Woman Claims to Have the Smallest Bathroom in N.Y.C. — and You Won't Believe the Sink (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Where real estate is as precious as gold, Emily Bonani found herself living with what she claims to be the smallest bathroom in New York City in a now-viral TikTok.

“At first, I was like, ‘Oh, there’s no way. That’s insane,’ ” Bonani recalls exclusively to PEOPLE. “But then I kind of was like ‘Well, it’s kind of funny.’ ”

“I was desperate,” she explains. “I told myself, ‘I’ll get used to it,’ and honestly, it was kind of funny. I do tend to choose things that are surrounding chaos sometimes.”

However, living with such a unique bathroom setup presented daily challenges that required creative solutions. The sink’s design made it impractical for regular use, as water would spill over easily.

Emily Bonani in front of her toilet-sink.Courtesy of Emily Bonani

Courtesy of Emily Bonani

“I’ve actually never used the sink,” Bonani admits. “At first, I used the kitchen sink. Then, I just started using the shower. I would just turn on the shower and brush my teeth and wash my face every morning using the shower.”

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The toilet-sink combination had its own set of quirks as well. “You can’t turn it off,” Bonani explains. “It just doesn’t turn off. It turns on every time you flush because that’s the mechanism. The toilet works. It just turns off whenever it feels like it.”

While this had become a norm for Bonani, having visitors over became an adventure in itself. Bonani’s unique bathroom became a talking point, earning the nickname “Bonani Falls” from her friends, which is a play on her last name.

“Every single person struggled with this setup,” Bonani recounts. “Especially in dating, I would show the apartment, and then when it came to someone asking to use the bathroom, I’d just go, ‘Yeah, I’m just warning you, good luck.’ I would always hear them in the bathroom saying ‘Oh my God!’ ”

Emily Bonani’s toilet-sink combo.Emily Bonani/Tiktok

Emily Bonani/Tiktok

Despite the challenges, Bonani’s experience taught her valuable lessons about city living and personal priorities. “I will never take a bathroom for granted,” she says. “I feel so grown-up. I feel like a real adult.”

Emily Bonani’s N.Y.C. bathroom.Emily Bonani/Tiktok

In an ironic twist, Bonani’s fascination with bathrooms extends beyond bathrooms. She’s currently working on a show calledOut of Order, in which she interviews people in New York City public bathrooms.

In the end, Bonani’s experience only lasted three months, as she has since found herself an apartment with a normal sink and toilet. “Until you can get to a certain financial bracket, I always say, ‘Well, I can’t afford to not compromise something right now,’ so it’s like you just pick your battles. And, so I chose the bathroom as my battle.”

source: people.com