Zhu Yong-an on TOTO bathroom design: plant lines, colored basins and room to breathe

Does a bathroom need to be filled with greenery to feel natural? In a TOTO-focused design feature published October 22, floral artist Zhu Yong-an brings proportion, lines and negative space from plant-based work into a discussion of bathroom objects. The focus extends from a single fixture’s appearance to how the body relates to the whole room. This is a design proposal framed around the brand’s products: Zhu’s ideas can inform color and layout, while technical functions still need to be checked by model.

Plants can redirect the eye, not simply decorate

From floral competitions to abstract plant installations, Zhu has increasingly focused on the forms of branches, leaves, bark, roots and vines themselves. His approach to subtraction has two layers: proportion is a visible relationship, while negative space offers room the body can feel. Applied to a bathroom, this does not demand a plant in every corner. It starts with distances between fixtures, interrupted sightlines and the meeting of organic curves with architectural straight lines.

Irregular branches can give hard surfaces another rhythm; leaves moving in air can make an otherwise invisible breeze perceptible. Rather than treating a “natural look” as a fixed list of materials, this approach adjusts relationships: which objects remain, which outline takes the lead and where nothing further is added. It is a creative approach, not a requirement to buy a complete matching suite of products.

Model differences matter alongside curves and color

In Zhu’s interpretation, NEOREST NX’s flowing ceramic form lets a toilet be considered a sculptural object within a room. Similar appearances do not necessarily mean identical cleaning technology, however. TOTO Taiwan’s official NX explanation limits ACTILIGHT photocatalytic technology to NX2, using ultraviolet light and a titanium-dioxide-coated inner surface. It should not be attributed to every NX or NEOREST model. Design discussion also needs to distinguish visible curves from less visible technical configurations.

Colored basins offer another way to change a room: the main object supplies color, rather than leaving it to walls and accessories. The feature’s photographs arrange green and warm-colored basins with faucets in different finishes, showing the relationship between color, sheen and metal texture. The G selection shower’s modes also need unpacking: the official specification is three overhead-shower modes plus four handheld modes, making seven water-flow options. That is not seven settings on one handheld shower, nor a guarantee of medical benefits.

Translate breathing room into heights and circulation

For a renovation plan, the Taipei brand flagship showroom’s bathroom planning room offers something more concrete than display alone. Announced in September, the updated space uses modular display walls so visitors can simulate their own bathroom dimensions and adjust the positions, heights and clearances of seats, grab bars, basins and faucets. These relationships help determine whether attractive negative space translates into everyday convenience. Product proportions need to be considered alongside users’ bodies and movement needs.

Five settings include NX Collections, modern, luxurious, natural wood and all-ages-friendly spaces, alongside infant and accessible public-bathroom configurations. The flagship is a display-service venue; the official website states that it does not sell products. Use TOTO Taiwan’s website for appointment booking and model information, and check operating notices before visiting. Treat the visit as a chance to compare dimensions, colors and controls, rather than an obligation to buy that day.