• Adding colour to your bathroom

• Buying a new bathroom (Part 1)

• Essential, but never boring….toilets!

• How to pay for a new bathroom?

• A guide to bathroom furniture

Bathing Beauties

For those that love a bath, it’s the perfect way to relax and unwind. A bath is a very personal choice and comes in many shapes, sizes, lengths and styles.

First decide on style as this will influence the rest of the bathroom. Next consider the space and shape of your bathroom as this is bound to influence your decision and may even limit your options. If you are updating an existing bathroom drainage and water supplies will already be in place, but if you are installing a new one, existing hot and cold-water supplies will need extending.

If you’re keen to have both bath and shower but space is tight then a bath shower mixer with a bath screen works well and then there’s the material to think about. Different materials have different qualities and drawbacks which also need to be taken into consideration.

Bath Types

Straight Bath

A straight bath is the standard type found in a bathroom as they are generally the cheapest. Made from acrylic and enclosed on the outside by bath panels, a straight bath is easy to clean and maintain.

Inset Bath

Sitting flush to the wall, inset or built-in baths suit almost any bathroom and are ideal on a practical level too - they can incorporate a shelf, and come in a range of sizes, so even if you’re limited on space you’ll still have the option to fit a tub, even if it isn’t full sized.

Freestanding Slipper Bath/Roll Top Bath

As the name suggests, freestanding baths stand alone and can be positioned anywhere in the room. Elegant and beautiful, slipper baths have one high end to lie against and are designed for relaxation. They suit traditional style bathrooms particularly well. The ultimate statement, a roll top bath works well in both contemporary and traditional properties and provides the perfect bathing experience.

Shower Baths

Perfect for a small bathroom, shower baths combine luxury and convenience and are complemented with a bath screen. They are generally laid out in a L- or P-shape to accommodate plenty of room for showering.

Corner Bath

Maximising space in the smallest of bathrooms, a corner bath is also ideal for awkward-shaped bathrooms. Fitting into either right- or left-handed positions, they are the ultimate in convenience, making the most of the space available.

Bath Materials

Acrylic

Generally cheaper, acrylic baths are a popular choice for most modern household as they require little maintenance and are easy to clean.

Cast Iron

A cast iron bath is at the top end of luxury bathing and will provide your bathroom with an authentic and traditional appeal. Extremely durable, cast iron baths are great at retaining heat but are very heavy so make sure the floor can take the full weight of bath and water.

Natural Stone

Natural stone baths are long lasting, durable and easy to repair but absorb a lot of heat when filling with hot water. Like cast iron, natural stone is very heavy so make sure the floor can take the full weight.

Steel

Steel baths are not unlike acrylic baths in terms of style and design but are much more durable and retain heat better due to their thickness. They too can be heavy and may require a solid floor.

24th Feb 2020