Fit A Bathroom Vanity Into The Tightest Of Spaces Thanks To IKEA's IVAR Cabinet

Bathrooms come in all shapes and sizes, some being far more spacious than others. If you find that your bathroom is on the smaller side of things, you may be struggling to fit basic items in the space, including a bathroom vanity. While your postage-stamp-sized bathroom or an awkward sink location might not allow for a conventional bathroom vanity, there's no need to despair: you can still reap the benefits of having a bathroom vanity in the tightest of spaces, thanks to IKEA's IVAR cabinet.

The IKEA IVAR Cabinet is a simple and unassuming piece of storage, crafted from natural pine wood. It has been a mainstay of the Scandinavian company for 50 years and is a fan favorite. Since it comes as a completely blank canvas (no hardware or detailing included), you can easily put it to work in whatever context you need, including as a bathroom vanity. The streamlined footprint of the cabinet means that it juts out only 12 inches, which should accommodate even tiny bathrooms that have formerly been unable to fit a vanity. Of course, you'll have to get creative with your sink setup, since the dimensions of the IVAR cabinet are so slender. Fortunately, it's nothing that can't be solved by a trip to your local hardware store's sink and faucet section.

If you like the idea of installing an IKEA IVAR cabinet as a makeshift vanity in your tiny bathroom, you'll start by choosing the right model of the piece. The original bestseller is a single cabinet ($100) that measures 31½ inches wide, 33 inches high, and 12 inches deep. It comes with a couple of shelves inside, so you can store your bathroom essentials inside. You can mount the vanity on the wall to provide some extra space to stand while using the sink. In fact, the floating vanity is a bathroom trend that you'll see everywhere in 2026 — perfect for small spaces. If you're hoping for a longer vanity that doesn't extend further out into the bathroom's center, you can opt for the longer IVAR wall cabinet model ($200), which is 63 inches wide. This offers you substantially more space inside as well as on top for soap pumps, hand towels, and, of course, your sink space.

When it comes to making the IVAR work as a vanity base, you'll need to do a little legwork to choose an appropriately sized sink. One option that has petite enough dimensions is the Swiss Madison Rectangular Ceramic Bathroom Vanity ($81.66). Since this sink is a wall-mounted model, however, you'd have to potentially create a cutout in the top of the IVAR or float the sink above the vanity to make room for its drainage system. You could alternatively opt for a drop-in bathroom sink, which is a good pairing for a narrow vanity. Or, to keep things super simple, mount your IVAR vanity beside your sink so you don't need to worry about routing any holes in it for pipework.

The IVAR can make your small bathroom vanity dreams come true, but since it is so basic, you might need to give it some TLC to make it match your space. With a plain pine base, you can truly personalize it however you like: paint it, stain it, or use stencils to create a one-of-a-kind design on the doors. Additional ways to make the IVAR look like something unique are to purchase some stylish handles or knobs to add to the doors or to track down a nice piece of wood to serve as the top of the vanity (you can choose one that is deeper than the IVAR, creating a slight overhang and giving you more counter space).

If you are extra handy and feeling ambitious, try a stunning IKEA IVAR hack to revamp an ordinary space by giving the IVAR a built-in look. Once the IVAR has the vanity look you've been craving, remember to make good use of the interior by pairing it with good organization solutions. Line the shelves with bins that can hold personal care and hygiene products, and fold hand towels the right way to fully utilize the space. You might be surprised by just how much storage this tiny vanity can bring to your bathroom.