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  • Home » Bathroom Help Category -- Also note those subcategories in the orange navigation, above! » Five different brands — six designs — of “relaxation units” — places next to the toilet for your toilet paper, magazines — and smokes

    Five different brands — six designs — of “relaxation units” — places next to the toilet for your toilet paper, magazines — and smokes

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    Posted by: pam kueber • March 23, 2017

    Longtime readers surely know about “Relaxation Units” — recessed caddies for the bathroom situated next to the toilet to hold all your necessary supplies — toilet paper, magazines, even your cigarettes — in one easy-to reach spot. Some 1963 publicity indicates that some of these even had towel bars that were heated! Hall-Mack Relaxation Units (image from a catalog in my collection, shown above) seemed to have been the most widely distributed, but over the years, with the help of readers — thank you, all! — I’ve collected examples of five different makers: Hall-Mack, Family Hospitality, Satin-Glide, Perma-Bilt, and one “mystery” unit. America was booming … errr, relaxing! — with Relaxation Units!

    #1 — Hall-Mack Relaxation Unit:

    hallmack-relaxation-unitSarah is among a number or readers who have reported that their homes came with a Hall-Mack Relaxation Unit in their bathroom. Hall-Mack was such a big, national name, that surely this must be the most common brand we still see in the wild.

    Hall-Mack Relaxation Unit’s distinguishing features:

    • Magazine rack has angled back. 
    • Shelf bottom below toilet paper and smoking nook is thin metal
    • See Sarah’s bathroom — including her Hall-Mack Relaxation unit (shown above) — here.

    hall mack bathroom ashtrayAnd lookie (above), discovered in July 2019, a smaller horizontal unit Relaxation Unit, circa 1956, in an online catalog here. :

    #2 — Satin Glide Relaxation Unit: 

    I spotted this Satin Glide Relaxation Unit in a 1963 catalog for Satin Glide steel bathroom vanities and cabinetry. So cool you could get your relaxation unit painted, too.  

    Satin Glide Relaxation Unit’s distinguishing features:

    • The interior was painted
    • Shelf bottom below toilet paper and smoking nook was thick meta, painted.
    • Magazine rack had straight back.
    • See the complete catalog here.

    #3 — Family Hospitality Relaxation Unit:

    Above: Kristopher has a “Family Hospitality Relaxation Unit.”

    Family Hospitality Relaxation Unit’s distinguishing features:

    • Two nooks next to toilet paper!
    • Magazine holders are angled sleeves.
    • See all of Kristopher’s photos here.

    # 4 — Perma-Bilt Relaxation Unit:

    And reader Helen hit a jackpot when she spotted two, New Old Stock Perma-Bilt Relaxation Units at a local ReStore. A true dream find for those of us who get excited about things like NOS Relaxation Units! Note: On the photo above, there is protective tape on the front molding protecting the original chrome finish.

    She says:

    Distinctive features of the Perma-Bilt: on the horizontal shelf below the TP roll there’s a strip of chrome. They also had matching aluminum magazine rack bars stamped “Universal”.  

    #5 — Mystery Relaxation Unit:

    relaxation unit vintageHelen also found this “mystery” unit. No markings. It is distinctive for that extra shelf above the toilet paper and smoking nook. Oooooh: A mystery to watch for solving!

    Thanks to all the readers who have sent their woddities to me! After nearly 10 years of blogging: Are there any more out there I haven’t seen or featured yet?! Stump the chump! Keep them coming!

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    3. vintage Hall-Mack Vintage Hall-Mack Extendo-bar towel bar woddity spotted at the NOS hardware store
    4. Satin Glide Relaxation Unit — a second brand, joining Hall-Mack
    Comments 22
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    Comments will re-open on Jan. 2, 2020

    Commenting is paused while I take a break to spend un-distracted time with family over the holidays. Come back Thursday, Jan. 2, 2020, when comments reopen and for another year of retro fun. Have a wonderful holiday season and happy new year, everyone!

    Comments

    1. linoleummy says

      March 26, 2017 at 7:13 pm

      la573 says

      There isn’t a thing in the Satin Glide photo I wouldn’t love having in my bathroom….
      YES YES YES!
      The painted inside Satin Glide RU-dreamy.

    2. ChrisM says

      March 29, 2017 at 1:36 am

      Did you notice the wall hung toilet in photo#2?
      Never saw that in a private home. Sure would make cleaning easy!

    3. Sally says

      December 30, 2017 at 9:26 pm

      We had one in our last home similar to the Family Hospitality unit but ours did not have the magazine rack just the toilet paper holder and the little cubbie to the right. I never knew what it was for so I just put cool paper wrapped soaps and little funny bathroom books on the shelf. If I only knew I should have had smokes! ????

    4. Dana says

      February 3, 2018 at 9:46 am

      This is so cool but what about the toilet paper?! Since moving into my 1920’s on the outside/1950’s on the inside home, I’m getting frustrated because the new MegaRoll toilet paper doesn’t fit on the built-in toilet paper holder. Anyone else have this problem?

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