Toilet Story

The week before Christmas, I was called to advise on an emergency toilet specification...not a good thing to rush into at any time of the year!  This resulted in a long conversation about the pluses and minuses of what is available in the market.  On Christmas Day I watched, and very much enjoyed the movie Toy Story 2.  Then, at a New Year's Day brunch, I found myself being privy to a toilet story and I swear I didn't bring up the subject!  This guest recounted the exciting experience of selecting and buying a dual-flush, low-flow fixture. And so, Toy Story 2  was buttressed by a toilet story on each side, pun intended!   

 

 

Basic bathroom

I grew up in a family of seven children and two parents, and we shared a single bathroom in our century old farm house. There was a toilet, a wall mounted sink, and a free standing tub. Believe it or not, one bathroom per household was commonplace. Frankly, I don't recall it being a big deal. The problem that I perceived had to do with its appearance.

Another old bathroom with a tub like the one I had as a child.

It may have been my first home decorating project, and I'm guessing I was 10.  The room was about 6 x 8 feet, with an 8 foot ceiling height. There was a dado running around the room.  My idea was to paint the wall and ceiling above the dado a glossy fire engine red. The trim would be white,  and below the dado, I would apply a realistic black and white brick pattern vinyl wallcovering. Washable red carpeting anchored the floor. My parents willingly paid for materials, and I provided the labor. The red, white, and black scheme looked quite fashionable, and my parents were always proud to show it off to friends. Hey!  It was the fifties! 

Basic bathroom with dado

I wish that I had a photograph of the before and after - perhaps the catalyst to launching my career in interior design many years later!  The toilet in my childhood home was as basic as you can get, and amazingly, it seemed to hold up to all the use that it received.  Today, however, if I had my druthers, I'd have a Toto toilet, for the ultimate toilet story of luxury.  If you have never had the experience of trying one, I recommend it highly; you will be baptized, so to speak, and born again!

Toto Neorest