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High Level Toilets

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When you’re renovating a bathroom, cloakroom, or ensuite, it can be difficult to know which type of toilet to choose. There are some many different options to pick from these days that it can be challenging to determine which is the right one for your space. However, if you’re looking for a way of creating a stunning bathroom that boasts true vintage style, a high level or low level toilet could be the perfect addition to your space.

These designs have all the classic appeal of a Victorian or Edwardian bathroom, so if traditional elegance is your ideal, these toilets could be an ideal choice. If you aren’t sure what a low level or high level toilet is, read on to learn more about these vintage-looking fixtures that could complement your traditional room.

What are High and Low Level Toilets?

High and low level toilets are very similar in style, with exposed pipework and a cistern which is higher up than the bowl, and which is mounted onto the wall. Both types of toilet are very traditional and look perfect in period or retro bathrooms.

Often, these types of toilet are seen in commercial settings where awkward pipework is in place since it’s possible to set these toilets further from the wall than a more modern close coupled toilet. In fact, this is one of the biggest advantages of choosing these types of toilet, as there is more flexibility when it comes to how and where you decide to place your toilet bowl.

It’s possible to place it at some distance from the wall since its flush pipe gives you leeway in the amount of distance between the bowl and the cistern. It’s even possible to place these types of toilets in corners with no significant difficulties, and this makes them a better choice for this purpose than a close coupled toilet that has a cistern physically attached direct to the bowl.

What is a Low Level Toilet?

A low level toilet has a cistern that is mounted above the bowl and that is connected to the toilet itself with exposed pipework. Although the cistern is on the wall above the toilet pan, it is low enough down to allow a handle flush to be in place. The pipe that connects the cistern to the bowl is generally designed to be attractive and visually appealing, often being a stylish metal pipe that makes the toilet an eye-catching feature of the space.

What is a High Level Toilet?

High level toilets are what you think of typically when you imagine a Victorian toilet. The cistern is mounted on the wall above the toilet and is high enough up to require a pull chain for flushing. We tend to think of this style of toilet as an “original” or “vintage” design. Again, the pipe that connects the bowl to the cistern is usually designed to be visually attractive, often being a stylish metal to be an appealing focal point in your bathroom.

What do I need to consider when choosing a high or low level toilet?

If you’re thinking about choosing either a high level or low level toilet, there are a number of things that you should keep in mind before making your final decision. Here are just a few of them:

  • Location – as the toilet cistern has to be mounted on the wall, the location of your toilet is something that you’ll need to consider carefully. Will the wall where you intend to mount the cistern be suitable for the purpose? And most importantly, will the cistern fit in the available space, for example if there’s a window on that wall.

When considering location, you can also enjoy the extra flexibility that the longer flush pipe gives you when it comes to placing the bowl close to or further away from the wall as necessary.

  • Pipework – high and low level toilets are best suited to waste pipes that go into the floor or, alternatively, straight out of the back through the wall. If there is a pipe to the side of the toilet, that can look strange and may be visually unappealing in your space.

It’s also important to consider the fact that the pipe that connects the bowl and the cistern will be visible and whether that will match the aesthetic you’re hoping to create in your bathroom.

  • Who will be using the toilet? – considering who will be using the toilet is important, especially if you’re considering choosing a high level toilet with a pull chain. This type of toilet can be more difficult to flush for children or those who have physical issues that could prevent them from pulling the chain effectively.

A low level toilet could be a better choice for people who are less abled as they have a lever style flush. If you decide to opt for a high level toilet, you should also keep in mind that it could be more challenging to resolve any flushing issues should a problem arise, since the cistern will be high up on the wall and may not be especially easy to access in order to determine the cause of the problem.

  • Style – one final consideration is whether a high or low level toilet will work with your chosen décor and other bathroom furnishings. As these are very traditional-looking toilets, they work best in a vintage or classic-style bathroom with basins and vanity units that are from the same or a complementary range.

If you’re trying to achieve a traditional look in your bathroom, or if you’re currently replacing an existing traditional toilet in a period property, a high or low level toilet could be the answer to your renovation dilemmas, allowing you to enjoy the benefits of a modern toilet but with plenty of vintage style.

They look especially beautiful in conjunction with a period-style freestanding roll-top bath or slipper bath that will truly emulate a Victorian bathroom aesthetic in your contemporary home.

Not sure if this toilet type is for you but still want the period style?  Take a look at our range of traditional close coupled toilets and traditional back to wall toilets.

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