Make Room for a Freestanding Tub Without Losing Function
Nothing says luxury and relaxation like a freestanding tub in your bathroom. A wall-mounted tub/shower unit may look and feel functional, but a free-standing tub can help create a spa-like atmosphere. However, you may think that your bathroom isn’t big enough to even consider it as an option. If you’re worried about space but still dream of relaxing in the evenings in a luxurious tub, there are ways to make room.
Why Consider a Freestanding Tub?
Some homeowners are happy with a standard tub/shower unit. If you’re not a bath person, you may not see the need for a freestanding tub and might design your bathroom around a large and luxurious shower unit instead. However, if you love the relaxation a bath can provide, you know that a freestanding tub surpasses the traditional combo unit. First, a freestanding tub makes an aesthetic statement that can’t be minimized – and that statement is luxurious and high-end. If you picture a bathtub in a spa environment, it’s a freestanding tub. Because designers aren’t limited by the need to mount against a wall, they can be creative with their shape, and freestanding tubs can have a vintage appeal with traditional claw feet or a sleek, modern look.
There are also practical advantages to a freestanding tub. You can place a freestanding tub exactly where you want it in the bathroom, like under a skylight or other lighting fixture. Without the need for two or more walls to mount against, you can design the room around the tub, rather than feeling confined by the four walls. Freestanding tubs are also surprisingly easy to install, as they typically require only a plumber for the hookups, rather than a contractor to handle a wall mount.
Working Around the Drawbacks
Most freestanding tubs are showerless. Although there are opportunities for a handheld shower-style unit for rinsing, it’s difficult to use a freestanding tub as a shower. Many homeowners who opt for a freestanding tub will also need to install a shower unit, which can take up additional space in the bathroom. Freestanding tubs, being often larger than standard tub units, can also be heavy, especially when filled with water. Therefore, it’s essential to make sure the floor has been reinforced to support the weight. However, with the right bathroom designer, if you love the look of a freestanding tub, you can work through these minor challenges by playing with the layout of the room to allow for a shower unit, reinforcing the floor to support the weight, and adding storage around the tub.
Explore Options for a New Layout in Your Bathroom
Most builder-grade bathrooms are standard. Tub and shower unit on one wall, vanity and toilet on the other. However, when you are planning a bathroom redesign, you don’t have to stay within that box if you’re willing to be creative. While changing the layout can be a bit more labor-intensive and a bigger investment than a simple change-out of fixtures, many homeowners feel that a custom bathroom designed for exactly what they want is worth the effort. Some options for incorporating a freestanding tub into a smaller bathroom include forgoing a separate shower unit and installing a shower nozzle into the faucet setup for the tub, or choosing a small-space, deep freestanding tub and adding a smaller, glass-enclosed shower unit. Wall-mounted or freestanding faucets can eliminate the extra space required for a deck-mounted faucet, freeing up additional space. Opting for a smaller, pedestal-style sink over a traditional vanity can also open more space. With a simple sink instead of a large vanity, the shower, toilet, and sink can share one wall, leaving the other free for the freestanding tub.
If you have space to reclaim, like a linen closet or portion of the primary bedroom closet, you can choose to go even more in-depth with your bathroom renovation, borrowing space that may not be used effectively and creating a bigger floorplan in the bathroom, allowing for the room a freestanding tub will take without sacrificing any existing features.
Thinking Outside the Box for Storage Options
Whether you’ve reclaimed a linen closet, opted out of a vanity, or simply don’t want your bathroom to feel cluttered after the addition of a freestanding tub, you will need to find other options for storage. Many homeowners choose to think vertically – adding built-in shelves or storage cabinets higher up on the walls to avoid taking up valuable floor space. A floating shelf for towels and bath products above a freestanding tub can still give the space an open, airy, and minimalist look while allowing you to access what you need. Recessed wall niches can provide storage for the essentials without
You Can’t Add Square Footage – But You Can Repurpose What You Have
Bathroom design is all about prioritizing your wants to fit into the space that you have. A freestanding tub is possible if you are willing to work with the footprint of the space and repurpose the design to fit what you want. A smaller shower unit may not be luxurious on its own, but with the tub as the focal point, that may not be important. Losing floor space that could be used for a larger vanity can be handled by keeping a simple pedestal sink in the bathroom and creating a vanity to get ready at in a closet or bedroom. A good contractor can help you brainstorm.
Freestanding tubs are the height of luxury for those who understand the benefit of a relaxing soak at the end of a long day. In a world full of chaos, having a small oasis in the bathroom can bring back some serenity. Although it may not be as simple as a prefabricated wall-mounted unit, a skilled bathroom designer and renovation contractor can give you the bathtub of your dreams without needing to sacrifice function.
Dreaming of a freestanding tub but unsure how to make it fit? Total Quality Construction can help you reimagine your space, bringing luxury and function together. Let’s design your perfect bathroom—without compromise.