Modern marvels

At times, building this house has made me realize how out of touch we are with the real world. Life is great on an island because it's simple. But at the same time, we aren't always aware of the latest and greatest improvements or products on the market.

Going back to the toilet fiasco, I was completely unaware that there are now quiet-close toilet seats on the market. Am I the only one in the dark on these? What a good improvement...toilet seats that slowly release themselves with a mere touch, thereby alleviating the dreaded seat slam. No, I do not need that loud proclamation that my business is done. Surprisingly, they are virtually the same price as a regular toilet seat.

Kohler Cachet Quiet Close Seat with Quick Release Technology (spiffy!)

And how about remote sink drains? Apparently there is this new gadget that you place on your sink counter top that will drain your dirty water so that you don't have to fumble through murky left-overs when you are done cleaning your dishes. For some reason, I always find myself tentatively wading through less-than-fresh water when there are sharp knives deep within. This little gadget may just save me a few stiches...

Franke pop up sink strainer

And the final advancement that I will leave you with today are mirror de-foggers. This is my absolute favorite advancement. A thin heater installed (even retroactively) behind your mirrors keeps your bathroom mirrors from fogging up while you are taking a shower. No more handtowel wipe-downs needed! Mr. Big is uber-excited for the shower model that allows for shaving in the shower.


These are all relatively inexpensive little options (all less than $100). And for those of us living in remote locations, they sure are exciting. What improvements are you aware of that we wouldn't have seen yet? (can't wait for these answers!)