Making a Case for the Black Toilet

Dramatic, chic, and coveted. Yes, we’re talking about a toilet. A black toilet, to be precise. Before you dismiss it as the provenance of goths or public restrooms with something to hide, allow us to make the case that a noir commode could be just what your bathroom needs. It not only works in a predominantly black bathroom, but complements materials like brass, black marble, terrazzo, and concrete. The first black toilet was introduced by Kohler in the 1920s, and now there are a span of updated designs to enhance any bathroom aesthetic—contemporary, traditional, modern Deco, or minimalist.

“A black toilet can be an exclamation or a backdrop to a bigger surprise. Either way, it is impossible to ignore,” says Joan Helen Barton, general contractor and principal designer of Dirty Girl Construction, who recently commissioned a serpentine design created by the L.A.-based studio Londubh, in a sultry bathroom with black quilted Harlequin wallpaper.

The black toilet should reflect your design personality—perhaps adding a sense of history to a classic Craftsman bathroom, or simplicity to a modern bathroom, or even mischievous flair to something eclectic. Here, six ways to make a black toilet work for your space.

The last thing you want is distracting plumbing fixtures to take away from stellar background design. “This story is the terrazzo, and the toilet is the period at the end of the sentence,” says Joan.

Everything needs to be proportional to obtain a proper balance in a room. This floating black toilet, set against the dark charcoal background, gives the illusion that it is an extension of the wall—creating a waterfall effect.

The classic shape and tiered base of the toilet and the white tile balance the shock of the color with the familiarity of a more traditional design. “I could see this in a beautifully paneled water closet,” says Brooke Gardner of Brooke Gardner Interior Design, who recently helped a client choose a traditional black toilet to highlight a brass faucet and inlay on the all-black bathroom with a vintage 1930s look.

This minimalist toilet fuses traditional architectural features that serve as a focal point with contemporary styling elements such as the hexagonal tile and the mobile chandelier—bringing the tone of this bathroom into balance. “A more traditional toilet would also work in this space, but it would change the vibe of the bathroom,” says Brooke.

The matte finish emphasizes the minimalism of the space in a seamless way. “It’s like a mink coat,” says Joan. “I want to wrap this room around myself and take a walk down Fifth Avenue.”

A black-and-white bathroom can be as simple or as complex as you’d like—a perfect antidote to a stark white bathroom. Opting for a black toilet, black sinks, and even a black tub anchors the entire bathroom space.