to the underside of the vanity bench top for a sleek, seamless finish. The basin sink sits under your benchtop and within your vanity cabinetry, leaving you with extra benchtop space which results in a clean, minimal aesthetic. An undermount bowl is very easy to keep clean as any debris wipes straight into the basin bowl. The stone cut out for the basin requires polishing as it remains visible, which does cost more in stonemason labour compared to other basin types.

And what about storage? Because an undermount basin sits inside the vanity carcass, planning storage around the basin is critical. The majority of your vanity can be utilised with any storage solutions imaginable, however, the uppermost section will hold the basin so is more limited.

undermount basin in Resort bathroom with tall vanity mirror greige benchtop rose gold bathroom tapware — Zephyr and Stone • Resort Bathroom with Undermount Sink

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Countertop Basin

Countertop basins are a classic choice and work beautifully for a range of bathroom styles from coastal to contemporary and everything in between. The basin sits on top of the bench top, giving you more space for storage in your vanity cabinetry. The stone cut out is smaller than the basin + won't be visible so doesn't require polishing - making it lighter on your bathroom budget. Note that countertop basins are more tricky to clean than undermount styles as dirt can accumulate around the base of the bowl.

Clickable poster of bathroom measurement cheat sheet for bathroom remodel — Zephyr and Stone: Bathroom Measurement Sheet

Z+S Tip • If opting for a counter or benchtop basin, the top of your vanity should sit lower than it would for an undermount basin, to ensure the rim of your bowl doesn’t feel awkward or too high. Download your Bathroom Measurements Cheat Sheet which includes all the heights, spacing and dimensions you’ll need to NAIL your bathroom design - functionality and aesthetics!

Classic Coastal bathroom with timber vanity — Zephyr and Stone • Classic Coastal Bathroom with Counter Top Bathroom Basin

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Semi-Recessed Basin

Semi-recessed or sem-inset basins sit partially within the vanity + partially above the benchtop and work well in both classic and contemporary bathroom designs. As with countertop basins, the stone cut out for semi-inset basins is slightly smaller than the basin so doesn’t require polishing making it a more cost-effective installation compared to undermount basins. It’s also easier to keep clean than a benchtop basin, however, you'll still need to wipe around the base of the bowl regularly.

Semi-recessed basins come in a huge range of shapes, sizes and finishes, making them a versatile choice for bathrooms of all styles. Only a small portion of the basin sits under the benchtop so that storage inside the bathroom vanity is generally not compromised or restricted.