What To Consider Before Hopping On The Divisive Bathtub-In-Bedroom Trend

Everyone has preferences for what they want their bathroom to look like, but there's one bath-related trend that's a little more out-there: putting a bathtub in your bedroom. If you're not familiar, the home trend is quite literally putting a freestanding bathtub in the open expanse of your bedroom. Not in an ensuite, not in a side room, but actually in your bedroom. Obviously, we're not talking just any old bath and room situation. The trend is highly stylized, not to mention extremely covetable thanks to the influx of luxury hotels choosing to place bathtubs in bedrooms. 

Sometimes, using your bathroom as a getting-ready spot gives it a stressful atmosphere that hangs over you even when it's time to wind down. Moving your bath to an area without this connotation could be the relaxation technique you've been searching for. We've laid out all the plus and minus points of putting a tub in your bedroom, so you can decide whether it's a good idea for your space or not.

One of the major pluses of putting a bathtub in your bedroom is that it allows you to still enjoy bathing even if you don't have the bathroom space. In most cases, having a small bathroom means you need to swap out a bath for a shower. However, if you really love baths, this isn't an ideal solution for you. Putting a tub in your bedroom will give you what you want without interfering with the layout of your bathroom or ensuite. Bonus: if you live alone, you can pretty much hop straight from the bath to your bed feeling ultra relaxed and fresh.

The aesthetic look of the trend doesn't hurt either. Placing a bathtub in a room we're not accustomed to seeing it in will create a contrast that doesn't look too out of place but will still shake up the traditional look of a bedroom. Because of this, it's a good way to add something visually interesting to your bedroom without needing to completely renovate the whole space (though you will need to take the below things into consideration before installing).

The first disadvantage of bathing where you sleep is the lack of privacy. If you live alone, this isn't an issue, but if you share your bedroom, you may find yourself annoyed at someone else's presence while you're trying to relax. You could definitely put a lock on the bedroom door to ensure no one walks in, but it's more the practicality aspect that makes bathing in your bedroom less than calm. Plus, if you only have one bath, people will have to enter your bedroom to bathe, another major invasion of privacy.

However, there's also a more practical downside to putting a bathtub in a bedroom, and that's the fact it requires specialist plumbing. In addition to this, remember that the weight of a bath, both when empty and when filled, can be a significant strain on your flooring if it isn't engineered to withstand such weights. Moreover, as James Lentaigne of bathroom manufacturer Drummonds told Country Life, "adequate ventilation" is key so your bedroom furniture isn't affected by the steam. Overall, if you love the idea of bathing in your room, go for it — just make sure to think about the above points thoroughly before doing so.