Recessed Oval Medicine Cabinet
Buy the best recessed oval medicine cabinet selected and recommended by interior designers. By Chloe Hughes.
When wall space is limited in the bathroom, look no further than a recessed oval medicine cabinet. Both easy on the eye and space-saving, this type of medicine cabinet adds a soft touch to its surroundings while simultaneously offering out-of-sight storage for your self-care essentials. On top of that, it has a less bulky appearance than wall-mounted medicine cabinets given that it’s installed directly inside the wall. See for yourself in this carefully selected collection of oval medicine cabinets!
Recessed Oval Medicine Cabinet
Buying Guide
Chloe Hughes
Interior Design Expert
Chloe is a highly-regarded expert in all things vintage and antique. She’s excited to share her vast knowledge with readers and clients wishing to infuse their homes with a mixture of old-time warmth and modern comfort. In addition to her design work, Chloe regularly volunteers at her local community center, teaching DIY projects to adults and kids.
A recessed oval medicine cabinet is not the usual choice for a bathroom because of the more common rectangular or square shape. But it fits in well with certain necessary and desired decor arrangements.
A recessed oval medicine cabinet has several important upsides:
- The bathroom appears larger
- Medicine cabinet that is recessed has a subtler profile than a wall-mounted one
- Hinges on the medicine cabinet are hidden by the mirror of the recessed frame to give a more attractive look
- Oval shape complements an item such as a pedestal sink because the mirror has negative space at the corners and the sink as well has negative space around the pedestal base. Another reason a mirror of this shape goes well with a pedestal sink is that both have curved lines.
Generally, the mirror for a vanity should not be as wide as the vanity. The recommendation is to keep it two inches to four inches narrower than your vanity, which includes the sink, counter and storage space around it. The point is to make the medicine cabinet appear to be smaller than the vanity. Keep in mind too that if you want to show a fuller view of yourself in an oval mirror, it needs to be a little larger than a square or rectangular one.
The storage space that a recessed oval medicine cabinet has depends on the amount of space between your walls. Most walls will accept a medicine cabinet that’s recessed four inches. An older home might be able to accept a recess that is a little deeper.
Your installer can tell you whether you have enough space for a recessed medicine cabinet. One that’s approximately 21 inches x 31 inches will yield a fairly good amount of space for keeping items. If you will put the cabinet in place yourself, attach it to a stud and make sure you don’t hit any electrical wiring, plumbing or other vital systems.
A recessed oval medicine cabinet can soften the lines in a bathroom. It’s neither as obtrusive as a large round one nor as bold as a rectangular one. An oval mirror can be either simple or ornate, as is one that might remind you of an intricately detailed frame from the Victorian era.
The frame for an oval medicine cabinet can be made of materials such as rust-resistant metal, stainless steel, plastic or a combination of these. You can also purchase a frameless mirror. It goes well in a bathroom in the contemporary style or in one that has a minimalist look with not a lot of competing decorating elements. This kind of mirror has a lower profile than one with a frame.
A recessed oval medicine cabinet serves the important function of giving you a place to put the items you need for grooming. But don’t forget that it is also an important design element that can help make your bathroom stand out as an impressive space.