How Joanna Gaines Uses A Sink To Make A Small Bathroom Seem Bigger Than It Really Is

People say big things come in small packages, but anyone who's decorating a teeny, tiny bathroom may beg to differ. If you already have limited room — and appliances like a shower, toilet, and sink taking up precious square footage — what you see is often what you get. However, according to Joanna Gaines's bathroom hack, the secret to making a small vanity appear larger is simple: Just add a vessel sink.

As the star of HGTV's "Fixer Upper," the lifestyle expert has renovated hundreds of homes. In other words, it's safe to say Gaines has seen design dilemmas of all shapes and sizes. (Of course, she always rises to the occasion, whether she needs to maximize space in a combined living room and dining room, make a bed look more luxurious, or find a unique way to display keepsakes.) 

In a "Fixer Upper" Web-Exclusive, where Gaines shares her best small bathroom tips, she admits a vessel sink can pack on the spa-like style and create a mirage of extra counter space. "This vanity piece is smaller, so I really wanted to make it stand out," Gaines explains. "It's not necessarily large, but the fact that it comes up above the countertop gives it the illusion that it's bigger than it really is."

Unlike most sinks, which are typically mounted underneath a countertop, a vessel's basin sits directly on top of your vanity. (It kind of looks like a big bowl, only one that has a drain and proper plumbing so water can run through it.) Sinks that are built into a vanity tend to take up a lot of room; however, a vessel basin creates some negative space to trick the eye into thinking your counters are larger than they actually are. If you place your everyday necessities, like cotton balls and your toothbrush, on a floating shelf — another one of Gaines's tips — you'll free up even more counter space.

One caveat: Swapping out an undermount sink for a vessel style will require some elbow grease. Your old countertop is likely designed to accommodate a larger basin, so installing a vessel sink might require new countertops. You will also need to decide if you prefer a mounted vessel sink that's fully on top of your counter or a semi-recessed version that offers the best of both worlds. And, since vessel basins are taller than other sink styles, you may need to buy a faucet with a longer spout to accommodate the new sink. However, if you're down to flex your DIY muscle, this is one project with stylish, space-efficient results.