The Bidet’s Big Break: A Case for the Fixture’s History and Installation

Be that as it may, bidets remain indispensable in many spaces in Italy. Massimo Vismara, a Vice President at Ideal Standard International confirms this to us, explaining, “Despite the new jetted solutions, in Italy the bidet is undeniably important. Abroad, well, they don’t even know what one is! You also have to consider that in many markets, bathrooms are so small that a bidet would be an unthinkable luxury. In the U.S., however, although the products from the Italian company Ideal Standard don’t work for that market, the bidet is beginning to make inroads. Americans, however, prefer larger ones. It is a matter of different cultural norms, yes, but the bidet is proving itself indispensable.”

Leonardo Dainelli of Dainelli Studio, also based in Milan, is absolutely convinced that a bidet is an essential element of a bathroom. He tells us, “Today the bidet is an embodiment of Italy as much as pasta and pizza! When a bathroom has a bidet in Italy, it feels natural for it to be there. When it is missing, it creates an unbridgeable void. As far as I am concerned, it is one of the first thoughts that goes through my head the moment I have to plan any trip abroad. We should create a committee to define its functional but more importantly its aesthetic and formal importance. In terms of elegance and symmetry, it will always be linked to its eternal neighbor, the toilet, and it may not get the same attention. But there’s more we could do to elevate it.”

Matteo Cibic, art director of the Milan design brand and gallery Delvis Unlimited, is another fan of the bidet. He shares, “It’s my favorite object. It’s always been part of my life, offering ever new functions and experiences. As a child I would test my plumbing skills by plugging its holes and silently flooding the house. To this day I’ll still put rubber ducks in it and I’ve always considered it a great shelf for towels, books, and magazines. It is the most multifunctional object in a home, and it is the confidant of every family member. The fondest memory I have of a bidet is that I was using one when I found out I was going to be a dad.” Moreno Vannini, who worked for the Japanese studio Nendo, shares an especially poignant description for the bathroom installation: “The bidet offers a moment of reflection with ourselves.”