AN East End designer has become the first in the UK to go trendy in the toilet.

New Zealand-born Dana Finnigan came to Scotland seven years ago, to study textiles at Glasgow School of Art.

She has been working in the medium ever since but recently hit on an idea which she hopes will leave her flushed with success.

Dana, 33, explained: "I was watching a history programme and they went to visit a museum in Stoke on Trent where they have an amazing collection of Victorian toilets.

"I thought they were absolutely beautiful and couldn't understand why nobody was making them today.

"At the time, I had been dabbling with printing on ceramics, so it was a bit of a 'lightbulb' moment for me."

Dana now produces £2000 toilets and sinks with every inch covered in her own, bright designs

She also creates wallpaper, at £240 a roll, cushions, costing up to £100 each, bathroom tiles, at £12 each, and a duck-shaped toilet brush holder, at £89, as well as cups, saucers, plates, teapots and mugs.

Dana is the only person in the UK producing printed toilets and sinks.

She said: "I only launched them a couple of weeks ago but there is already a lot of interest.

"Nobody else in the UK is doing it, so I have got the monopoly - I can pretty much print on anything."

The artist expects most of her pieces to be sold to hotels, restaurants and bars but says home owners may also fancy a different look for the smallest room in the house.

Dana, who is based in Bridgeton, is one of 10 creative city firms which have won cash from Starter for 6, Scotland's premier start-up and investment programme for creative industry entrepreneurs.

vivienne.nicoll@eveningtimes.co.uk