Small Bathtub Designs Made For Ultimate Relaxation

Read article : Small Bathtub Designs Made For Ultimate Relaxation

A small bathtub is a nice alternative to a regular one and not only because it’d free up more space in the bathroom. These amazing soaking freestanding tubs are made for relaxation and, well, soaking. Besides you can easily turn one into a shower and use the rest of that bathroom space for washers, storage, or simply to create an airy look in an already cramped room.

Small Bathtub Designs of Every Shape

Small bathtubs come in all shapes and different sizes. They aren’t just circular or oval. There are classical claw feet freestanding tubs in minimized versions, square tubs and all kinds of forms in between.

Small Bathtub Designs Made For Ultimate Relaxation" width="900" height="900" />Cyrano Acrylic Slipper 44″ white tub

This Barclay‘s Cyrano Acrylic Slipper tub is just 44″ with the beautiful brushed nickel imperial feet and a roll top. It goes to show that even if your bathroom is tiny you can still create a vintage style interior with a classic tub that won’t take up too much space.

It is ideal for the bedroom too because you won’t end up giving too much of the floor space to the bathroom area. Even though tiny it still has the presence that people like so much about the clawfoot tubs.

Small Bathtub Designs Made For Ultimate Relaxation" width="800" height="800" />Marmorin small soaking tub

Circular shape is probably the most popular among the soaking tubs but this Marmorin Jena shoe-shaped design is all about ergonomics. It may look bigger than it really is but it’s all because of its high back that allows to really lean back and enjoy your me-time.

This form is getting more widespread but it surely requires a bit more space. Well, at least you can sit back and hide from the world behind those tall tub walls.

Small Bathtubs Made of Metal

Asti Copper Japanese soaking tub

Material is as important as the shape of a tub. Copper is a huge design trend right now and the bathtubs that are made of it can surely add some style points to a modern bathroom. This 39″ Asti Copper Japanese Soaking Tub from Signature Hardware has an amazing albeit simple design and can probably fit into the tiniest of bathrooms.

Copper is not only quite easy to clean and maintain, it is also antibacterial. It looks well as it ages and if you choose really carefully it will serve you for quite a long time. Decor tip: match copper with teal or turquoise accents for a truly stunning look.

43″ Simone Polished Stainless Steel soaking tub

Like it or not the round shape is simply the most efficient when it comes to small bathtubs. This is another one of Signature Hardware‘s mini tubs, a 43″ Simone Polished Stainless Steel Soaking Tub, stylish and very small.

It would surely fit into any small bathroom and make it look amazing. The modern stainless steel finish can go well with both traditional and ultra modern or minimalist decorating styles. It all depends on what you’re going for.

Square Freestanding Bath Tub 41' x 41' from ADM Bathroom Design" width="900" height="900" />Square Freestanding Bath Tub 41′ x 41′ from ADM Bathroom Design

Of course, if a square tub works better for your floor plan then you’re in luck because there are quite a lot of them on the market right now. For instance, this ADM Bathroom Design square tub is a perfect fit for a small bathroom, especially if you’re planning to tuck it into a corner.

Some square tubs feature a circle carved up inside of them leaving some space around the angles for storing small things like shampoos and soaps. Some even feature a mini deck with steps to make it easier to get in.

Circular Small Bathtubs

Aquatica TrueOfuro freestanding solid surface bathtub

Speaking of tall and small bathtubs, going upwards is always a valid way to economically use space regardless of the room. In a small bathroom a tall soaking tub leaves so much free space to simply move around.

Circular soaking tubs can often be quite deep and tall like the Aquatica‘s TrueOfuro freestanding tub. It is quite small but a grown adult can clearly fit in it without any problem.

Aquatica Purescape freestanding acrylic bathtub

Purescape tub from Aquatica is designed by the same principle but it has a modern look to it. It also features the decorative rings that make it look like a collapsable cup.

Speaking of which, soaking tubs often have cup-like shapes but there are other small tub designs that resemble things like bowls and even vases.

Colorful Small Bathtubs

Acrylic mini bathtub

While round tubs look more impressive in the middle of the room or beside a bed or a window, they can also quite successfully fit into a corner. This Glass Design acrylic mini tub has its back raised and while it’s circular there’s little space wasted between it and the wall.

