Photograph the space behind the doors
A front view helps explain the look you want to change. An interior view helps explain what the new cabinet must accommodate. Empty the accessible storage area and take these photos without disconnecting anything:
- The whole vanity: Include the countertop, adjacent walls, mirror and nearby fixtures.
- The open interior: Show the underside of the sink, curved drain assembly, shutoff valves and where pipes enter the wall or floor.
- Each end: Show trim, baseboards, side walls and any gap beside the cabinet.
- Doors and drawers open: Record anything that already interferes with movement, including the bathroom door or a nearby fixture.
Remove personal items from the photos before sharing them. If a pipe connection is hidden, label it unknown rather than guessing where it runs.
Make a small measurement map
Sketch the vanity from the front and above. Choose one visible reference for horizontal measurements, such as the left finished wall, and label it clearly. Use the finished floor as the height reference. Keep these notes together:
- Cabinet box: Width, depth and height, measured separately from the countertop.
- Countertop: Overall width and depth, plus the current sink position. Note whether you hope to keep it.
- Visible plumbing: Distance from your labeled reference to each pipe’s center where it enters the wall or floor. For wall entries, record height above the finished floor; for floor entries, record distance from the rear wall.
- Surroundings: Positions of adjacent walls, trim, toilet, tub or shower and the direction the room door swings.
Mark measurements you cannot take reliably as approximate. These notes help start a design conversation; the final room and plumbing measurements still need confirmation before ordering.
Compare the inside, not just the outside width
Two cabinets with the same outside width can arrange their storage differently. Ask to see the proposed vanity’s interior drawing: where the drawer boxes end, where partitions sit and what space remains for the sink and plumbing. Check access to the shutoff valves as well as whether the drawers close.
For an example of why model drawings matter, Kohler’s K-2517 installation guide (PDF) requires the plumbing to fall within that vanity’s designated cutout area and directs the installer to consult both the sink and vanity rough-in drawings. Its dimensions apply to that model, not every vanity.
Consider a hypothetical replacement: the existing cabinet has open storage beneath one sink, while the new design puts a drawer stack on that side. The overall width matches, but a water-supply entry could now sit behind a drawer box. Before ordering, have the team compare a different drawer arrangement with any plumbing work the preferred arrangement would require.
Do not plan on cutting a drawer or cabinet to solve a conflict later. Have the cabinet provider and installer confirm an approved solution first; the cited Kohler model, for example, expressly prohibits modifying its vanity.
Choose the cabinet, sink and top together
Keep the proposed cabinet drawing, sink specifications, countertop details and faucet selection in the same project folder. A sink’s location on top does not describe all the space its bowl and drain need below.
Kohler’s vanity buying guide distinguishes complete vanity combinations from separately configured components and explains that faucet selection affects the mounting holes needed in the top. Use that as a prompt to confirm what your own selection includes and how its parts fit together.
If reusing the old top, ask the countertop professional whether its dimensions, sink cutout and support requirements work with the new base. If changing from one sink to two, or shifting a sink sideways, ask the plumber to review the proposed arrangement before treating it as a simple cabinet swap.
Bring three clear questions to your consultation
- What can stay? Identify the plumbing, countertop and fixtures you hope to keep, with photos and model information when available.
- What storage matters most? Name the items you want in drawers and which could go behind doors. That gives the designer options if plumbing limits a preferred drawer location.
- Who confirms the fit and related work? Agree on responsibility for final measurements, plumbing changes, countertop work and installation before placing the order.
Our cabinet proposal checklist can help separate the cabinet scope from related services. ATG’s online cabinet estimates exclude installation, shipping, tax and other project costs; request a written proposal for your actual bathroom project.
For a bathroom cabinet project in Cleveland or nearby Athens, bring your photos and sketch to our Cleveland showroom at 955 Star Vue Dr. Call (423) 244-4539 ahead to arrange a visit. We can discuss your storage priorities and confirm which cabinet options suit the proposed layout.