Bathrooms: Hot Tubs

Pretty and Practical Inset Bath Versus Freestanding Show Stopper? Finding Your Perfect Bathtub Match Is the First Step to Bathing Bliss

- Shelley Tustin

A LUXURIOUS TUB

probably plays the starring role in your bathroom renovation fantasies, but the first step towards bringing those dreams to life is choosing between an inset and a freestanding tub. Consider practical issues – what you’ll use the bath for and the space it’s going into – as well as aesthetics, to figure out if a built-in beauty or a stand-alone stunner is the right bath for you.

SENSE OF PLACE

Both freestanding and inset baths can look fabulous with the right treatment. A freestanding bath is a style asset, but it needs room to breathe; a minimum of 10-15cm of space around it, says Marc Reed of Candana. For tapware, a floor-mounted spout will take up more space around a freestanding bath, although the payoff is a sense of luxury. If you have room, make your freestanding bath shine by placing it centre stage. “By positioning the tub beneath a window, you can create a natural day spa feeling,” says Daniela Santilli of Reece. Built-in baths tend to be more modest than a freestanding tub, but they can be just as gorgeous. “I love an inset bath to be under-mounted,” says Marc. “Have a stone surround that sits above the bath and gives a really practical working space. Also, a niche adds depth and shadow lines in the walls.”

WELL USED