Beside shapes, sizes and materials the color of a bathtub is a whole different factor that diversifies the choice. Surely most of them are still white on the inside but the sides come in all the different colors from red to blue to golden.

Flower style back bathtub

Another great small bathtub design from Glass Design looks more like a flower vase (perhaps hence the name) and features a black exterior but the white insides.

Sure, it may not look as convenient or practical but just look at how little floor space it occupies. You can probably stand upright inside of it, which would eliminate the need for a shower. But the question is how does one get in?

Mini Gold Leaf tub

Their Mini Gold Leaf small bathtub can really transform a tiny bathroom. Its beautiful finish would definitely make for a luxury bath interior.

Since its back is raised and a bit pointed, it too fits well into the corner. Although who would want to tuck it in there rather than placing it right in the middle of the room?

Traditional Small Bathtubs

Tubby Torre bathtub

Freestanding bathtubs are very popular right now. But if you need a mini version that would fit into a tiny bathroom the Tubby Torre from Albion Bath Co. is a perfect option.

Painted into a beautiful dark bronze the bathtub would make a gorgeous addition to any bathroom or even bedroom. It’s compact enough to leave a lot of free space in the room. And it’s beautiful enough to pass as a full-sized luxury freestanding tub.

Tubby too short roll top bathtub

Tubby Too Short is another contender for a small luxury bathroom. This mini clawfoot tub painted into bright purple really calls for a mock vintage style or maybe even shabby chic.

It is a great way to add a pop of color to a small bathroom. It both creates a focal point in the interior and requires no additional decorative accents.

Small Bathtubs Made of Marble

Papillon Bathtub in Marble Sandstone and Granite by Stone Forest

Though stone isn’t accessible to most, the bathtubs made out of it can look truly incredible. Even the small ones. Stone Forest shows what marble sandstone can do to such a mundane thing as a bathtub.

Beside the high cost natural stone requires tremendous maintenance. So if you think you want one be sure to do your homework and find out what you’re getting into before the purchase.

EAU Soaking tub

Stone Forest knows a thing or two about impressive stonework. This small bathtub was presented at ICFF and also at IDS12. It earned a 2011 BOY Merit Award from Interior Design Magazine and general media attention for its impeccable design.

Finished with a sealant (like this one), stone bathtubs require careful cleaning. If the sealant is damaged your tub could end up with stains and scratches. But even with sealant intact you still want to wipe it dry after each use. This is done to prevent mineral and soap scum buildup. Do you think you’re ready for such a commitment?

Small Bathtubs Made of Stone

GRAL tub by SIGN

The GRAL bathtub by SIGN looks like an oversized sink and while small it’s definitely a luxury tub as it was made out of a single excavated stone piece.

If you’re trying to save both space and money though you can surely find an equivalent shape among more modest modern tubs on the market.

Circular bathtub in home by Carver + Schicketanz

As we already mentioned, a small bathtub doesn’t have to only be a solution to the lack of space. In a spacious bathroom it can simply allow you to add features that aren’t fit for the other rooms.

This beautiful stone bath is doing just that in a house designed by Carver + Schicketanz. There’s plenty of space in the indoor/outdoor room with some serious furnishings that offer plenty of storage space.

SPA bathtub designed by nespoli e novara for Neutra Design" width="800" height="493" />SPA bathtub designed by nespoli e novara for Neutra Design

SPA bathtubs are definitely the ones that allow you to soak well and relax. This one was designed by nespoli e novara for Neutra Design and it surely looks relaxing. Available in a range of various stones including moonstone and granite it makes for a luxury addition to a small bathroom.

While you may think it’s not as versatile a small bathtub can double as a shower or even a whirl tub.  So even those who lack space can enjoy a piece of their favorite SPA right at home.

Small Bathtubs in Interior Design

JAUREGUI Architecture Interiors Construction" width="800" height="530" />Designed by JAUREGUI Architecture Interiors Construction

Think small bathtubs can’t look impressive? Then you didn’t see this bathroom designed by JAUREGUI Architecture Interiors Construction. Featuring a built-in round bathtub with a marble ring and a waterfall tap this interior is out of this world.

Of course, the glazed walls and a marble fireplace add considerably to the interior design. But you can’t deny that you’ve never seen a tub like this one before.

