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Double vanities are common in today’s bathrooms, but apparently having your own sink to spit in isn’t enough. Enter the latest trend in bathroom design: having not just one, but two toilets in the same loo.
That’s what was on display at the International Builders’ Show, an event where nearly 60,000 industry professionals gathered in January to tour the New American Home—a spec house in Henderson, NV, designed to highlight innovations in home construction.
Among the many stylistic flourishes—including curved exterior walls and multiple water features—the 6,428-square-foot, four-bedroom, five-bath home sported a master bathroom with two toilets, each in its own water closet. Talk about privacy!
Two toilets: The next big bathroom trend?
In a sense, having double toilets is understandable: If you have the room and the money, who wouldn’t want their own personal porcelain throne in a private stall? That way, both members of a couple can answer the call of nature in a convenient location at the same time—no one has to be exiled to the bathroom down the hall.
“The main benefit of double toilets would be that you and your partner can ‘do your business’ at the same time without having to leave the master suite,” says Drew Henry, founder of Design Dudes.
Furthermore, having one toilet per person allows each to customize the space to their taste.
“I understand the rationale behind it since toileting is highly personal, and with the advent of ‘supertoilets’ that include heated seats, night lights, and even Bluetooth syncing, you can have a variety of options tailored to individual preferences,” says Doris Pearlman, president and founder of Possibilities, an interior design firm in Denver.
Will two toilets catch on?
But are double potties really a must-have for the masses? Experts are divided on this question.
“Design could be a challenge if the space is small, but as long as the plan is well thought out, there shouldn’t be any pitfalls,” says Anna Shiwlall, owner of the interior design firm 27 Diamonds.
But others argue that depending on the layout, the extra plumbing that two toilets would entail might be challenging and costly. Henry has seen the issue of double toilets come up a lot, even on a recent episode of “House Hunters.”
“Two toilets were on the wife’s wish list at the start, and then she moved it up to a must-have,” Henry recalls. “But needless to say, the perk didn’t fit in their budget.”
The resale value of two toilets
No doubt, two toilets are certainly a conversation starter—and, some real estate agents argue, could be that extra something that might inspire luxury buyers to make an offer.
“If the home is large enough to accommodate two toilets, then it’ll definitely give it some ‘wow’ factor,” says Shiwlall.
But if space is tight, then the ROI on such a feature might be slim.
“If you have to give up a bedroom to create this large bathroom suite, it’s much harder to recoup your investment,” says Shiwlall.
Henry is also dubious whether such an upgrade is worth the money.
“In an average home, these doubles take up valuable space,” he says. “And in a luxe estate, a potential buyer will likely have ample budget to remodel the house to his taste anyway.”
And besides—aesthetically speaking, two toilets in their own stalls also run the risk of feeling more like a hotel than a home.
“A major design mistake to watch out for is making sure your home space doesn’t start to feel too commercial—as in, is this your master bathroom or an upscale gym locker room?” says Henry.
Some designers say that a better use of space would be a bigger shower instead.
“Most people are electing for a luxury shower experience, not two toilets in the bathroom,” Pearlman says. “So while this is fun to look at, it’s not relevant for today’s buyer.”
Other designers suggest that if space is plentiful, a better idea would be just to build two separate bathrooms.
“I’m getting more and more requests for his-and-her bathrooms in Southern California because couples need to get ready for work at the same time, and most can’t agree on a design style,” says Shiwlall. “So this way they have exactly what they want in their most intimate space.”
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