A guest on Channel 4's Grand Designs has come up with a new design for toilets that will allow them to fold into cupboards with ease.
The bold idea, which was invented by Monty Ravenscroft, aims to provide more bathroom space by making the loo moveable and more convenient to the user.
Monty developed the idea over ten years ago while caring for his father, Pelham, who suffered from vascular dementia during his final years.
The 55 year old sought a way to make his bedridden father's bathroom routine more dignifying by ensuring his toilet was close but not always constantly on display.
The innovative Hidealoo folds neatly away using a swivel mechanism which offers the elderly and disabled the use of a private toilet that is convenient to them and their living space.
The toilet also promises to transform bathrooms by providing more space in smaller homes as it can be discreetly folded away into a cabinet, wall cavity or even a bedroom wardrobe.
Excluding installation fees, the toilet costs £1,125 and takes roughly two to three hours to install into existing plumbing.
Monty, who is also works as a director and co-owner at architectural design company Meia, says his invention has gained interest from student accommodation providers.
In addition to this, it has also received interest from companies building emergency container homes providing temporary refuge people in places like Turkey and Syria, which was recently hit by devastating earthquakes.
The inventor told presenter, Kevin McCloud: "We have a big, steep learning curve in teaching people that the loo which has been static for nearly five hundred years can now start moving – bringing it into the 21st century.
"My dad was bedridden for the last few years of his life, which was quite indignifying, and I was trying to think of ways to make it more dignified… I have been inventing since I was a kid, and I decided to make my dad a loo that folded away."
He added: The loo is the same: it’s a normal loo pan – we simply move it. It's really secure. For most of us, the toilet is where we feel most vulnerable, so we had to make a really strong lock so it doesn’t move.
"If you think you pay for square feet of a property and then don’t use some of it, it’s just bananas!"
The designer also said there is already 20 loos currently in use and the toilets can last user up to 60 years.
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