Freestanding baths are synonymous with period properties. A traditional roll top in a a spacious Victorian bathroom oozing period charm is a look many lust over - and it’s easy to imagine that such a bath could only work in a room that evokes this imposing traditional style.
But that's simply not true. More and more young and not-so-young homeowners are opting for a freestanding bath, whatever their style. The big freestanding tub is increasingly sought-after, in part because it is a statement of luxury, but more than that it’s a great way to relax at the end of a long day.
We take a look at the different styles and options for those seeking a statement bath.
Best freestanding bath ideas
There's nothing like the classic roll top, especially in period homes like a Victorian house or an Edwardian interior.
The roll top bath
Many bathroom designers are providing a wide array of vibrant colour options for your bath's finish to add a striking modern twist, as well as helping homeowners to tie it in to their surrounding colour schemes. Victoria & Albert are doing a great job of this at the moment and have some truly show-stopping colour options, like this yellow Napoli tub (from £3,187.30) above.
If that's a little pricey, Victoria Plumb have the Province blue Dalston roll top (above) at a very affordable £595, while their artist range, which come in a wide variety of show-stopping colours, start at £2,259.
The slipper freestanding bath
If you’re looking for a classic look, the slipper delivers on both comfort and style. Simply lie back and revel in scrumptious luxury - bubbles are optional!
The Dawlish single-ended slipper rolltop bath, (now £1,165) from The Cast Iron Bath Company, packs in plenty of practical features too. Its traditional cast iron material will keep water warm, with space to both recline and stretch out. Pictured here painted in Farrow & Ball’s No. 82 Dix Blue Estate Eggshell, it’s got heirloom beauty, and with a 20-year guarantee, you can keep it fresh for years to come with a mini-roller and some paint.
For drama and affordability this black freestanding slipper bath from Better Bathrooms wins hands down. Priced at £369.97 it would look stunning in a black and white-themed bathroom.
For added glamour what about adding a copper slipper bath? This Chatsworth slipper bath from Victoria Plumb certainly has the wow factor and at £899.95 it is an affordable choice. It would look stunning in a blue bathroom as pictured or even a teal bathroom or green bathroom
Modern freestanding baths
We love the playful and modern design in Clearwater’s Vigore natural stone bath, £3019, made from stone that’s been polished for more than 10 hours to create a soft finish. This material retains heat well, keeping your water hot for longer, but our favourite feature of the bath has to be its curved feet. They lift the tub to expose the floor beneath, making the room feel more spacious.
If you're feeling flush, the dado and plinth detailing on a seamless curve with a neat white roll-top makes the Bute cast iron bath tub, £6,485 by Drummonds, is a cool combination of classic and contemporary.
The hand-finished acrylic skirt wrap can be painted in any colour you like – such as this retro red hue – with options of antique brass, nickel, bronze and chrome for the waste and overflow. Made from cast iron, this statement bath weighs 179kg when empty, and as much as 400kg when full, so check the area you’d want to put it is strong enough to take the weight. Cast iron has many benefits including durability, heat retention and being low maintenance.
This bath is all about sleek and seamless simplicity. Available in three sizes, 1580mm, 1680mm and 1780mm, the Viado bath, starting at £1,354 from BC Designs, is made using the brand’s Acrymite system, where an inner and outer acrylic sheet are formed together with no join lines. This process ensures heat insulation, and because there’s no gel coating on the outside, any scratches that may appear can easily be removed.
The smooth surface also brings extra focus to the Axbridge cross handle floorstanding bath shower mixer in chrome, £975, from the Booth & Co collection at VADO.
We love this Picasso Grigio Earth Freestanding Stone Bath from Lusso Stone (priced £1,995). Perfect for a natural, earth-toned-colour scheme its simple shape is elegant and refined, while still making a statement.
The downright quirky
Why not turn a trough into a freestanding bath at a fraction of the cost of purchasing one? With a little know-how, you can turn a cattle trough into a stunning luxurious, but totally original, freestanding bath! Don't believe us? Watch this video to learn more:
Freestanding bath ideas and styling inspiration
