Bath-tubs for your bathroom

Whether you are designing a children's bathroom or one for general use, the largest object in it is likely to be the bath. How large you need your bath to be will depend on the size of the bathroom, as well as the effect you want it to have. A 'compact' bathroom doesn't necessarily mean that you are stuck with a small bath. There are sizes and styles of bath to fit every size and shape of room, and person to use it.

Bath-tub size

The size of tub you will need depends largely on how much of a feature you wish the bath to be in your bathroom. If you have chosen the bath as a feature, you will probably be comfortable with it taking the lion's share of the space in the room. You may design the bathroom around a particularly pleasing tub.

Many types of bath have the comfort of depth without eating up the available space in your bathroom. Water usage is a consideration when choosing a bath, and a deeper, narrower or square one can use minimum water while not compromising on comfort.

Types of bath-tubs

There are as many types, shape and size of bath tub as there are tastes in interior decorating, here are some options:

• Children's bathrooms can be decked out with specially made smaller baths to fit your kids. Take the time to decide whether this is the right option, though, as children will outgrow the smaller bath, and if you intend to sell your house in the future a smaller than usual bath may not be a selling point
• Think about shape. The classic oblong round cornered model is not the only option anymore, and may not be the best one. A square or corner shaped bath can be an excellent way of getting maximum bath space while taking up minimum bath room space
• Larger clawfoot and other freestanding tubs are ideal for filling a bathroom, particularly if the rest of the decor is designed around the tub. There are small claw foot tubs for small bathrooms, but these may lack length to stretch out in
• If the tub is for a new home, take care to measure doorways to ensure that the tub will fit through on the way back out again
• Small bathrooms may need a small tub, but this does not mean giving up on precious relaxing soaks. The Japanese style tub has seats and is designed to sit in, with water to the neck. While a true Japanese tub may be difficult to procure in Australia, many manufacturers now produce Japanese style tubs
• When installing a different size bath to your previous one, check fittings for size and placement. They may need to be moved by a plumber to fit the new tub

Choosing from the array of styles and shapes of bath can maximise space and most effectively utilise any size bathroom.

The right size tub for your bathroom

Choosing a new bath tub can be vital to the look and feel of your rejuvenated bathroom. A small bathroom can easily accommodate a Japanese or non - traditionally shaped tub, while a large room allows for the full scope of your imagination.