Master bathroom with a coffee cup bathtub

Another bathtub you may have never seen before is this coffee cup-shaped bathtub complemented with a themed feature wall. It’s cute but nevertheless impressive. A cleverly incorporated mirror makes the small room feel more spacious.

And still there’s plenty of space for storage, toilet, bidet and a sink with a vanity. What an incredible idea and execution!

Teal bathroom with a small freestanding tub

As you can see even a simple small bathtub can look impressive when it’s a bowl-shaped freestanding design accented with bright teal tiles as a backdrop for a pristine white vessel.

Bubble pendant lights play into the picture full of circular shapes. And a wooden ladder that may look a bit out of place adds its own charm to the look.

Bedroom/bathroom by Finnis Architects

This is a great example of how you can combine the bedroom and bathroom by Finnis Architects. A small bathtub doesn’t get in the way and a half wall gives it a bit of privacy.

There are quite a few challenges when it comes to moving a bathtub into the bedroom but in the end of the day the look is definitely worth it.

Small Built-In Bathtubs

Sunken Concrete Bathtub by Lance Workshop" width="800" height="1067" />Sunken Concrete Bathtub by Lance Workshop

A small bathtub doesn’t have to be freestanding of course. If you need or want to build it into the floor or between the walls you can do that especially in a particularly tight room.

This pulley shower system by Lance Workshop features a sunken concrete bathtub that can easily provide residents with both quick morning showers and the prolonged relaxing bathing sessions.

Michaela Scherrer tiny spa bath

In Michaela Scherrer‘s Pasadena bungalow the concrete SPA bathtub features a partially hidden shower and thick enough borders to keep the appropriate toiletries within a hand’s reach.

As you can see you don’t need a fancy tub or tiles to create your own SPA bath. The white plastered walls and grey concrete work quite nicely together making for a very modern minimal look.

Small bathtub in an Oriental Warehouse Loft

Wood is another material on the rise in the bathtub design. Wooden tubs like this one in the Oriental Warehouse are too high-maintenance but they provide the bathroom with an unparalleled look and feel.

Since they too feature a sealant, cleaning and maintenance should be directed at keeping it intact so the water wouldn’t harm the wood.

A small bathtub is not only space-efficient but can also help to create an amazing bathroom interior design. Besides it can also double as a shower or a hot tub. It can look impressive especially if made out of stone and the downsized traditional versions can allow you to have a vintage or traditional look without requiring much space.

Home-improvement dilemmas answered

Read article : Home-improvement dilemmas answered

Kamla and Alex Millson took inspiration from a distinctive hotel suite to transform their space.

Fact file The owners: Kamla Millson (right), a contract officer for adult social care, lives here with her husband Alex, who runs his own joinery business The property: A four-bedroom converted bungalow, built in 1928 The location: Leeds, West Yorkshire What they spent: The couple’s bathroom project cost around £11,500 as part of their loft conversion

A renovation project

After five years of making do with an original 90-year-old bathroom, we were ready for a bit of luxury,’ explains Kamla. ‘But it wasn’t until we stayed in a hotel with a fabulous open-plan bedroom and bathroom suite that we knew how we wanted our bathroom to look.’

Having put their modern townhouse on the market, Kamla and husband Alex looked for a project that would give them more space, and creating an opulent bathroom was at the top of their wishlist. A detached bungalow they found on the outskirts of Leeds, dating back to 1928, fitted the bill perfectly. ‘The house was like a time capsule, and hadn’t been touched for years,’ recalls Kamla. ‘The old lady who sold it to us had been living there since it was built – in fact, her father had built it. The property had lots of potential and, as Alex is a joiner, we were keen to take on a big renovation.’

It was five years, however, before the couple were ready to start work on creating a new master bedroom and en suite, plus a small home office next to the triangular window in the gable.

Hotel inspiration

‘We’d been to our friends’ wedding in nearby Harrogate, and the fabulous loft bedroom and en suite in the hotel gave us the inspiration to start work on ours,’ says Kamla. ‘Originally, we had planned to open up the loft to create two bedrooms, each with its own en suite, but the hotel suite we had stayed in made us rethink this. We thought it would be better to have one luxurious bedroom and bathroom space, with no door between the two areas.

