I'm feeling flushed...

(Kohler's Wellworth model toilet)

The upstairs bathroom is coming right along. I was so looking forward to coming home from work some day and finding a toilet installed in there. It was the subject of many daydreams at work. (Renovation does funny things to one's mind....)

Early on we had discussed with the contractor that what we wanted in a toilet was a white "tall" toilet, nothing fancy...and gave him a few price points and figured it was a done deal.

Yesterday we were informed that "we" actually had to make the selection ourselves. That sounded easy enough. I was game to trot over to the local Lowes or Home Depot or plumbing fixture supply store in town, but as it turned out, the need was more urgent than that, the stores were closed, and so off to cybershopping we went.

First stop: Retro Renovations

50's Pam has researched all the best options for 50's era house fixtures. She recommended Kohler's Wentworth's model toilet, noting that the 40's and 50's houses always had toilets with rounded bowls. The elongated bowls came in during the 60's and 70's.

I thought about that for a few seconds, and realized that the 50's style bathroom is quite narrow, and that an elongated bowl would stick out past the vanity. Easy-peasy...one decision down!

We would get the model in white, of course, because the tub and sink have already been bought in white. Otherwise I would be sorely tempted to go the full pink bathroom trip and order a lovely pink john.

The next step was to determine if the Kohler fixture could be ordered in tall. Since we are tall folks with aging knees, we had determined to get what is known as a "chair height" toilet, one that is anywhere from 1 1/2 to two inches taller than standard. It isn't much, but believe me, it does make a difference.

Well wouldn't you know it...Wentworth doesn't come in a tall version.

We began perusing various plumbing websites and quickly learned that tall models usually comes with an elongated bowl. Drat. We discussed the pros and cons of extra inches in width verse extra inches in height. I decided I would rather have the rounded bowl still, just to leave more room in the bathroom.

A bit more research and hurray! there actually is a tall toilet with a round bowl, Cimmaron by Kohler.

Hot Dog!

Then Mr. B. shifted into Engineering mode and began to read the specifications on the "traps" on various toilets. The trap is the size of the opening that the waste passes through.

Some had 1 3/4 inch traps.
Some had 2 inch traps
Some had 2 1/4 inch traps.

Picture us sitting before the computer, making circles with our thumbs and forefingers, trying to decide if an opening about that size would allow the output of a fiber rich diet to pass, or if we would need to forgo bran if we went with some of these design specifications.

Next we looked at flush options: some toilets are now have two "speeds" you know.
And then there were the waterless toilet options...

It was getting late at that point, and I was all pooped out. We really hadn't eliminated much, but now had a pile of information. Wiped out, I headed to bed, hoping that I could digest some of the options in my sleep.

Today we still feel like we have a full load to manage. The tile setters are done, and would like to seat a toilet ASAP. The inspectors will be checking to be sure that what we chose meets water conservation requirements. If it wasn't for the government sticking their nose in our business we would just re-use the perfectly good toilet that we just tore out. It will instead be heading to a land fill.

Ecology: it is a system of odd checks and balances.

So as I write this the race is on. We've got to find a suitable toilet somewhere in town, and fast! I'm going to be whizzing over to the various hardware and plumbing stores on my lunch break.
Wish me a pot full of luck, I think I am going to need it!