Design challenge: with better flushing capability and enhanced styling, new toilets are well-rounded

Building Products, Jan-Feb, 2005 by Linda C. Lentz

"We have a number of high-end condominium projects throughout the country in which urinals are in maybe three out of the four bathrooms," says Duravit U.S.A. president Tim Schroeder.

Ideal for master suites and powder rooms adjacent to home theaters, great rooms, and even outdoor spaces, this seeming indulgence has a number of compelling functional features. For one, it eliminates the up/down seat dilemma. Additionally, urinals save water. Typically, says Schroeder, "You're talking from about half to 1 gallon per flush, so from a green perspective it makes sense."

Dry, Duravit's innovative waterless urinal that uses a biodegradable sealing liquid instead, requires no more than an occasional bucket emptied into it to keep it clean.

At Villeroy & Boch all residential collections include one. "They're much smaller and more appealing than the type you see in an airport," claims Marc Nover, U.S. general manager of the bath division. "We offer them with covers so they look like hampers." The Oblic, designed for petite baths, even fits into a corner.

Toto's Lloyd was given a modern look. According to public relations manager Lenora Campos, "Urinals are being domesticated. And women, who traditionally control the decorating decisions, are willing to accept this convenience that men and boys crave."--L.C.L.

Duravit. Playfully shaped to mimic a drop of water, Dry is an ingenious waterless urinal that functions via a ceramic siphon filled with a biodegradable, lighter-than-urine sealing liquid. When the urine penetrates this liquid it runs directly through the siphon into the sewage system. This water-wise system also keeps unpleasant odors at bay and is easy to maintain. 888-387-2848. www.duravit.com. Circle 317.

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Toto. Designed specifically with homes in mind, the Lloyd residential urinal is part of a comprehensive mid-20th-century modern suite and would be an ideal complement to a master bath. The 29-inch-high, 17-inch-wide, 14-inch-deep unit has an electronic flush valve with an infrared sensor, uses only I gallon per flush, and is said to be easy to install for new construction or retrofit. 800-350-8686. www.totousa.com. Circle 318.

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Villeroy & Boch. Compact and space-saving, the Oblic urinal has been ingeniously configured to be installed anywhere in a room, even a corner. Measuring 22 1/2 inches high by 12 1/2 inches wide by 12 1/8 inches deep, this siphonic fixture features a discreet cover that can be specified for a right- or left-side opening. Easy-care Ceramicplus and antibacterial Activecare finishes are options on certain colors. 877-505-5350. www.villeroy-boch.com. Circle 319.

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