Going with the flow

These two toilets feature design with similar function in mind. Both designate the flow of water based on bodily functions. less for 'number one' and more for 'number two.'

The one on the left is from the Field Museum in Chicago. Users are directed to pull up on handle for one function and down for the other. 

The image on the right if from the tourist center at Conwy Castle, Wales. The larger button is for the heavier flow of water; the smaller button for the lighter flow. 

The coolest bathroom in Kansas

We were just beginning the day's road trek, several weeks ago, when we drove through Lucas and missed the coolest restroom in Kansas. They actually placed second in a national competition in 2014. The quirkiness of the public restroom is totally appropriate for Lucas, since its claim to fame is a wealth of grassroots art including the famous "Garden of Eden."

Take a minute and look at the slide show on this link. It is really a fascinating work, inside and out. However, I think I would REALLY have trouble as a resident bragging to someone that their restroom was Number 2. Or even number one for that matter. Oh, never mind.

European chic in a SE Kansas rest stop

On our return from a getaway at Flint Oak Lodge near Fall River, we stopped at this rest stop on Hwy 400 right around the Greenwood/Butler County line. It is maintained by a private company and, wow, for a a public rest stop it was immaculate! I half-expected an attendant ready to hand me a towel. 

What caught my eye was this elegant bit of industrial design that reminded me of the compact thoughtful design of European interiors where space is a premium. Although there is lots of space in this particular restroom, the soap dispenser is built into shelving, or they made a soap dispenser shaped like a shelf.