Oregon Estate Keeps Design Clean and Fresh
Estate homes have one thing in common: the uncommon. So when Liz Murray was asked to design the bath spaces for the exercise room and pool house of a client's 10,000-square-foot home, she offered them an uncommon idea: the concealed, wall-hung toilet.
"I had been familiar with Geberit products ever since I graduated from design school," Murray explains. "Because I traveled throughout Europe and was familiar with Geberit – for example, besides homes, many German and Swiss hotels use the Geberit concealed tank system – I had many ideas to draw from. The client was looking for new ideas, and I brought the concealed wall-hung toilet idea to their attention. My client, who preferred European design, instantly fell in love with the entire concept of taking the toilet ‘off' the floor!"
The Concealed Tank and Carrier System is from Geberit North America, part of the Geberit Group, a European market leader and global provider of sanitary technology. Located in Des Plaines, Illinois, Geberit North America (www.geberit.us) markets concealed installation systems for residential wall-hung toilets, as well as bath waste and overflows. The Geberit concealed installation system technology enables designers like Murray to create unique spaces for their clients by lifting the toilet off the floor and allowing greater flexibility of placement in the bathroom.
"There is no question about it being a more sleek design; with no tank sitting there, exposed," Murray points out. "A toilet tank continually fights with designs. Geberit solved that problem by putting the ‘tank' in the wall."
"The ‘tank' is actually a one-piece, integrated gravity flush tank made of high-density polyethylene (HDPE)," says Neal Van Zante, the contractor who brought Murray's design to reality, and who did the entire remodeling project. "According to the manufacturer, Geberit, each tank is individually leak-tested for reliability, and reinforced to prevent collapse. We look at details like this, not only as a point of differentiation for our customers, but to know that the designs stand up to use."
In addition to leak-testing, the Geberit tank and carrier system is insulated to prevent condensation inside the bathroom wall. "That's very important no matter where you build, but particularly here in Oregon," Van Zante emphasizes. "We've had absolutely no issues with the Geberit concealment of the tank. In fact, the clean look . . . the adjustability of the height . . . how easy it is to clean around the back and below the toilet, it all makes so much more sense than having a traditional toilet on the floor."
The plumber who installed the fixtures concurs. "We've done about 20 of them," says Jeff Seyles, of Seyles Plumbing. "They are solid, they are clean and good looking in the bathroom. For tight spaces, it's just the thing."
The access to the tank is through the actuator flush panel, which controls the flushing on the wall. Geberit's design was engineered for performance, and for quick, easy maintenance should the need occur.
"There is just more flexibility for designers," Murray says. "And then there's the hygiene."
Murray, Van Zante and Seyles all agree that raising the toilet off the floor promotes better hygiene in today's residential restrooms "It's just easier to clean the floor," Van Zante says. "In fact, nothing is touching the floor on this design. It's remarkable."
"The installation is a little different, I have to admit," Seyles says. "There's a little more time involved with the rough-in work. But, the trim is just like a regular toilet, and once you do a couple, even the rough in takes little more time than a traditional install."
According to Seyles, there is no special training required either. "If we had questions, we just called the company, and they gave us the answers," he said. "The wall-hung toilet is just what the folks around here are looking for."
The city of Tualatin (one of the fastest growing communities in Oregon) is approximately 12 miles south of Portland, and 30 miles north of Salem. It has experienced significant growth in the past 30 years, transforming itself from an agricultural-based economy to a bustling, suburban, upscale community, with the current population being around 25,000.
"An estate home is luxurious, but achieving luxury can be as simple as pushing the design of the everyday toilet," Murray adds. "This estate's additions bring a level of luxury to these rooms because of the concealing of the tank on a toilet."
Some of the additional benefits of the Geberit system include: 1) bowl rim height adjusts from 15" to 19"; 2) 16-gauge structural steel-tubed frame rated to 880 lbs. without damage to the finished wall; and, 3) anti-siphon fill valve designed for short refill times minimizes the noise of the flush.
"The look was classic traditional," Murray says. "The Geberit design works extremely well with the tile, and we knew we wanted that type of installation. We have worked with Van Zante for over 10 years, so when Neal was awarded the project, he called on me for the design."
Murray says that it was because it was "Geberit" that she had no hesitation in recommending the design. "I've been familiar with Geberit for years. When I knew it was a Geberit product, it instantly gave me the confidence to recommend it to my client."
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