Several weeks ago, Michelle and I paid a visit to Toronto’s Distillery District and treated ourselves to Mill Street Brewery’s new Cobblestone Stout – which is one of the smoothest stouts I’ve ever had. We wandered from one restaurant to another, having some Mill Street beers in various locations. (None of these restaurants had been open last Summer, the first time we went to the brewery to check things out.)

The last restaurant we ended up at was the Boiler Room. A little bit too “trendy” for our taste (we sat at the bar) but there was one thing about it that was really memorable. Their washrooms. You end up at a couple of hallways, with each hallway having several different doors. Inside each door is a small “cubicle” with its own toilet and sink. These are unisex, and each is completely sealed off from the other washrooms.

Personally, I think that this is how all public washrooms should be designed. Even though “public”, there’s no reason why such facilities should not be a private experience. I’ve always hated the “semi-public” experience I’ve had to live with since I was born, with simple stalls that have gaps under the walls, and walls that do not go up all the way to the ceiling. If you happen to look, you can see the person next to you. Also, sounds and smells easily travel. It’s a very uncomfortable feeling, and one that I try to avoid whenever possible. (I almost never use the stalls in public washrooms.)

So, using the private washrooms at the Boiler Room was a joy. I understand that this kind of thing is somewhat European. If so, it’s something else that we should be adopting and using more frequently over here in North America. Frankly, I’m amazed that our culture’s put up with its current lack of privacy for as long as it has.