London start-up Hidealoo is launching a discreet moveable frame that makes it easier to fit toilets in small awkward spaces.
Hidealoo’s steel mechanism allows a toilet pan to be swivelled through 90º to that it can be hidden inside a wall or cupboard when not in use. As well as creating more flexible floor space and otherwise impossible counter space, this gives greater options for installations within homes where adding a new bathroom may not otherwise be possible. For example, by allowing a toilet to be fitted within a utility room cupboard, bedroom wardrobe, or in a cabinet underneath loft eaves.
For wet rooms, a further benefit of the frame is that the ability to fold the pan away into the wall means it not only then allows the same space to be used as a shower, but keeps the pan dry, increasing ease of use.
Its inventor, Monty Ravenscroft, has spent the last 25 years pioneering designs for innovative moving elements in architecture. His space-saving London home was featured on Channel 4’s Grand Designs and labelled “one of London’s 10 most remarkable Homes” by Open House Architecture Festival.
Monty was inspired with the idea for the frame when designing solutions for his home that would maximise the space available by making it more flexible in use. He also wanted to create something for his invalid father, who needed the convenience of bathroom facilities in his bedroom but in a discreet way that preserved his dignity.
Monty Ravenscroft explains: “Our retractable toilet provides the ability and versatility to use small spaces more efficiently. Not only does Hidealoo free up valuable space to allow enhanced use of a bathroom or cloakroom, but it supports the installation of systems in many alternative positions.”
The Hidealoo frame is manufactured in Britain and works with any standard UK wall hung ceramic pan and 110mm waste pipe. It has been tested to hold 400kg in weight and has been successfully operated through 250,000 flexing cycles with a fully flooded pan and pipes – the equivalent of the pan being used 10 times a day for 65 years while blocked up to the rim.
Installation is simple and thanks to its strong flexible pipework, a toilet attached to the frame can be flushed in any position, with no impact on the frequency of potential blockages.
For more information, visit www.rdr.link/dao019
