Allez, le bidet!

I was reading the latest issue of Kitchen & Bath Design summing up the market trends of 2020. Thanks to the pandemic, toilet paper shortages drove a spike in domestic demand for bidets this year. Bidets have been popular in Europe for centuries but less so in the States. (Theories focus on negative connotations/religious history.) The name bidet is derived from the French word for pony (bider means to trot) and was used for washing one’s… ahem… nether regions. This Old World device was the bathing “workhorse” to the French in the 1600’s. Original bidets were just bowls of water set in sturdy stools or chairs. Advancements included custom made chairs that discreetly held the bowls and could be concealed in the room with a cover. Eventually sprays powered by hand pumps were added. Jump forward to modern day options and witness the Japanese influence of combining the American toilet with the cleaning function of the bidet, hence the bidet toilet. The latest versions are compliant with ADA and Universal Design requirements. They feature heated seats, power options, remote control capability and guarantee  a powerful “cyclone flushing experience”.

If a bathroom remodel sounds good for 2021, consider all your options. Actual models I researched were the “Clear Rear”, “Tushy Classic”, “Bliss”, “Butt Buddy”(wow, not exactly creative marketing). Should a shortage of toilet paper be on your list of concerns, maybe it’s your year to embrace the spray!