I have NO idea what its original use was...

Maybe as space for a small bit of reading material (paperback novels or Readers' Digest size) in the side, or a few thin bits of reading material in the top and extra TP in the side compartment?

Or a small vase or candle in the side compartment might be nice, with a little box of matches so it can be lit when needed :)

(of course, that's assuming it's the height and material needed so a tealight or votive wouldn't scorch/melt what's on top of it).

Looks like a metal toilet paper holder w/ extra shelves for soap & washcloths...

No idea what that is either....

I would white it out (if you can paint) and fill it with your most beautiful perfume bottles. Or perhaps a black paint (to match the bottom wall tiles) would be better.

One last thought - A small terrarium?

this is a great spot to place your can of Tecate while you're taking care of business

I would paint it black to match the tiles on the bottom because that color is just dingy looking. Then I would put an extra roll of toilet paper in the space on the left and maybe a can of air-freshener on it's side in the space above.

spray the back of the cabinet interior with ironing starch spray and line it with pretty wall paper and put one of those nicer looking glass and jelly air freshener's in the bottom part and maybe a set of 5 pretty smelling small candles in the top section. or alternatively you could put tiny little rubber ducks in there... maybe it's just me who loves rubber ducks... :P

if you do end up doing it up nicely send us in a photo. i'm interested to see how it works out. :) good luck!

Preparation H and tampons?

I'm gonna go with relaxion unit:

http://retrorenovation.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/hall-mack-relaxation-unit.jpg

We once renovated a 1950s-era bathroom that had an ashtray built into the tiled wall right next to the toilet. Very handy, I suppose.

line the top shelf with boxes of matches and line the second with tampons. or you could put a small framed photo of your loved one in the bottom half.

While the votes for "tampon display" are piling up here, over on another post, the "ew's" are winning on the suggestion that a urinal is a viable option for a bathroom.

Good stuff.

Besides being the obviously place to store and display tampons, you could put an extra roll of toilet paper on the bottom or matches and a candle.

That's where the 3 seashells go.

I'm not sure about a candle in that confined of a space... it looks too close to the wood/paint. Perhaps a couple of sachets in a box?

Decorate/worry about the rest of the bathroom. This should become a non-issue. Which it should be.

It's a relaxation unit!
http://retrorenovation.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/hall-mack-relaxation-unit.jpg

A handy spot for your cigs :)

Patrick (the other one) you are totally my hero of the day

Urinals bring out the best in me. :)

@alexlopez - 3 seashells!!! I LOVE IT. :)

Seriously, just leave it don't need to draw attention..

"That's where the 3 seashells go" LOL!

If it were my bathroom, I would end up putting little plastic animals in there from the 99-cent store. A little postcard as a background... (You know, for shits and giggles.)

Best thread today, thanks, Patrick (the ONLY one) and *alexlopez!

*loadymantle: ...or a voodoo doll of a Formerly Loved One

I think it has tons of potential -- I'm jealous!!!

I grew up in a house with one of these. It should have a cover on the front. A box of tissues goes in the lower section, next to the TP. There's a flip-out cover over the upper section (sort of like an airplane ashtray) though I have no idea what was supposed to be kept in there.

Now that we know what the darn thing is...can someone tell me how to use the three seashells??

I was going to say cigs and coffee cup.

It's definitely a spot to put extra TP.

My parents have a house from the 20s and each bathroom has a little wall heater in it for when you get out of the bath. I wonder if that is what originally filled this space and maybe quit working so they built this cozy?

*ladymantle: ha!
than the upper compartment is probably for a box with needle supply.

put a cute little basket/box there with tampons (or whatever else you might need there but not want to look at) you could probably put some kind of pencil box shape thing up top

I don't get the 3 seashells joke....

clearly this is where one stores the My Pretty Pony collection; with cocktail umbrellas for comic relief

the three seashells is from "demolition man" circa 1993. it's set in the future & toilet paper has mysteriously been replaced with seashells. sadly, i remembered this from watching it on vhs when i was 11.

i vote pretty bottles, a postcard (family photos next to a working toilet paper roll sounds kinda gross) and figurines for the top, if you have 'em. and maybe a set of matches, if you're realistic.

it's an awesome cubby!

