What Size Mirror for a Bathroom Vanity? Width and Height

Most bathroom mirror mistakes come from buying the style first and measuring second. A mirror that is too wide crowds the walls and lights. One that is too small looks lost above a big vanity. The sizing rules are short, and you can check them with a tape measure and a sheet of paper before you spend anything.

The numbers below are rules of thumb from lighting and home publications, not building codes. Where two guides use different rules, both are shown so you can see where they agree.

How Wide Should the Mirror Be?

There are two common ways to work it out. One guide says to size the mirror at 70 to 90 percent of the vanity's width. Another says to measure the vanity and subtract about 4 to 6 inches. The second rule is mainly aimed at smaller bathrooms. Both land narrower than the vanity, and one says outright not to go wider.

We worked out the ranges in the table from the two rules. Where the columns overlap, you can pick with confidence. In a small bathroom, lean toward the narrower end. In a roomy one, the wider end often looks more balanced.

A mirror between two wall cabinets or lights follows a slightly different rule. Measure the open wall space, subtract 4 to 6 inches, and center the mirror in the gap so it doesn't touch either side.

How High Should It Hang?

For height, the useful measure is where your eyes fall, not a fixed number. One lighting guide puts standing eye level at roughly 60 to 65 inches from the floor and seated eye level at 44 to 50 inches. It recommends the bottom edge sit 5 to 10 inches above a counter of about 36 inches, with your eyes in the middle third of the glass.

Here is a worked example. Take a 36 inch counter and a 36 inch tall mirror, with the bottom edge 6 inches above the counter. The glass runs from 42 to 78 inches off the floor. The middle third is from 54 to 66 inches, which covers a standing eye level of 60 to 65 inches. If you or the people using the bathroom are shorter, or you sit to apply makeup, hang it a little lower, near the 5 inch end.

If a wall light or medicine cabinet already sits above the vanity, that sets your maximum height. Measure the space between the counter and the lowest part of the fixture before you pick a size.

Round and Oval Mirrors

Round and oval mirrors follow the same width range but usually land at the narrower end. One guide suggests a width about equal to the sink, or slightly wider, and no wider than the vanity itself. A round mirror loses width at the top and bottom, so a size that looks right on paper can feel small on the wall. Cut a circle out of cardboard to see.

Double Vanities

For a vanity of 60 inches or more with two sinks, the guidance is to hang two mirrors, one centered over each sink, rather than one wide mirror across both. Use two identical mirrors, each sized to the same width rules for its own sink. Leaving some open wall between them gives you space for a shelf or art, and each person gets a mirror that lines up with their sink.

Check Before You Buy

• You can see your head and neck in it from your normal standing position.
• It is no wider than the vanity, and it sits clear of the side walls, the cabinets and any light fixtures.
• The bottom edge is above the faucet and backsplash, so it doesn't touch them.
• It clears the ceiling, switches and outlets, and the door still opens.

Then tape a paper cut-out of the mirror to the wall and leave it for a day. One morning routine will tell you if the size feels right, and paper costs far less to get wrong than glass.

Frequently Asked Questions

What size mirror goes with a 30 inch vanity?

Between 21 and 27 inches wide under the 70 to 90 percent rule, or 24 to 26 inches under the subtract 4 to 6 inches rule. A 24 inch mirror falls inside both.

How high above the vanity should a mirror be?

One lighting guide recommends the bottom edge sit 5 to 10 inches above the counter. Adjust within that range for your height and for any lights already on the wall.

Should a mirror be as wide as the vanity?

No. One guide says outright not to exceed the vanity's width, and both give sizes that are narrower.

Can I use one big mirror over a double vanity?

You can, but the guidance for vanities of 60 inches or more with two sinks is to use two mirrors, one over each sink, so each lines up with its basin.

Sources

• Golden Lighting: What size lighted mirror do you need? Sizing and mounting height (70 to 90 percent width rule, eye level, bottom edge height, double vanities)
• Hunker: How to choose a bathroom mirror size (subtract 4 to 6 inches rule, mirrors between cabinets, round and oval mirrors, double vanities)