The past 18 months has seen a mad lot of home renovation work at This Old Farmhouse. It culminated this week with the installation of a lovely pair of dual-flush low-flow toilets. Not so exciting to many, perhaps, but then we don’t get out much… In fact, He Who Hogs The Power Tools just sent out the following “news release” to family and friends, trumpeting our green plumbing triumph. Enjoy! ~Jen

Upgrade to “Dual Exhaust” System

No, it’s not what you might be thinking — we’ve just completed the changeover to more environmentally responsible dual flush toilets in our two bathrooms — which is the last item on our list of upgrades for the government-sponsored Home Energy Retrofit program.

No, it doesn’t increase performance in a ’68 Mustang kinda way (although as you can see in the pictures below, we’ve temporarily got “four-on-the-floor”!) but by replacing two thirsty 20-litre-per-flush toilets (driven by two coffee drinkers), we’ll significantly reduce our water consumption — and cut back on the electricity that’s used to pump that water, too.

The dual flush comes down to the basics we all learned as kids — #1 or #2. 4 Litres / 6 litres. Nuff said.

In the past 18 months we’ve made significant improvements to reduce our heating and energy costs, as well as adding a couple of quality-of-life items like a new veranda and fencing in the side yard so the dogs can be “relieved on their own recognizance.”

In return, the Feds will reimburse us about 3% of what we’ve spent (think Canadian Tire Money on the value of a slightly-used Lincoln Navigator). It’s not a lot, but along with the reduced fuel bills and the “feel good” factor — it’s well worth it.

The half-bath off my kitchen is due for a new flush, and I can’t begin to tell you how badly I want to wander into that otherwise uninspiring small room to see this wild-coloured Majolica / Talavera style toilet and tank — oh, sure, and that matching sink, too, while we’re bathroom-dreaming in technicolor fixtures!

I’ve got a few sort-of-matching coffee cups (from Oaxaca, central Mexico), so how perfect would that be?
Coffee in… coffee out!!

For the wonderful traditional art, and the quality of craftsmanship involved in producing these porcelain beauties, the prices I’ve found online (in the $600 – $900 range, for the toilet and tank) are not insane — but it’s the shipping of such a heavy (and relatively fragile) object that would get you in the wallet.

Okay, okay, wait, let’s see now…

Can I paint my fantasy patterns on a plain porcelain flush from Home Depot?

Ah, no, that won’t work.

When you paint on porcelain, you use special china paints that are more like a pottery glaze, and the piece has to be fired in a kiln after the painting. I’m sure I could get the necessary supplies, paint my flush, and make arrangements to haul it into the local art school for firing, but that gets complicated… and it would probably end up costing more than if I just bought a genuine Mexican toilet.

(I can’t see getting much cooperation from He Who Hogs The Power Tools, either… he’s a bit on the conservative side, bless his heart.)

To satisfy my deep-seated conviction that a powder room is meant to be decorated in ways you wouldn’t quite dare to try in a larger, more public room… maybe a wild-and-colourful south-of-the-border wall mural?

Ordinary latex paints will do the trick for that — in a dazzling array of colours. Luckily, many high-quality paint brands are now putting out small sample pots of various colours so you can try without committing to a whole gallon — perfect for the thrifty and experimental bathroom mural painter!

And for Mexican-style inspiration? Find all kinds of gorgeous Talavera at TheFind.com, check out Majolica House on eBay and the glorious Tierra y Fuego showcase, for Mexican decorative ceramics for the home, from toilets to Talavera tiles…