LoveDecor- I don't either.

obviously for your christmas nativity, special dieties, or mini garden gnomes

I have no idea what it's original purpose would be, but maybe you could make it into a little toilet paper alter or shrine? Line it with some interesting color or pattern and stick in a few of your favortie little things, like small toys or figurines. You can't really tell just from the pictures if it would be able to hold very much, but it could be an interesting place to add a pop of color into your bathroom.

I think it's kind of cool!

Though I probably wouldn't "display" tampons in the bathroom (think, what might unsettle guests), you're probably safe using it to store something scented and visually pleasant, like those scented jelly beads in a long, low, narrow glass vase, or febreze flameless luminaries. A couple books of matches for the top section wouldn't be amiss, either... especially if they're in stylish boxes like these:
http://blog.lilacandivy.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/Matchboxes.jpg

The "3 seashells" made me laugh out loud. Makes me think of Three's Company. "Come and knock on our door!" You just know they had one of those things.

Clearly, this is where you keep your iPad.

A Jesus bobblehead would look really good in that space.

beer.

Heh. Unsettling to guests or not, in my bathroom, there is a small covered box on the shelf opposite the toilet, next to the TP. Uncover it and find tampons. I rfigure, why shouldn't they be accessible, discreetly? It happens to women, and I think all the men know about it nowadays, too. I don't want my women guests to have to come creeping out of the bathroom trying to get my attention to ask if I have one.

Anyway, that's probably what I'd do there. Small covered box for feminine hygiene products. I also second the matches.

The perfect spot for a diorama! Dinosaurs, the English countryside, or a tiny version of your own bathroom.

Wet wipes and maxi pads?

I'd go blow your mind weird, like toy soldiers and transformers.

Do something fun. Make it an art project. How about trompe l'oeil? Redefine snooping in the bathroom.

A tampon in the top and a panty liner for those light days in the square part?

I love the idea of lining it with cool paper/fabric and putting an air freshener in there. Or, if you smoke you use it for the intended purpose.

http://www.mcphee.com/shop/products/Avenging-Unicorn-Play-Set.html

Sorry meant to say that that is what I would use it for.

how about an incense holder in the top (can remove it when lit if necessary) and extra incense in the bottom?

hahahahah!! this is my favorite apt therp. post this week - be it an ash tray, or a shelf for precious ornaments.

Build a curtain and make it a puppet theater. Since you wouldn't be able to get behind the thing to manipulate the puppets, I'd just pose figurines in there. You could go really classy and put a collection of HappyMeal toys in there.

And LMAO off at all the comments, but alexlopez's "3 seashells" wins hands down.

Ahh! I take back my puppet theater comment: that's where the household altar to Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe goes!

Sorry, I'm still hung up on the fact that that was originally called a "relaxation unit"... wow... who knew that all you needed to relax was a hole in the wall... next to your toilet...

It's kind of cool, though, and I look forward to seeing your final voodoo doll vignette :) (For the record, I agree with painting it black and adding in a cute box containing either extra TP, extra tampons, or something good-smelling like lavender or sage.)

I assume that the top shelf was originally thought for small books and the lower one for ashtray, cigarettes and matches.

So, if you smoke and like to read while attending business, I'd suggest just to paint it, if allowed. If you are not allowed to paint it, I than cover it with paper or wallpaper an don't forget the frame.
If you are allowed to paint it, than I'd choose black and paint the door-frame probably in the same color. If that sounds to much of a hassle, than white, since from the pics it seems that everything else is white.

If you don't smoke and read only in the living-room (both sensible things to do), than I'd suggest a small low basket on the top shelf where you can put your tampons and the like. Easy accessible but not "right on your face". In the lower shelf I'd suggest either a pot-pourri (possibly self-made) or a TP. If you don't mind a little bit of hassle when you change roll, I'd put the pot-pourri in inside the roll and you'll have scented TP too.

