I’ve noticed a troubling design trend of late. In a distressing and it seems growing number of bathrooms, there are mirrors on the wall or door directly opposite the toilet. I get it, bathrooms are small, mirrors make small spaces look and feel larger, but who really thinks this placement is a good idea?
As it turns out, Feng Shui practitioners do, at least some of them. According to Sally Painter, you can mitigate the negative effect of a poorly placed bathroom (for example, too close to the front door, typical in hotel rooms and small apartments) with these steps:
Hang a full length mirror on the inside of the bathroom door.
Place a mirror directly opposite the toilet.
Minimize the powerful negative effects of a toilet – Place fresh flowers or a bowl of pebbles on the tank lid. If this isn’t possible, hang a shelf over the tank lid to hold the flowers or bowl.
I wouldn’t want to underestimate the “powerful negative effects of a toilet,” but it’s also hard to overstate the powerful negative effect of looking yourself in the eye in the mirror while you’re on the throne.
Hoteliers, designers, apartment therapists: can we please agree not to put mirrors opposite the toilet? Feng shui be damned, nobody needs to watch themself poop.