It’s that time of year again when design and decor aficionados look to the future and speculate as to what will become the hottest home trends of the new year. And although we recently asked some of the biggest HGTV Canada stars what they think will top the list in 2020, one answer in particular struck us as… unique, to say the least.
Related: 10 Reasons Why a Bidet is the Life-Changing Bathroom Accessory You Need
As former pro-football player Sebastian Clovis gears up for season three of Save My Reno (premiering Feb. 18 at 9:00/9:30 pm. E/P), we caught up with the handyman to talk about one specific home trend he’d love to see Canadians – not to mention all of North America – fully embrace in 2020.
“It’s an old technology and has been around in Europe for a long time,” he teases with a laugh, before revealing the home reno trend he readily champions – bidets. Yes, those funny low-to-the-ground plumbing fixtures located next to the toilet that allows you to wash your nether regions in an eco-friendly and sanitary manner. Invented in France, bidets steadily grew in popularity throughout Europe yet, strangely, never took off in Canada or the United States. For all our insistence on living a zero-waste and sustainable lifestyle, it hasn’t exactly translated into major bathroom renovations – yet.
“I think, at some point in time, we’re all going to realize that it would be great to have some type of a bidet situation,” Clovis says. “It’s part of the new wave that everybody is on right now and that’s the zero-waste movement.”
If you need a little more convincing before sprinting to the nearest department store (and, yes, some Canadian retailers are already on the bidet bandwagon), Clovis breaks down his reasoning even further.
“There are so many people out there who are very concerned about our environment, me being one of them, and we are trying to buy the least amount of things as possible – the least amount of clothes, the least amount of packaging,” he says. “We’re looking for companies who take back cardboard boxes once they deliver something or at least have recycling programs.”
If the numbers Fortune recently crunched are accurate, the average American uses three rolls of toilet paper a week, which is essentially gutting Canadian forests – and Canuck bathroom habits likely aren’t far behind.
“How many times a year do you go out and buy giant rolls of toilet paper that just go into the sewage system, needlessly?” Clovis asks. “A bidet serves as a way to avoid making those purchases. If bidets aren’t currently becoming a trend, I’m trying to make them a trend!” he laughs.
Related: Scott McGillivray’s 10 Eco-Friendly Home Renovations That Can Save You Money
