How to Choose a Toilet for Your Bathroom

Choosing the right toilet starts with making sure it suits your bathroom, plumbing and available space, not simply choosing the design you like most.

When replacing an existing toilet or planning a complete bathroom renovation, product dimensions, plumbing configuration, surrounding fixtures and installation requirements can all influence which options are suitable. Your vanity, shower, bath and even the bathroom door affect the space you have to work with.

Discover how to choose a toilet before you order, from understanding your existing bathroom and measuring the space to comparing toilet configurations, everyday maintenance and overall bathroom design.

Start With Your Existing Bathroom and Plumbing

If you're replacing an existing toilet, don't assume that every new toilet suite can simply take its place.

Start with what is already there. Look at the location of the toilet and the existing plumbing arrangement, then compare those details with the specifications and installation requirements of the toilet you're considering.

Depending on the particular model, product specifications may include details such as inlet and outlet arrangements, trap configuration and set-out requirements. The important point is not to memorise plumbing terminology. It is to recognise that toilets are not automatically interchangeable simply because they appear to be a similar size or style.

Our current toilet range illustrates why checking the individual product matters. For example, the current Petra close-coupled toilet suite is specifically offered as a close-coupled suite with left or right skew options. Other toilets in the range have different configurations and specifications.

Before buying, make sure you have considered:

• the position of the existing toilet
• the existing plumbing arrangement
• the specifications of the exact toilet you want to buy
• relevant inlet, outlet, trap or set-out requirements shown for that model
• the installation requirements for the proposed toilet.

If you are uncertain whether a toilet is suitable for your existing plumbing, have the relevant requirements confirmed by a suitably qualified plumber before ordering. That check deserves to come before colour, shape or bathroom style.

Measure Your Bathroom Before Choosing a Toilet

Measure the available width and depth, then compare those measurements with the dimensions stated for the exact toilet suite. Don't stop at establishing whether the toilet can physically occupy the available floor area, though. A toilet can technically fit and still leave the bathroom awkward to use.

Consider how it will sit beside the:

• bathroom vanity
• shower and shower screen
• bathtub
• bathroom or toilet door
• adjoining walls
• other fixed fixtures
• space used to move through the room.

Door movement can be surprisingly influential in a compact ensuite or separate toilet. So can the depth and position of the vanity. A few centimetres in the wrong place may affect how comfortable the layout feels, which is why major fixtures are better considered together rather than one at a time.

If you're also selecting cabinetry, read our guide to choosing the right vanity size for your bathroom layout. Also read our guidance on maximising space and style in small bathrooms.

Keep two types of measurements separate in your mind. 

1. Room measurements help you judge whether the layout works. 
2. Product and plumbing specifications help establish whether a particular toilet is appropriate for the proposed installation.

Understand the Toilet Configurations Available

Once you know the constraints of your bathroom, comparing different toilet configurations becomes far more useful.

Our toilet collection includes rimless, wall-hung and in-wall options, along with other toilet suites. Rather than choosing a category first and trying to make it fit afterwards, use your measurements and plumbing requirements to narrow down which products warrant consideration.

Close-Coupled Toilets

A close-coupled toilet has a visible cistern closely connected to the pan.

We currently offer close-coupled options, including the Petra suite. Another current product, the Venezia, is described as a closed-coupled back-to-wall rimless toilet suite.

The terminology tells you something about the toilet's form, but it does not establish whether it will suit your installation. Always return to the measurements and specifications of the particular model.

Back-to-Wall Toilets

Back-to-wall designs position the toilet neatly against the wall, creating a streamlined appearance.

They may appeal to renovators aiming for a contemporary, uncluttered bathroom, but appearance is only part of the decision. Different products can still have different dimensions and installation requirements, so don't treat ‘back-to-wall’ as a universal specification.

In-Wall and Wall-Hung Toilets

Our toilet collection also includes in-wall and wall-hung options. These configurations create a distinctly different visual result from a conventional exposed-cistern toilet and may suit a minimalist or contemporary design direction.

They also need to be considered in the context of the proposed installation. If this style appeals to you, review the exact product details and have any uncertain installation requirements confirmed before committing to it.

There is no single toilet type that is automatically right for every bathroom. The more useful question is: which of the available toilets satisfies the practical requirements of this particular room?

Think About Cleaning and Everyday Maintenance

The buying decision doesn't end once the toilet has been installed. You will be living with it every day.

Look at the surfaces you will need to reach when cleaning. Consider the shape of the pan, joins and edges, the seat and the amount of space left between the toilet and surrounding walls or cabinetry.

A narrow, difficult-to-reach gap between a toilet and vanity may become more noticeable over time than it appeared on your bathroom plan.

Rimless design is another feature you may encounter. We have a dedicated rimless toilet collection containing wall-hung, back-to-wall and tornado-flush options. Individual products also differ in their seat and flushing features, so compare the exact model rather than assuming that every rimless toilet is identical.

Most importantly, avoid reducing the decision to a label such as ‘easy to clean’. Cleaning convenience depends on both the design of the toilet and the access you leave around it.

The bathroom layout matters here too.

Match Your Toilet to Your Bathroom Style

Once practical suitability has been established, appearance can help you narrow the field.

Modern Bathrooms

Contemporary bathrooms tend to work well when major fixtures share a coherent visual language. A streamlined toilet can sit comfortably alongside simple cabinetry, restrained tapware and clean surfaces.

