About Arren Williams
If Arren Williams were to walk through one of those new scanners at the airport, security personnel might be surprised to see chairs, tables and lamps floating around in his head. As one of Canada’s top stylists, editors and trend reporters, he is always on the hunt for the next great find that could take a room from blah to spectacular.
Living in the Future
design diary canada
(Nov.17.10)
Yep, I am currently living in the future. Actually, I’m around 14 hours ahead since I’m currently hanging out in Tokyo on my vacay. And yes, I’m doing all the regular tourist stuff (and shopping, shopping, shopping!) but the thing that has fascinated me the most about Japan are the toilets. Really.
Japanese toilets, or washlets, are just the best thing since sliced bread – not that I’m suggesting that you eat a sandwich in the bathroom – and come jam-packed with way more technology than anything you might find in North America. These toilets, made by bath brands like uber-swish Toto for example, come with all the bells and whistles you might ever need. Yes they flush, lol, but they also can do a fake recorded flush if you’re feeling you need a bit of sound cover. The seats also heat up – Do you fancy warm or hot? And then, as a final pièce de résistance, they’ll actually give you a shower front and back, and then top it all off with a blow dry. This all happens, BTW, with the use of a little remote control pad that get’s placed handily on the wall and is push-button easy to use. Oh, and they can also come with a light too, perfect for when the kids (or your hubby) wanders to the loo in the middle of the night. In Canada, check out Bowjet to get your hands on one. Or, if you ever find yourself at Narita airport in Tokyo, you can actually pick up a special Japanese toilet seat in Duty Free!
Another thing that’s super sweet that i’ve discovered in the Tokyo hotel that I’m staying in is the fact that the bathroom is equipped with a heated mirror, so ixnay on it getting all steamed up! This reminds me of the infrared Redwell mirror heaters available in Canada. This fab bit of technology technology will not only completely heat a chilly bathroom, it’ll also mean you’ll never need to wipe down your mirror with a towel after a long hot shower. Smart!
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