A freestanding bath evokes a feeling of comfort and delivers a sense of luxury to a bathroom. With so many styles, shapes, sizes and materials available now in the market – how do you select the right freestanding bathtub for your design project?
apaiser: Zen Oval Freestanding Bath | Image: Metrobuild
We posed the question to award-winning Australian owned bathware brand apaiser for their insights. The result? A concise wrap-up of the top 5 key considerations to keep in mind, (along with beautiful imagery to inspire) so you can stay on track during the selection process. Enjoy.
Material
Stone freestanding baths are a popular choice as they look luxurious and suit a variety of different bathroom styles. There are many iterations of ‘stone’ in the bathware industry, so it is important to compare materials, assess the look, feel, performance and ingredients.
apaiser: Zen Freestanding Bath Hand Crafted from apaiserMARBLE® | Image: Cat Gerke - Design: The Designory
Many composite stone materials contain high percentages of synthetic ingredients and may be unkind to the environment and unkind to our health. If sustainability and responsible manufacturing are a priority, you’ll be interested to know that apaiser bathware is hand crafted from apaiserMARBLE®. Containing up to 90% reclaimed marble, it is one of the original, high performance, sustainable bathware products in the market.
Concept
The overall feel and style of the space you are working with will guide the shape and colour of your freestanding bath.
Clean, contemporary spaces generally call for simple, tailored shapes – such as apaiser’s Zen or Soka baths, in fresh, neutral tones of black, white and concrete greys.
apaiser: Soka Petit Freestanding Bath | Image: Pablo Veiga - Design: Onefour Interiors
If the bath is intended as the centre piece of the room, look for sculptural or bold designs. For example a statement bath like apaiser’s Serenity or Origami, need little else to create a memorable bathroom.
apaiser: Origami Freestanding Bath | Image: Anson Smart - Design: Greg Natale
A beautiful view, or room with a strong connection to nature might call for a resort-style feel and palette of natural materials. Softly textured finishes in neutral tones work beautifully here, especially combined with rounded forms and ample proportions. apaiser’s Sentosa, Lunar and Oman baths are fantastic options here.
Lastly, if you are considering a timeless piece to complement any bathroom style, a classic oval in a luxurious shade of white is always a good choice. A well matched option here is apaiser’s iconic Haven bath.
apaiser: Haven Freestanding Bath | Image: Caitlin Mills Photography - Design: De Natriss Skurrie
Space
Compact spaces can be challenging, but it is still possible to place a feature tub. Consider a deeper bath if you need to compromise on length. A solution here could be apaiser’s 1525mm Chi, or the lower profile Sublime range if you need to combine your shower and bath to save space.
apaiser: Sublime Freestanding Bath | Image: Jack Lovel - Design: Christopher Elliott Design
An asymmetrical shape that is narrower at one end will give more clear space if it needs to be installed quite close to another fixture, and placing it on an angle can create a dynamic visual.
If space is abundant or you are designing a generous bathroom in a new build, be mindful of placement. Consider the flow of the space, how the various wash zones will be used, and also proportion and scale. A low-profile bath might look odd in a room with high ceilings. Likewise, you might consider creating screens or zoning areas in very large spaces, so the bath does not look insignificant and the room feels a little cosier.
If you can, allow sufficient distance from other wash areas and structures for ease of cleaning – 200mm is a good rule to follow, but not always practical, at a minimum ensure a mop or vacuum can get around the bath.
Layout
When considering the layout of a bathroom, think about how the walls, doors and windows form natural zones which can be given a defined purpose, for washing your hands, showering or bathing. Think about the flow and potential congestion points.
In a long, narrow bathroom a bath can create a brilliant focal point at the end, with a walk-through shower in front of the bath. Perhaps the vanity needs to run along one wall with the bath opposite, so a narrower bath is needed. An option like Seascapes or Sapphire baths by apaiser would work well here.
apaiser: Seascapes Freestanding Bath | Image: Angie Summa - Design: Jase Sullivan
Some baths like Serenity or Origami need clear margins to allow the design to be appreciated, so they will present best in large spacious environments. Others, like Soka Petit, look beautiful tucked into an alcove, or in front of a window giving the illusion of space.
Installation
Access is often overlooked, especially in existing properties – be mindful of spatial constraints and access to the building, and check if the bath can be moved through the entry points. Before you specify a bath, discuss access, plumbing and installation with the builder and plumber.
apaiser: Haven Freestanding Bath | Image: Sharyn Cairns - Design: Conrad Architects