The toilet bowl is often the centrepiece of your bathroom as it's probably the first thing you or your guests will notice whilst entering said bathroom. It's also the most used fixture in the bathroom, along with your sink and shower. It is therefore imperative that you select a toilet bowl design that is compatible with both your bathroom aesthetics and plumbing type.
Understanding the different toilet bowl designs available in the market today as well as their respective benefits and compatibilities will go a long way in helping you pick a toilet bowl that best suits your bathroom, minimising the risk of forking out unnecessary money to alter your plumbing or even perform extra renovation works. With that in mind, here are some of the common toilet bowl designs in Singapore and how they could potentially complement your bathroom.
One-piece Toilet
As the name suggests, a one-piece toilet combines the toilet bowl and the tank into a singular unit. Thanks to its design, the one-piece toilet generally looks sleeker and is also easier to clean compared to toilets with multiple parts as there are fewer hard-to-reach spots for bacteria to hide and breed. Aesthetically, one-piece toilets are ideal for smaller and more minimalistic bathrooms as it takes up less space, and although there isn't usually a wide variety of designs for one-piece toilets, TOTO's one-piece catalogue does come with quite a few options for both round and elongated toilet bowl designs, skirted or non-skirted, and so on.
Wall-hung Toilet
A wall-hung toilet is truly unique in its own right in that the tank is actually concealed behind a wall, with the toilet bowl attached to the same wall, allowing it to be suspended from the floor. Not only does this system save even more space and enhance the toilet's minimalist design, it's also possible to scrub the bathroom floor underneath it, which keeps your bathroom even cleaner. The height of the wall-hung toilet can also be customised, an essential feature if you have mobility-impared family members or young children at home. A key consideration to take note, however, is that installing a wall-hung toilet requires significant renovation and plumbing work, namely the hacking and covering up of the wall and the rerouting of the pipes. If you're considering this option, we recommend doing so in a new build so contractors can set up the necessary infrastructure before your bathroom is completed.
Wall-faced (Back to Wall) Toilet
Wall-faced toilets are quite similar to wall-hung toilets in that both designs involve the concealment of the water tank behind a wall. The key difference between the two is that wall-faced toilet bowls aren't suspended above the bathroom floor, so while you can't clean underneath a wall-faced toilet, you also do not need to install supports to keep the toilet bowl suspended; it can be slotted right against the wall, supported by the floor itself without losing any of its space-saving and minimalist charm. Nevertheless, as is the case with wall-hung toilets, this wall-faced toilet bowl design also requires renovation work on the concealing wall, so it's better to get this done pre-bathroom completion. Another consideration for both wall-faced and wall-hung toilets is that the concealed parts may be difficult to access should you require repair or maintenance work done. Instead, opt for models with built-in access panels that allow plumbers to reach those parts easily.
Smart Toilet
What article on toilet bowls is complete without ushering in the toilet bowl design of the future: the smart toilet. Petite, elegant, and packed with health and environmental benefits, the smart toilet not only elevates your bathroom experience, it also adds a touch of flair and futurism in your bathroom's overall aesthetics. Most smart toilets come with an attached bidet to help you clean up more efficiently and thoroughly after yourself, toilet seat heating, and blow-drying amongst a whole slew of features. Take TOTO's NEOREST smart toilet for instance - it also comes with additional anti-bacteria measures, such as EWATER+, which keeps the toilet bowl and nozzle clean; ACTILIGHT, which eliminates visible and invisible waste; and PREMIST, a fine spray that makes it harder for dirt to adhere to the toilet bowl. Additionally, it has a smart flushing system that consumes less water without compromising on flushing power. There is even an automatic soft light function for nighttime usage.
For more information about the features and specifications of the different types of toilet bowl available, please visit our website.