‘We already knew that we wanted a dark bathroom, as we liked the idea of contrasting white sanitaryware with dark tiles,’ she continues, ‘but we decided that if we were going to use dark tiles, we wouldn’t want the space to feel confined.’

Before they could start thinking about the décor and fittings, there was some major work to be done in the roof space. With a background in design and boat building, self-confessed perfectionist Alex was confident about tackling the loft conversion himself. ‘By doing all the work, I could be sure that we got exactly what we wanted,’ he says. ‘Kamla and I had a shared vision and we didn’t mind putting in the effort because we knew we would get something great at the end of it.’

Planning the design

Before starting the project or ordering fixtures and fittings for the new bathroom, Alex used the online planning tool SketchUp to make sure he knew exactly how the space would look when it was finished, and to ensure that key components were in the correct position. Although not one to settle for an easy option, he explains that the high-gabled roofline made planning the loft conversion much simpler. ‘Most of the purlins were high enough to walk under, and we designed the space so that the bath was under the lowest beam,’ he says.

Alex did all the building work for the loft conversion and most of the plumbing himself, but enlisted the help of friends and other tradespeople when needed. ‘Putting up plasterboard is definitely not a one-man job,’ says Kamla, ‘so Alex got a friend to help him. In fact, I also helped before going off to work in the morning. There was no staircase, so it was just a question of me putting on my grippy gloves and passing up the huge boards into the void!’

Alex marked out the positions of pipes and electrics on the plasterboard, before laying tiles straight on to it. ‘You achieve a better fix that way,’ he says. A friend then plastered the ceiling and the couple employed an electrician. Kamla and Alex decided to position the rooflights directly above the bath – perfect for combining bathing with stargazing. All the work in the loft had to be completed before a spiral staircase went in, so Alex found himself running up and down a ladder with all the materials he needed, including the couple’s choice of dark brown wall and floor tiles. It took one month of working late into the evenings to finish the tiling alone. Besides looking stylish, the large-format tiles and tile spacers also had the advantage of limiting the amount of grouting that was required.

Decorating the space

With the dark tiles covering the walls and floors, Kamla and Alex wanted to make a contrast of colour and materials, and commissioned bespoke bookmatched walnut cabinets with three drawers to house twin basins. Finished with a red Silestone countertop, it makes a stunning feature and adds further interest to the space. Two angular basins are set into the countertop and a third basin is fitted in the separate WC area.

Coming in at around £1,500, the whirlpool bath, complete with massage jets and radio, nearly pushed the couple over their budget; they avoided any cash flow problems by completing one area at a time. Kamla also reasoned that they had managed for so long with the old bathroom downstairs that a touch of extra luxury was long overdue. Getting the new bath up to the loft, however, proved to be quite a challenge. ‘We wrapped up the bath in bubble wrap so it didn’t get damaged, and Alex and two friends had to carefully lift it through the void where the staircase was going to go. It was really heavy with the motor for all the jets and electrics,’ she explains.

The finished room

More delicate manoeuvring was required to get the shower screen in place. ‘We wanted just one solid piece of glass with no joins, so we ended up having to use the scaffolding to put it through the triangular window at the front of the house,’ explains Kamla. Happily, the glass stayed in one piece, ready for Alex to install the rainwater showerhead and hand shower. Last to go into the new space above the vanity unit were two mirrored bathroom cabinets, which have integrated LED lighting, creating a soft glow in the bathroom. This has proved essential for minimising disturbance at night, as there is no door between the bathroom and bedroom areas, although there is one separating the WC.

Now that their loft project is finished, Kamla and Alex are proud of what they have achieved. It has amounted to hundreds of hours of labour for Alex, but the couple have saved tens of thousands of pounds by doing the build themselves. Ever the perfectionist, Alex concludes: ‘You get the best results and the best finish by doing things yourself.’

The costs
Bathroom fittings and fixtures	£8,843
Tiles	£2,000
Labour costs (electrics, plumbing and plastering)	£600
Underfloor heating	£200
TOTAL	£11,643

Featured image: Rooflights by Okpol have been positioned directly above a freestanding back-to-wall Hydra Pro bath from Taps4less. A white tripod chair from Christopher Pratts sits perfectly against the dark interior