Home: Scout: The Best Seat in the House

We Americans don’t have clever
words like “loo” and “WC.” Instead we say we’re “going to the bathroom” even when the trip has nothing to do with the bath. So we splurge on soaking tubs, Italian tile and sleek sinks, while toilets get lost in the bathroom design equation. But aesthetically pleasing pots do exist. Whether you choose to keep your toilet in the background or make it stand out like your favorite upholstered chair, we’ve found five commodes built to add comfort, style and, well, commodity to your bathroom.

Stone Throne
The Pure Stone toilet’s design brings
a new meaning to nature calls. What looks like a smooth rock from a distance is actually a wall-mounted toilet from Vill-
eroy & Boch. “A lot of people like it,” says Luis Hoz de Vila, general manager of LA Signature in Philadelphia. “They are curious about how a toilet can look like a rock.”
The toilet’s ultrasmooth texture comes, in part, from a ceramic blast coating, which keeps dirt and grime from sticking to it. “It’s almost like a highly polished waxed car where the water just beads off,” says Hoz de Vila. If you really like the rustic feeling and the low maintenance that the Pure Stone toilet brings to your bathroom, consider its sidekick—the matching bidet.
Price: Toilet, $2,775, bidet, $1,720, both at LA Signature, Marketplace Design Center, Philadelphia 215-209-3040, la-signatureonline.com

Victorian Throne
A nod to Victorian design that’s
perfect for powder rooms or compatible with claw-foot tubs, the Pill WC by Sunrise Specialty has a wall-mounted tank and porcelain, brass and beading details. “It’s very traditional looking,” says Joe DeMarco, showroom manager at Weinstein Supply in Norristown. “The design of the bowl goes back to the earlier days when the tanks used to hang at the top of the wall.”
Though this sophisticated throwback may transport your guests to
the days of crinoline and bustles, it has up-to-date features such as the now-standard 1.6 gallons of water usage per flush.
Price: Starting at $1,500, Weinstein Supply, Norristown 610-279-3506, weinsteinsupply.com
Modern Throne
One of the most annoying reali-
ties of the standard toilet is the s-curve base with its difficult-to-clean twists and turns. Kohler’s Escale model solves this problem by hiding the plumbing in one sleek, rectangular box. Inspired by Japanese ceramic tableware, the minimal shape—it has an elongated seat and tank—rebukes the clunky old toilet standard.
“It’s a very contemporary toilet. That’s what most people like about it,” says Sara Brandon, builder sales rep for Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery in King of Prussia. Though it requires more than the typical plumbing installation, the cutting-edge design has dual flush technology so those looking to help the planet can choose between buttons—ahem—one or two, to control the amount of water used for the flush.
Price: Starting at $918, Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery, King of Prussia 610-337-8856,
ferguson.com
Effortless Throne
Toto’s space-saving Neorest 600
is a tankless toilet ideal for one-bath apartments, but be forewarned that it may spur you to remodel.
“Once a person puts a Toto in their home, they try to put another one in as well,” says Herb Stern, vice president of Philadelphia’s S&H Hardware & Supply Co. The functions built into the “washlet seat” include warm-water washing, drying and air-freshening.
Toto’s innovative SanaGloss is a finish glaze that keeps the inside of the bowl grime-free, so you almost never have to endure the unpleasant task of cleaning your toilet. And not only does it require less maintenance, it takes less effort to use. A remote control operates the washlet and toilet functions (seat warming!). If that isn’t enough, this model may also lead to household harmony: Built-in sensors will automatically open and close the lid and flush the toilet so he doesn’t have to.
Price: Starting at $5,200, S&H Hardware & Supply Co., Philadelphia 215-745-9375, shhardwareonline.com

Leather Throne
“Is that real leather?” is the first
question that LA Signature customers ask Hoz de Vila when they see the Neo-Metro Cerine toilet, which comes with five different colors of changeable leather panels and three colors of wood panels that accent the stainless-steel bowl. Customers are also curious to know if the leather stands up to moisture, and it does, says Hoz de Vila. Opt for leather or wood panels, or a material that matches your existing bathroom scheme. Many homeowners choose to cover the back panel with coordinating tile so however they remodel, the toilet is sure to fit. n
Price: $3,816, LA Signature, Marketplace Design Center, Philadelphia 215-209-3040, la-signatureonline.com

We Americans don’t have clever words like “loo” and “WC.” Instead we say we’re “going to the bathroom” even when the trip has nothing to do with the bath. So we splurge on soaking tubs, Italian tile and sleek sinks, while toilets get lost in the bathroom design equation. But aesthetically pleasing pots do exist. Whether you choose to keep your toilet in the background or make it stand out like your favorite upholstered chair, we’ve found five commodes built to add comfort, style and, well, commodity to your bathroom.

