The Tile Barn

If there’s anywhere we dislike bizarre and confusing machinery, it’s the bathroom. Let’s face it, we’re not great with new technology, especially when we’re dying to go to the toilet. From weird toilets to panoramic views, strange bathroom technology to disturbing settings, the weirdest bathroom suites in the world certainly throw us off at least a little.

We’ve had a thorough search and have come up with the nine weirdest bathrooms and bathroom products. After seeing some of these, you’ll be more than thankful to have a comfortable, normal bathroom at home, free of strange technology and singing toilets.

1.    Commerzbank Bathrooms, Frankfurt

When you hear someone describe a room with a view, the bathroom generally isn’t the first to pop into your mind. For Frankfurt’s Commerzbank headquarters, the bathrooms were designed to be as elegant and impressive as the CEO’s office. With a panoramic view over one of Europe’s most impressive cityscapes, these urinals are the very definition of luxury.

2.    The Shower Belt

Should we file this under ‘world’s weirdest invention’? The shower belt is a portable shower hose, which conveniently doubles as a fashionable white belt. As incredible as it is, thinking of a situation where it could come in handy is a little difficult. Other than the occasional smelly airport layover, does anyone really need to shower on the go? You’d need to carry a towel with you, find a big enough bathroom stall to clean in, and keep some soap in your other pocket. Cool invention, but not as practical as your electric shower or your shower enclosures at home.

3.    The RSStroom Reader

You have to admit that information addiction has reached a new level when people can access their RSS feeds while on the toilet. Thankfully, this product was a carefully timed hoax, designed to stir up anti-tech folks before Christmas. As much as some people would like to wipe themselves with blog content, it’s unlikely that a real product will pop up to service the ultra-niche RSS/sanitation market any time soon.

4.    Toto Washlet S400, Japan

Japan’s high-tech toilets have been attracting the interest of travelers for decades. Ever since the first Toto Washlet, which featured a built in bidet and water-saving sink, the Japanese have been outdoing themselves with ridiculously complex toilet designs. The latest Washlet features a built-in massaging feature, hot and cold water bidets, along with a heated seat, air dryer, and automatically closing toilet lid. While it’s an intriguing novelty at first, it’s probably not the ideal toilet to come home to after a night on the town.

5.    The iPod Toilet Paper Dock

No, that’s not a typo. This thing really does hold (and charge) your iPod while you’re on the toilet. With built-in speakers, onboard controls, and a collapsible toilet paper holder, this piece of technology has got to be the coolest advancement in bathroom hi-fi since the shower radio. Available in classy Apple white, this ultra-weird bathroom accessory is the perfect gift for the audiophile or technology geek.

6.    Clown Urinal, Osaka

If you have trouble peeing in a public bathroom, do not, under any circumstances, visit this incredibly bizarre restroom in Osaka, Japan. Closer to a fairground attraction than a functional urinal, this incredible piece of bathroom technology features a singing clown voice, hydraulic up-and-down suspension, as well as some of the biggest teeth you’ll ever see. As weird as it sounds, hearing it described simply doesn’t do it justice. If you think you can handle the strangest toilet tech ever, see it in action here.

7.    Barrel Sink

You’ve got to admit, this is a pretty cool sink. If you’re a big bourbon drinker, spicing up your bathroom suite with an authentic bourbon barrel sink could well be the ultimate interior design decision when it comes to bathroom furniture. These barrel sinks look awesome in an old, rustic house, and could be the only item on our list that would actually suit an average home (except the Japanese toilet, of course). Want one for your bathroom? They don’t come cheap. This custom sink costs around £1600 shipped.

8.    The Sofitel Hotel Bathroom, Melbourne

The Sofitel Hotel chain are known for ultra-luxurious rooms, and suitably high prices. In the Melbourne branch, visitors to the 35th floor restaurant are greeted with an interesting view whenever they visit the bathroom. Thankfully, it’s a toilets-and-sinks only bathroom, so there shouldn’t be too many privacy concerns from bathers.

9.    The See-Through Toilet, Switzerland

Ok, truth be told, this toilet isn’t actually see-through. While the interior walls are completely clear, anyone looking at the bathroom from the outside simply sees a reflective mirror. This public bathroom uses the same one-way mirrors as a police interrogation room, leaving the inside view a little unnerving for whoever happens to be using the facilities.

It appears to have originated as part of an art show in London, and eventually moved to Switzerland for permanent use. Could you bring yourself to use it? Despite knowing it’s private, most people end up more than a little freaked out by the see-through inside walls. Check out more pictures here.