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Must-have Toilet Features You Never Knew You Needed

bathroom remodel

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Here are some toilet features that you might not know about already, but which are useful enough that you’ll wonder how you ever did without them. (I hope that some of this information will serve to enhance your repertoire of potty jokes.)

Most people don’t think about the water surface area in the toilet bowl itself, but I always bring it up during a conversation about replacing a toilet. If you go to your grandma’s house and use her restroom, generally speaking, it’s going to have an older toilet. You’ll notice that there’s a ton of water in the bowl. When you flush it, it’ll seem like the water swirls around forever until it finally clears down. Those two characteristics (lots of water and long flush time) are very useful in bowl cleanliness.

If you look at a new toilet (especially if it’s on the cheaper side), the bowl will often get dirty and stay dirty fairly easily. It’s not surprising, because a greater surface of water would protect the actual porcelain from getting dirty. New toilets also have government regulations requiring only 1.6 gallons of water per flush. Thats why they are engineered not to swirl as much as the older toilets do, and the water just goes straight out of them. The sudden, direct movement leads to a dirtier bowl.

You don’t usually think about how silent a toilet is when it flushes, which is another noticeable characteristic of older toilets. Older toilets tend to be fairly quiet, while newer ones can get very loud. It’s not uncommon for bathrooms attached to the master bedroom to get regular nighttime use. Having a quieter toilet would definitely be beneficial in that case.

These next two features are fairly commonly known, but if you’ve never experienced them yourself, you don’t know what you’re missing. You won’t ever want to go back to a regular toilet once you get used to them. The first pertains to the shape of the bowl: toilets either come with a round shape or an oval/elongated shape. The elongated shape is much, much easier and more comfortable to use.

Next pertains to the height of the actual bowl that you sit on: it’s either standard height or slightly elevated. If you’ve ever used a handicap accessible public toilet, you might have noticed that it’s higher than the toilets in other stalls. It’s not a big enough difference for you to spot at a glance (about two inches), but it’s definitely noticeable in terms of how close to the floor you are while seated. I like to call them comfort height toilets because the higher position is just more comfortable to use.

To most people, a toilet is just a toilet. But in our world, there are definitely characteristics we look at when selecting the products we offer to our clients. It may surprise someone when we discuss these things, but these are definitely features with noticeable benefits. If it’s almost time to replace your toilet and you have any questions, just contact us today or give us a call at 540-483-9382.

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My name is Cyndi DeNeal. I’m an interior designer and I’ve worked with Brian Wisler for several years. When I found out he needed another designer, I was happy to come onboard. I have a background in residential interior design. Because every job is different, I try to be very creative with everyone. I’ll find out what each individual prefers instead of relying only on my personal taste. I like to get to know our clients and then make a design that truly suites their style.

If you’re thinking about getting a design for your home, the first step in the process involves being asked a bunch of questions. The goal is to find out exactly what your needs are. That way I’m more prepared when I come to visit your home. From there, I’ll take my measurements and get to know you a little bit better. Once I find out what your likes are, I’ll come back to the office and price everything. I’ll present it to you in a perfect little package.

After the selection process, I’ll meet up with a job supervisor so we can walk through the job together. I’ll explain exactly how everything is going to happen and I’ll also check on the job periodically throughout the process. At the very end, I’l go back to do a walkthrough with the client to make sure everything is exactly how they expected it to be.

I’m in a different division from James, so after the job is sold we’ll have a day of shopping. I’ll take the client out so we can make all the selections. I’ll help guide them throughout the way so that they’re not stuck trying to figure things out by themselves. It’s a fun day and we might end up having lunch together, too.

After our day of shopping, I’ll come back and do a revised proposal based on the actual selection process. A lot of times, the prices can come down based on the original quote due to the selections that were made. We really try to quote the job realistically and not hide things or cut corners. We don’t want to surprise people with anything unexpected.

Why Work With a Designer?

People sometimes don’t realize exactly what they’re getting into. There are little details that might not even cross your mind. For example, there are behind-the-wall considerations. If a wall needs to come out in the bathroom, there might not be the correct insulation behind it (or the insulation may fall out). If you’re picking tiles, we need to make sure you have the correct amount before the job is started. It wouldn’t be good if you got into the middle of a project and then realized there wasn’t enough tile.

If a client wanted a regular shower head, they might end up realizing that they would have preferred a handheld. There are even cases where I’ll point out that as people get older, they’ll tend to add a grab bar for comfort. We’d need to prepare for that by blocking the wood behind the walls where the tile’s going to go so that a grab bar can be properly fitted. These are some of the things that you’d have to think about beforehand. If you work with a knowledgeable, caring interior designer, they’ll be able to make all the recommendations that end up making a world of difference.

If you have any questions about what Cyndi can do for you and your home, contact us online, check us out on Facebook, or give us a call at (540) 483-9382.

 

 

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Remodeling a bathroom can be a large investment. Before starting such a project, there are several things to consider in order to decide whether focus should be placed on design or function. Of course, you can have both functionality and design, but it will be easier to strike the proper balance by speaking with someone who can help guide you through the process.

The very first thing to consider is what you’re going to be doing with the bathroom. If this is a bathroom that you use every day, a high amount of functionality should be built in to accompany the aesthetics. If it’s a guest bathroom, emphasis can be placed on making it look extra nice. It would probably be more advantageous to pay extra attention to the aesthetic features in that case.

Husband and wife couples that wish to remodel their bathroom often have different priorities. A husband will usually pay attention to the functionality and working parts, while the wife might be interested in what it will end up looking like. As professionals, we will ask questions to both husband and wife to make sure we address both of those concerns. The beauty of it is, we can combine both sides in a way that everyone is happy. All that’s needed is some proper planning ahead of time.

Let’s take a look at lighting, for example. There are many times when a bathroom could look so much better if it was properly lit. This could mean installing additional lights or replacing the current set with the correct type of bulb. LEDs are brighter and more neutral than incandescent bulbs. Simply replacing the incandescent bulb would have an immediate impact. Additionally, many bathrooms have windows that are kept covered for privacy. They can be refitted with the proper type of glass/tint that shields to maintain privacy while still allowing ambient light to shine in. This will result in a very well-lit area—improving not only the aesthetics, but also the functionality. The natural light brightens the look of the room while being very useful when applying makeup in the mirror. This is a large improvement over using a standard yellow incandescent bulb.

Next, let’s consider the cabinetry. Functionality wise, you can get a simple cabinet that serves its purpose. However, a good custom cabinet can add a lot of aesthetic value. There are many different options, styles, and finishes that complement a bathroom’s look. Some have drawers for storing curling irons and hair dryers. These appliances can stay plugged in and ready to use—not only improving the aesthetics by not having them laying on the counter, but also allowing them to be safely cooled. There are also cabinets with integrated waste baskets to keep things out of sight and also to conserve space.

Finally, let’s look at linen storage. A lot of times people will have full closets dedicated to storing their linens. Most likely, custom cabinetry will end up being a good, effective option to accommodate linens. Having a linen storage area in your bathroom can be convenient and advantageous. It will save room while providing easy access to the most used items.

Again, it really comes down to considering available options to create a balance between design and function. Bathroom usage habits are a good way to figure out the best ways to go about a remodel.

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