# Shower over a toilet **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 30, 2010, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shower-over-a-toilet/565860 "2010-12-30T19:47:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![JerseyFrank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bcef8e/32.png) [@JerseyFrank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JerseyFrank)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shower-over-a-toilet/565860/1 "2010-12-30T19:47:04Z")
see picture of retro-styled bathroom [here](http://retrorenovation.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/AnnSacksElements_Install_zaa18261.jpg). If that _is_ a shower head over the toilet, what purpose does it serve? How is it used? Is the entire floor the shower pan? ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shower-over-a-toilet/565860/2 "2010-12-30T19:55:22Z")
I assume you’re trying to link the pic from [this page](http://retrorenovation.com/2010/07/09/ceramic-tile-in-147-colors-and-26-sizes-from-ann-sacks-elements-ceramic-basics/). Edited: I didn’t realize I’d gone from searching for the tile manufacturer to picking up the pic in Google Images at a design blog. I still think that the whole floor is the shower pan, though. ---
**Author:** ![postcards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e8cbc/32.png) [@postcards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/postcards)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shower-over-a-toilet/565860/3 "2010-12-30T20:11:50Z")
I’ve no idea, but [this is a working link](http://retrorenovation.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/AnnSacksElements_Install_zaa18261.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![dotchan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9d8465/32.png) [@dotchan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dotchan)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shower-over-a-toilet/565860/4 "2010-12-30T20:14:58Z")
Looks like a trick of the perspective. That room’s probably a lot deeper than it seems. The shower is not located just directly above the toilet but some distance in front of it. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shower-over-a-toilet/565860/5 "2010-12-30T20:17:46Z")
One of the user comments from jayjay’s link “I’m a sales rep for Ann Sacks. That picture was taken in our showroom. We are owned by Kohler and each vignette showcases one of the Kallista (also owned by Kohler) plumbing collections. We fit everything into a small space, so it is not layed out like a true bathroom. It is meant to show all the offerings from a collection in a small space.” ---
**Author:** ![Telperion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telperion/32/509_2.png) [@Telperion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperion)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shower-over-a-toilet/565860/6 "2010-12-30T20:20:14Z")
The comments state that the picture is taken in a showroom and the furnishings are installed that way to display the entire bathroom collection in a small floorspace. Edit: D’oh! I’ll just go and practice my quick comment skill. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shower-over-a-toilet/565860/7 "2010-12-30T20:23:01Z")
> [@dotchan](#): > > Looks like a trick of the perspective. That room’s probably a lot deeper than it seems. The shower is not located just directly above the toilet but some distance in front of it. This was my guess, but it looks like the others have figured it out. “Layed out.” Blech! ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shower-over-a-toilet/565860/8 "2010-12-30T20:26:01Z")
Not an uncommon condition for a mororhome though. ---
**Author:** ![JerseyFrank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bcef8e/32.png) [@JerseyFrank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JerseyFrank)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shower-over-a-toilet/565860/9 "2010-12-30T20:43:01Z")
ah, that answers it then. Thanks! BTW, I love the look of that demo room. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shower-over-a-toilet/565860/10 "2010-12-30T22:03:42Z")
I have had hotel bathrooms in Italy that are very similar. There is a drain in the floor and no shower enclosure of any type. The shower head is not, of course, directly over the toilet, but you have to remember to cover your toilet paper to keep from soaking it 😃 ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shower-over-a-toilet/565860/11 "2010-12-30T22:08:07Z")
It is very common for RVs and [the showers aboard Amtrak are like that](http://schneider.pingdata.net/Christmas%202006%20199.jpg). It actually makes a lot of sense, as it gives you a seat in the shower, very useful if you have limited mobility - there is no particular reason one would have to stand to take a shower. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shower-over-a-toilet/565860/12 "2010-12-30T22:11:16Z")
> [@Morgenstern](#): > > Not an uncommon condition for a mororhome though. Also know as a shoilet. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shower-over-a-toilet/565860/13 "2010-12-30T22:24:04Z")
It’s just about the only setup you find in China, and I’ve also experienced it in India, west Africa and Italy. The whole floor acts as a shower pan. ---
**Author:** ![Caffeine.addict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f475e1/32.png) [@Caffeine.addict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caffeine.addict)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shower-over-a-toilet/565860/14 "2010-12-30T22:29:43Z")
I’ve seen it in Brazil, although usually only in the maid’s bathroom. Most Brazilian bathrooms have a floor drain in the bathroom so you can clean the bathroom with a lot of water. They can get away with it because they use mostly cement construction. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2010, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shower-over-a-toilet/565860/15 "2010-12-31T02:28:10Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > Also know as a shoilet. Shoitainly! ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2010, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shower-over-a-toilet/565860/16 "2010-12-31T02:52:13Z")
I’ve heard that bathrooms designed with no defined shower space are called “wet rooms.” ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2010, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shower-over-a-toilet/565860/17 "2010-12-31T03:30:41Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > It’s just about the only setup you find in China, and I’ve also experienced it in India, west Africa and Italy. The whole floor acts as a shower pan. None of the places I ever stayed at in China had that set-up, but I’ve seen an apartment in Canada with the shower/bathroom combination. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2010, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shower-over-a-toilet/565860/18 "2010-12-31T04:05:56Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > None of the places I ever stayed at in China had that set-up, but I’ve seen an apartment in Canada with the shower/bathroom combination. What kind of places were you staying? Of the dozens of Chinese apartments I’ve been in, I can only think of one that had a different set up. Well, then there was mine where the shower was in the kitchen, but that is another story. ---
**Author:** ![\_cc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/_/e19b73/32.png) [@\_cc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/_cc)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2010, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shower-over-a-toilet/565860/19 "2010-12-31T07:55:08Z")
I’ve been in apartments in Japan that had bathrooms about the size of a non-walk-in closet, with a toilet and a showerhead directly above it. Usually the floors and walls are completely plastic to avoid too much mildew these days.