I love being able to use period pieces when I can, so when a home has original fixtures I get excited. The crane sink above is original to this 1940’s home. While you can still get gorgeous new crane sinks if you look hard enough, it is always fun to have a piece that has some history to it. Although crane sinks are beautiful for their spare lines, they leave a little lacking for storage. I like to pair them with a simple glass shelf to hold the incidentals that you would like to have close at hand. You should ideally look for tempered glass in the unlikely event of breakage.
The one I used for this project, featured above, is from Smedbo, a German company. I like if for the pure simple look. It is unobtrusive with a bit of sparkle. It can go with anything from contemporary to traditional decor.
This one by Moen, the Retreat glass vanity shelf, is simple in design and sleek. It has both an angular as well as a curved component so it would be complementary to many different fixture styles including the faucets from American Standard above.
I have also used the Gatco one below for a similar project. It has simple clean lines. It screws through the glass for support and stability.
Below is another one by Gatco with more distinctive looking hardware. It has a nautical feel. It reminds me of the styles of Restoration Hardware or Visual Comfort.
I also like the angular looks of this one by Ginger. It would fit well in a spare dark wood accented bathroom, perhaps a studio apartment in the city.
This one from Gatco calls attention to its ornate railing.
For an even more defined look, you could consider this framed one from KES.
If you want more sparkle, the one below, also from KES, definitely sparkles with a polished and rounded edge.
For one with a less angular shape and glass cut across a radius you might like the one from Gate below.
Get the feature look:
Crane sinks from Waterworks. Stunning in chrome, a double vanity, crystal, and black top.
Faucets:
Putting it together in a more contemporary fashion by Michael Smith for Town, basin set with cross handles in Ann Sacks. Beautiful. If used for living, you could certainly add a shelf below the mirror for some additional storage.
Love that you posted on this. We have a couple of tiny bathrooms in our house. We would like shelving for over the toilet, but we have kids so don’t want glass shelving. Any recommendations?
Hi Neda, the options that don’t have glass are very limited and typically industrial looking. One of the great features of glass is that visually it does not break the room. Having children myself, breakage has not been an issue with the shelves. The two framed options from KES would be your best bet. If you are set on not having glass, you could go to a stone yard and have a piece of marble cut to size and use it in place of the glass. Alternatively, you could cut a wood board the size of your glass and stain or paint it as desired and install it instead of the glass as well.
I found a nice marble shelf that it premade at http://www.urbanarchaeology.com/accessories/accessories/YaleClub/YaleClub27MarbleShelf.html, but it appears to be significantly more expensive than the glass options or the DIY suggestions above.
This is a great idea and your bathrooms are fabulous! I may add a shelf to my own bathroom.