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Take a look at Exhibit A above—a standard, traditional sink. While it might seem a bit plain or old-fashioned in style, it’s incredibly useful for holding water or for those quick hand washes when you don’t have time to fill the basin completely.
Sinks are simple, right? You’ve got two taps: one for hot water, one for cold, or maybe a mixer tap if you’re lucky. There’s a sloped basin with a hole at the bottom for drainage, and a rubber stopper on a chain to keep water in or let it flow out. Plus, there’s a handy little overflow hole near the top for those forgetful moments when you get distracted.
You wouldn’t think designing a sink or a bathtub would be complicated, would you? It’s not rocket science after all. Yet some modern sanitary designs like square toilets, pebble-shaped taps, and flat sinks have become all about looks, often sacrificing functionality.
Sure, a bathtub can be a centerpiece, but some are so lavishly designed that they feel uncomfortable—like trying to relax inside a giant, smooth white chocolate shell. They’re just too big and offer no grip for your feet, leaving you to slide around awkwardly.
What happened to the more practical tubs from the past? Those old, pastel-colored tubs were easier to get in and out of, and you could comfortably prop your head up while stretching your legs. They even came equipped with convenient features like built-in soap dishes and a chain plug for extra foot amusement. Safety was also a priority, with bars for getting up and non-slip surfaces to prevent accidents.
Sinks from back then were simply porcelain marvels. You could fill them with water, mix hot and cold to just the right temperature, and splash around without worrying about spills. Now, modern sinks are sometimes so shallow that they barely hold any water, making them virtually useless in a practical sense.
At one point, many of us have probably encountered sinks in public places that are purely decorative but impractical—like ones made of shiny pebbles with water flowing over them. It looks nice, but try washing your hands in a trickle of water. It gets frustrating.
Even in my own house, the bathroom sink is a problem. Perfectly rectangular, every angle is a right angle, which means water doesn’t easily flow out, and scum collects in the hardest-to-reach corners. The over-designed plug system only adds to the hassle.
I’d really like to understand who thought the first flat, impractical sink was a good idea. Perhaps it was some wealthy person looking to make a statement in their lavish home. But in practical terms, it doesn’t serve its intended purpose at all.
And don’t even get me started on showers. Why can’t they all operate the same way? Every single one seems to have a completely different system for switching on and adjusting the temperature. We wouldn’t accept this kind of unpredictability with our washing machines, would we? Yet with showers, we’re left guessing, never fully certain if we’ll get scalding hot or freezing cold water.
This unnecessarily complex design trend even trickles down to bathtubs with inconvenient features, like pop-up plugs that don’t hold water because they pop up under pressure. Navigating these modern bathroom innovations can be an exercise in frustration—sometimes it’s best to appreciate the simplicity of more straightforward designs.