While I agree that having tampons and such handy in the bathroom is nice, I'm sure that someone that is in desperate need will open a few drawers looking and just tell me later.
It's kind of like toilet paper, if they need it they will find it. It doesn't need to be on display.

In my bathroom there is only storage under the sink which is reachable from the toilet. It's not tidy or anything, but my guests can feel free to rummage for anything they need under there.

I agree that at one time it was meant for cigarettes.

This is undoubtedly the best Q&A session in a long time.

I second the idea (awhile back) of making a mini diorama of your bathroom. Maybe even add a person sitting on the toilet looking at another mini diorama!!

So much fun in one little tp cubby :)

A correction, to a botched toilet paper roll replacement!

i.e. when they tried up upgrade their ceramic toilet roll holder, cracking the tiles surrounding it they opted for the "Wow this is a perfect place for a shelf" solution and knocked the cracked tiles the rest of the way out, and put in a box shelf.

This was done MANY times by one of my landlords. "I don't like that doorway...you know what would look great there? A SHELF that is to shallow to put anything but annoying trinkets on!" Or "That window is broken, who needs a window, lets build a shelf in the opening!"

"who knew that all you needed to relax was a hole in the wall... next to your toilet..."

I think there's a name for that...haha

@ annishbat --a tiny version of your own bathroom.

Perfect!

definitely some homage reference to TP - maybe create something that indicates the idea of writing a novel on TP? Or origami out of TP? Or a note that references something from a movie (like above) or the one that comes to my mind is Elaine on Seinfeld "can you spare a square".

@ ghunt: exactly what I was thinking!

Why are tampons out in the open, in the bathroom, such a big deal? I mean, the roll of TP is right there out in the open. Is menstrual blood *really* more taboo than urine and feces? Wow, people.

it's a place to stash another roll, no?

chowwander - I so hate you for getting that theme song stuck in my head.

uhm...insert wireless speakers with velcro for your MP3 player?

frum--

Please go weigh in on the great toilet versus urinal debate.

NO SEASHELLS, NO TAMPONS, NO CANDLES. It is for cigarettes and room spray. Just leave it alone, it will find a purpose the onger you live there...

It's for a turquoise 1950's transistor radio

Holder for scented candle and a lighter.

This was meant to store two extra rolls of toilet paper.
Lynn

Also, you could roll a towel on the top shelf and wash cloths on the bottom shelf.
Lynn

I would keep a paperback book there or a container of moist wipes.

Re: Tobiaty

I can't believe that in this day and age anyone would worry about the sight of tampons being "unsettling". What decade is this?

I believe it is for a book. Today a Kindle.

regarding the tampons:

1) to the person who said women would go looking for them, how about being a thoughtful host and having things your guests might need where they can be easily located, rather than forcing them to feel doubly weird for NEEDING something and then having to invade your privacy to find it?!

2) anyone who finds tampons being accessible weird or "unsettling" has clearly never lived with women.

3) i think it's a great idea for that cubby--everyone will know exactly where you stand on women's needs!

A stick of gum and a couple bottles of nail polish.

Definitely paint it black. You could always put up a little Barbie-sized curtain to hide the tampax box.

I must agree with myzwomyn. It's unbelievable how many people are so uncomfortable about the fact women have a menstrual cycle...it's part of life, grow up!

1. glow in the dark anything. weird yet useful in middle of the night loo runs.

2. am i the only one who enjoyed patrick's double entendre, above? please tell me someone else got that.....

3. crazylady: i like. i would add a motion activated {whatever}.

afterthought: wasn't there recently a post where the owner had a mini version of the room on the ceiling? i think you've found your niche....

A cool matchbook collection on the top shelf, and a book of bathroom jokes on the bottom (the shelf looks shallow, so you might want to velcro it in there)!

Can't you just paint the back with chalkboard paint and be done with it? ;)