Aug 17, 2026 / By Bath Miami / in Decoration tips
When you are planning bathroom storage above the sink, the choice usually comes down to a recessed or surface-mount cabinet versus a few open shelves. Each looks great in photos, but they behave very differently day to day, especially in a humid Miami bathroom. Here is an honest comparison to help you decide between a medicine cabinet and open shelving.
A medicine cabinet hides toothpaste, medications, and clutter behind a mirrored door, which keeps the room looking clean and gives you a reflective surface for free. Open shelving puts everything on display, so it rewards tidy people and punishes the rest of us. If your counters tend to fill up with bottles, the closed cabinet usually wins on calm, uncluttered looks.
Humidity is the deciding factor here. Medications, vitamins, and electronics last longer behind a closed door away from shower steam, while open shelves expose them to the moisture that hangs in South Florida bathrooms year-round. On the other hand, open shelves dry out faster and never trap mildew in hinges. If you go with shelving, choose sealed wood, powder-coated metal, or glass rather than raw MDF.
A recessed cabinet steals space from between the studs, giving you 3 to 4 inches of depth without sticking out into the room, perfect for a narrow condo bathroom. Open shelves typically project 6 to 10 inches and can hold bulkier items like rolled towels and baskets. For pure capacity in a tight footprint, recessed cabinets are hard to beat.
Surface-mount cabinets and shelves screw onto the wall in under an hour. A recessed medicine cabinet requires cutting into the wall and confirming there is no plumbing or wiring in the cavity, which raises labor cost. Open shelving is the budget-friendly option upfront, but factor in the brackets and the decor you will need to make it look intentional.
Many of our customers combine the two: a medicine cabinet over the sink for daily essentials, plus a single open shelf for towels or plants. If the mirror is your main concern, our wider selection of bathroom mirrors pairs neatly with separate shelving so you are not locked into one piece doing both jobs.
Come see both options in person at the Bath Miami showroom, where you can open the cabinets, check the depth against your wall, and find the storage setup that fits your routine. We are happy to help you plan the layout.
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