Where to Hang Bathroom Fixtures: Towel Bars, Toilet Paper Holders, Faucets, and More

When we remodeled two of our upstairs bathrooms, I was giddy to be at the “hanging the towel rack and toilet paper holder” step. Because that meant each bathroom makeover was finally done.

But since the former holes were either covered up or we had moved things around, we had no idea where everything should go.

The bathroom hardware is something we see and use every day. And it seems at the right height for everyone.

But I had never actually taken notice of where that “right” place was.

Well, I’ve now done all the research and I’m sharing it with you for when you’re sprucing up your own bathroom!

This is just one category of my “Must Have Measurements for the Home” guide. At the bottom of this post you can find the links to the other three parts: guidelines for placing lighting, artwork, and furniture.

Pssst—I’ve even included a cheat sheet just for my subscribers with all the basic numbers that you can print and keep on file! You can find it in the subscriber only library. 😊

So where should we hang everything in the bathroom?

(Keep in mind this is a general guideline based on the industry standard. There are no hard and fast rules – much of it comes down to personal preference and the bathroom layout.)

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The proper height for bathroom accessories.

Height for towel bars.

The standard recommendation for the best towel bar height is 48″ from the floor. This can vary depending on what’s on your wall space that you have to work around (light switches, electrical outlets, counters, etc.) This height leaves room for the towels to hang freely and not touch the floor when folded over the bar and is easily accessible to most people using it.

Height for towel rings.

As with towel bars, towel rings will also hang 48″ from the floor to the bottom of the ring. Since towel rings are mostly used for hand towels beside the sink they often hang above a vanity. In this case the towel ring should hang 20″ above a counter to the bottom of the ring.

Height for toilet paper holders and placement.

How about the TP holder? The standard height is 26″ from the floor. The recommendation is also that they should be within 8-12″ from the front rim of the toilet seat.

In a perfect bathroom world this is easy, but bathrooms can be one of those rooms where everything is forced into a small space.

And what if there’s no side wall? When we remodeled my daughter’s bathroom we faced this dilemma. We all took turns taking a seat and acted out reaching for the TP. We unanimously decided hanging it on the same wall as the toilet was the best scenario.

(It does feel a little strange for it to be behind instead of in front.)

SH&H Tip: Another good option for this problem is to use a toilet paper stand, if you have room.

Height for towel hooks or robe hooks.

The height recommendation for robe or towel hooks is 70″ from the floor. These hooks are so useful in the bathroom! In our master bath, there was no room for a towel bar beside the shower.

We solved it by putting a hook there instead. And whenever we get out of the shower, the towel is waiting right there for us.

SH&H Tip: In smaller bathrooms, exclusively using hooks for bath towels is a great space saver! There’s no law that a full bath has to have a towel bar, after all.

Height for shower rod.

For a standard length 72″ shower curtain, the shower rod should be 75-77 inches from the floor. This keeps the curtain from touching the floor while keeping the liner in the tub.

SH&H Tip: When hanging shower curtains, place them higher up to create the illusion of a larger bathroom. This along with taking the shower tile up to the ceiling really does make a small bathroom feel bigger! But remember you must have a longer than standard shower curtain to create this look. And also keep in mind whether you’ll be blocking out all of the light when the curtain is closed.

Height for vanity mirrors.

Here are a couple of ways to find the optimum mirror height:

• Hang the mirror centered between the vanity light and the counter if the light is already in place.
• Hang the mirror 5”-10” inches above the counter or a few inches above the top of the sink faucet.

You’ll want to take into account who will be using the mirror the most and put it where there is at least a foot of mirror above their eye level. So if you have very tall family members or small children adjust the height so they can easily see themselves.

Height for showerheads, valves, tub spouts, and wall mounted bathroom faucets.

For showerheads, tub spouts, and water controls there are several considerations that need to be taken into account. Some areas have building codes for where the shower fixtures should be. The height of your shower and family members also figures in.

Just like with the toilet paper holder, have family members stand in the shower and act out reaching for the water control knob(s). Take the average height that’s best for everyone as well as a height for where the showerhead will clear everyone’s head.

The general recommendations for the correct height for these fixtures are:

• Shower valves (water controls) should be installed around 38″-45″ above the ground.
• For tub/shower combos, the valve should be installed 8″-18″ above the tub spout.
• Showerheads should be hung 80″ from the ground.
• Tub spouts should be placed 12″-18″ above the tub rim.

I adore the look of sink wall faucets, but have never actually had one. If you are lucky enough to be putting a wall faucet in over your vanity, the recommendation here is that it should be hung about 4-5” over the sink. Just make sure there’s at least one inch between the bottom of the spout and the sink’s overflow hole.

Where to hang bathroom vanity sconces.

We also covered sconces in part 1 of the home measurements guide, but since they are also hung in the bathroom, we’ll cover them here too.

• Flanking a bathroom mirror: 60-65″ from the floor to the junction box and 36-40″ apart.
• Above a vanity mirror: 6″ between the top of the mirror and the junction box
• Above a vanity countertop: 60″ from the floor to the junction box and a minimum of 24″ above the counter

When hanging bathroom sconces beside the vanity mirror, the size of the mirror dictates how close together and how high the sconce should go.

The ideal height of a sconce above the vanity mirror can depend on the space available above the mirror and the sconce’s size.