We offer a wide selection of bathroom vanities, including wall-hung and freestanding ranges confirmed in its collection sitemap. The goal is not to make every fixture identical. It is to prevent one element from feeling disconnected from the rest of the room.

Hamptons and Classic Bathrooms

In a Hamptons or traditionally influenced bathroom, the toilet doesn't need to carry all of the room's character.

Shaker-style cabinetry, tapware, mirrors and accessories can establish much of the aesthetic. We offer several Hampton Shaker-style vanity collections, including wall-hung and freestanding designs.

For more detailed styling guidance, see How to Style a Hamptons Bathroom.

Minimalist Bathrooms

For a minimalist bathroom, consider how much visual detail you want the toilet to introduce.

In-wall or wall-hung configurations may be worth exploring where the individual product and proposed installation are suitable. We currently include both categories within our toilet collection.

Compact Bathrooms

Small spaces demand accuracy.

Don't assume a toilet is suitable for a compact bathroom simply because it looks streamlined in a photograph. Compare its actual dimensions with the room, then consider the remaining space around the vanity, shower, walls and door.

Choose by measurement first. Style follows.

Plan the Toilet With the Rest of Your Bathroom

A bathroom works as one room, not as a collection of unrelated purchases.

If you're undertaking a full renovation, consider the major fixtures together:

• toilet
• vanity
• basin
• bath
• shower
• tapware

Changing the dimensions or position of one fixture can influence the usable space around another. A different vanity depth alters the area beside the toilet. A shower screen affects movement through the room. A bathtub occupies space that cannot then be allocated elsewhere.

Thinking this way also makes it easier to create a visually coherent bathroom.

Our range extends across bathroom vanities, basins and sinks, bathtubs and numerous shower and tapware collections, alongside toilets and other bathroom products.

That whole-room perspective is particularly useful when you're deciding between products that all look appealing individually.

First work out what the room needs to do. Then refine how you want it to look.

FAQs about Choosing a Toilet

Can I Replace My Existing Toilet With Any Toilet?

Don't assume so. A replacement needs to be considered against your available space, existing plumbing and the specifications and installation requirements of the proposed new toilet. If you can't establish compatibility confidently, ask a suitably qualified plumber to check the relevant requirements before you buy.

What Toilet Should I Buy for a Small Bathroom?

There isn't one toilet configuration that is automatically best for every small bathroom. Look at actual product dimensions and the overall layout. The important question is not merely how wide the toilet is, but how it will sit beside the vanity, shower, walls and door once everything is installed.

What's the Difference Between Close-Coupled, Back-to-Wall and In-Wall Toilets?

These terms describe different toilet configurations and the way components are presented within the bathroom. A close-coupled suite has a visible cistern closely connected with the pan. Back-to-wall designs sit neatly against the wall, while in-wall configurations conceal components to create a different visual result. Our range includes several configurations, so check the exact specifications rather than choosing on the category name alone.

Should I Choose the Toilet or Vanity First?

For a complete bathroom renovation, planning the major fixtures together is generally more useful than treating them as isolated decisions. Establish your room dimensions, plumbing and other fixed constraints. You can then compare toilet and vanity dimensions in the context of the whole layout.

Should I Speak to a Plumber Before Buying a Toilet?

If you're uncertain about plumbing compatibility or installation requirements, have those details confirmed before ordering. The purpose isn't to turn toilet shopping into a plumbing exercise. It is simply to avoid making an assumption about compatibility when the relevant information can be checked.

Don't Order Your Toilet Yet If You Haven't Checked These Things

A useful toilet buying guide should also tell you when you are not ready to buy.

• haven't measured the available space
• haven't checked the dimensions of the exact toilet
• don't know whether the proposed product is compatible with your plumbing
• haven't reviewed the relevant product specifications and installation requirements
• are judging the toilet's size mainly from photographs
• haven't considered the vanity, shower, bath, walls and door around it
• need the product for a particular stage of the renovation but haven't confirmed current availability or pickup and delivery arrangements.

What Should You Check Before Buying a Toilet?

• Bathroom measurements: Record the usable space and the positions of surrounding fixtures.
• Exact product dimensions: Use the specifications for the toilet you're actually considering rather than assuming similar-looking toilets are the same size.
• Plumbing compatibility: Compare the existing or proposed plumbing arrangement with the product requirements.
• Product-specific requirements: Review relevant inlet, outlet, trap and set-out information where it is specified for the model.
• Installation requirements: Check the requirements of the particular toilet configuration rather than assuming all toilet suites are installed in the same way.
• Surrounding space: Think about your vanity, shower, bath, walls, door movement and practical access around the room.
• Cleaning preferences: Consider the pan, seat, surfaces and the amount of access available around the installed toilet.
• Bathroom style: Once the practical requirements have been satisfied, choose a design that works with the rest of the room.
• Availability and delivery: Check current product availability and the arrangements that apply to your order before coordinating installation. We have delivery services and pickup available for Bayswater and Seaford.
• Professional confirmation where required: If plumbing or installation compatibility remains uncertain, confirm it with a suitably qualified plumber before purchasing.

Choose Your Bathroom Fixtures With Confidence

When you've confirmed what suits your room, explore our toilet collection and buy online or order today. If you're still deciding which products work for your renovation, contact us or visit your nearest showroom for assistance.

A few careful checks before you order can change the question from “Which toilet do I like?” to the much more useful one: “Which toilet actually works for my bathroom?”