Former public toilets in London are being reinvented as coffee shops, wine bars, pizza joints -- and even homes. Here, original urinals and cisterns are pictured in Attendant, a former loo turned hip Central London coffee shop.
Attendant —
Former public toilets in London are being reinvented as coffee shops, wine bars, pizza joints -- and even homes. Here, original urinals and cisterns are pictured in Attendant, a former loo turned hip Central London coffee shop.
LEON NEAL/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
London's public lavatories boomed in the Victorian era. Despite being blessed with beautiful mosaic floors, tiling and grand entrances -- such as Attendant's, pictured here -- this prime real estate has been unused for decades.
Attendant —
London's public lavatories boomed in the Victorian era. Despite being blessed with beautiful mosaic floors, tiling and grand entrances -- such as Attendant's, pictured here -- this prime real estate has been unused for decades.
LEON NEAL/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
Attendant embraces its less-than salubrious past with its muted colors and a "grubby chic" aesthetic, which celebrates the original features.
Attendant —
Attendant embraces its less-than salubrious past with its muted colors and a "grubby chic" aesthetic, which celebrates the original features.
LEON NEAL/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
Attendant seamlessly blends the original 1860s urinals with all the trappings of a modern-day cafe.
Attendant —
Attendant seamlessly blends the original 1860s urinals with all the trappings of a modern-day cafe.
LEON NEAL/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
Across the river, WC in Clapham, South London, is now one of the neighborhood's top wine bars.
WC (Wine & Charcuterie) —
Across the river, WC in Clapham, South London, is now one of the neighborhood's top wine bars.
Courtesy WC Clapham
"We realized it had so much potential because of its natural character," WC's co-owner Jayke Mangion tells CNN. "That was always our objective, to keep as raw and as original as possible." The former toilet cubicles are now intimate booths, with their original wooden frames.
WC (Wine & Charcuterie) —
"We realized it had so much potential because of its natural character," WC's co-owner Jayke Mangion tells CNN. "That was always our objective, to keep as raw and as original as possible." The former toilet cubicles are now intimate booths, with their original wooden frames.
Courtesy WC Clapham
"It's over 100 years old," says Mangion of WC's interior, "And it's totally on point as far as trends now. The design, the features, the trend, it's what people are doing."
WC (Wine & Charcuterie) —
"It's over 100 years old," says Mangion of WC's interior, "And it's totally on point as far as trends now. The design, the features, the trend, it's what people are doing."
Courtesy WC Clapham
The original ceiling allows natural light to enter the space during the day time -- before the bar turns to candles to set the mood at night.
WC (Wine & Charcuterie) —
The original ceiling allows natural light to enter the space during the day time -- before the bar turns to candles to set the mood at night.
Courtesy WC Clapham
Cellar Door is located in London's bustling West End, the heart of the city's theater district.
Cellar Door —
Cellar Door is located in London's bustling West End, the heart of the city's theater district.
Courtesy Eliana Pelaggi
The bar's interior does little to hint at its former life -- that's left up to the craftily-named cocktails. Rumor has it Oscar Wilde frequented this lavatory in its heyday.
Cellar Door —
The bar's interior does little to hint at its former life -- that's left up to the craftily-named cocktails. Rumor has it Oscar Wilde frequented this lavatory in its heyday.
Courtesy Eliana Pelaggi
"Cabaret comes from the old Dutch word for small rooms," the bar's owner Paul Kohler tells CNN. "[So this bar] should be a small room, Weimar Republic-ish, rather than Las Vegas."
Cellar Door —
"Cabaret comes from the old Dutch word for small rooms," the bar's owner Paul Kohler tells CNN. "[So this bar] should be a small room, Weimar Republic-ish, rather than Las Vegas."
Courtesy Eliana Pelaggi