Stone Throne
The Pure Stone toilet’s design brings new meaning to nature calls. What looks like a smooth rock from a distance is actually a wall-mounted toilet from Vill-
eroy & Boch. “A lot of people like it,” says Luis Hoz de Vila, general manager of LA Signature in Philadelphia. “They are curious about how a toilet can look like a rock.”
The toilet’s ultrasmooth texture comes, in part, from a ceramic blast coating, which keeps dirt and grime from sticking to it. “It’s almost like a highly polished waxed car where the water just beads off,” says Hoz de Vila. If you really like the rustic feeling and the low maintenance that the Pure Stone toilet brings to your bathroom, consider its sidekick—the matching bidet.
Price: Toilet, $2,775, bidet, $1,720, both at LA Signature, Marketplace Design Center, Philadelphia 215-209-3040, la-signatureonline.com

Victorian Throne
A nod to Victorian design that’s erfect for powder rooms or compatible with claw-foot tubs, the Pill WC by Sunrise Specialty has a wall-mounted tank and porcelain, brass and beading details. “It’s very traditional looking,” says Joe DeMarco, showroom manager at Weinstein Supply in Norristown. “The design of the bowl goes back to the earlier days when the tanks used to hang at the top of the wall.”
Though this sophisticated throwback may transport your guests to
the days of crinoline and bustles, it has up-to-date features such as the now-standard 1.6 gallons of water usage per flush. Price: Starting at $1,500, Weinstein Supply, Norristown 610-279-3506, weinsteinsupply.com

Modern Throne
One of the most annoying reali-ies of the standard toilet is the s-curve base with its difficult-to-clean twists and turns. Kohler’s Escale model solves this problem by hiding the plumbing in one sleek, rectangular box. Inspired by Japanese ceramic tableware, the minimal shape—it has an elongated seat and tank—rebukes the clunky old toilet standard.
“It’s a very contemporary toilet. That’s what most people like about it,” says Sara Brandon, builder sales rep for Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery in King of Prussia. Though it requires more than the typical plumbing installation, the cutting-edge design has dual flush technology so those looking to help the planet can choose between buttons—ahem—one or two, to control the amount of water used for the flush.
Price: Starting at $918, Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery, King of Prussia 610-337-8856, ferguson.com

Effortless Throne
Toto’s space-saving Neorest 600 is a tankless toilet ideal for one-bath apartments, but be forewarned that it may spur you to remodel.
“Once a person puts a Toto in their home, they try to put another one in as well,” says Herb Stern, vice president of Philadelphia’s S&H Hardware & Supply Co. The functions built into the “washlet seat” include warm-water washing, drying and air-freshening.
Toto’s innovative SanaGloss is a finish glaze that keeps the inside of the bowl grime-free, so you almost never have to endure the unpleasant task of cleaning your toilet. And not only does it require less maintenance, it takes less effort to use. A remote control operates the washlet and toilet functions (seat warming!). If that isn’t enough, this model may also lead to household harmony: Built-in sensors will automatically open and close the lid and flush the toilet so he doesn’t have to.
Price: Starting at $5,200, S&H Hardware & Supply Co., Philadelphia 215-745-9375, shhardwareonline.com

Leather Throne

“Is that real leather?” is the first question that LA Signature customers ask Hoz de Vila when they see the Neo-Metro Cerine toilet, which comes with five different colors of changeable leather panels and three colors of wood panels that accent the stainless-steel bowl. Customers are also curious to know if the leather stands up to moisture, and it does, says Hoz de Vila. Opt for leather or wood panels, or a material that matches your existing bathroom scheme. Many homeowners choose to cover the back panel with coordinating tile so however they remodel, the toilet is sure to fit. n
Price: $3,816, LA Signature, Marketplace Design Center, Philadelphia 215-209-3040, la-signatureonline.com