People
Monty Ravenscroft, inventor of Hidealoo.
Published: January 25, 2024 | Updated: 25th January 2024
It all started when Monty Ravenscroft, an architectural engineer from Selborne near Alton, was working on a tiny property in southeast London.
He had to get creative in order to save space, and his inventions landed him a spot on Channel 4’s Grand Designs. But one idea in particular stuck with him.
After years spent honing a design, Monty created Hidealoo – the world’s first foldaway toilet frame.
Hidealoo can be rotated 90 degrees and tucked away within a cupboard or wall recess, both freeing up both floor and counter space while it’s not in use.
It allows homeowners to add extra ‘lootilities’ where installing a bathroom isn’t possible, and proved a perfect solution for Monty’s father, who needed the convenience of bathroom facilities in his bedroom while also preserving his dignity.
“I’ve always been passionate about solving problems and engineering solutions for the home”, said Monty.
“While the idea for Hidealoo was driven by my father’s ill health and the need to get clever with small living spaces, it has many other potential applications.
“The frame itself has been engineered to be incredibly robust and is capable of taking well over three times normal human weight. It’s also made to last more than a lifetime having been tested over 250,000 times.”
Hidealoo officially launched last year and has seen plenty of interest from homeowners and developers around the world, including a Hollywood producer.
It’s often installed within a utility room cupboard or cabinet underneath loft eaves, as well as in home office areas, compact ensuites and shower rooms.
Monty’s invention is now one of 10 finalists in the kbb Innovation Awards, which recognise those who are pushing boundaries across the kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom sectors.
“With mortgage rates high, making moving home more difficult, and the cost of living also leading people to need to rent out rooms for some extra cash, the ability to fit an extra loo in all manner of places has really hit a nerve”, he added.
“Every customer we hear from has a unique idea for how they’d like to use Hidealoo and it’s fantastic to be able to help them make the most of the space they have available.”
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