It's an expensive option. And doesn't contain water all that well. And VERY uncomfortable to shower in on a regular basis. It's best for unused bathrooms that all you ever do is look at the tub.

Not sure I'm understanding correctly Sophie. What do you mean 'doesn't contain water all that well? and what aspect is uncomfortable to shower in? I want a slipper bath - not cast iron as it's going upstairs and the weight would be a concern. It's the showering that I'm struggling to get my head round. At the moment the other half (who takes the showers) says he'd be happy with the slipper bath with floor mounted taps that have a telephone shower and a curtain on a ring. Albion Baths do the Effusio systm of freestanding taps with a rigid shower and curtain rail but are very expensive and I wondered if there were any alternatives I've not been able to find. The other option (not sure if there's space enough) would be to have a shower tray and separate shower. Here are pictures of the kitchen which is where we will be siting the bathroom. The cardboard cutout is a template of the Slipper bath.

Go away to a BnB that has one for the weekend. Try it out. It is a giant PIA to shower in, and not all that great for a tub either. If you do it, completely waterproof your floor under the tile or you'll end up with the usual water damage.

Could the bath be placed near a corner of the room? Then you could have a glass partial door and have the taps/shower mounted on the wall. This would still give the look of a freestanding bath but add a practical element to it.

^^^Water damage just waiting to happen. You must have a curtain in the interior of the tub. Just butting the lip of the tub up to the wall means that water is going to go everywhere. All over the floor and behind the walls. Unless someone makes that whole thing as a wet room with a floor drain.

Thanks for the warning Sophie, we'll take care. I'm afraid butting the bath into the corner won't work as the walls, if you look at the photo come lower than the kitchen worktops.

Sophie is right about testing it out at a B&B. Depending on how high the sides of the tub are they can be difficult to get in and out of. If the bathtub isn't against a wall you won't be able to install a grab bar to use in the future as you age. A separate shower may make more sense. I would go to a local plumbing showroom that has a bath designer to discuss your options.

I agree with all the above I stay in a B&B that has an old cast iron tub with a shower that really no matter how careful you are the curtain sticks to you and it just does not work to contain the water so when we stay there my hubby bathes instead.

Had a rental way back in college with this. Back when you could only find replacement parts for stuff in a salvage yard. Had to use 3 shower curtains to keep the water in the tub. And you never ever felt clean because the icky moldy curtains would blow at you and touch you at some point. Finally gave up trying to shower. Using it as a tub would inevitably result in splashout on the floor when climbing in or out. You had to sit in it as it filled or drained if you didn't want to deal with big puddles on the floor.

That ''apartment'' I think was condemned when I moved out. The bath floor had gotten awfully spongey, and there was zero insulation in the walls, and the electricity worked only when you held your mouth right and unplugged half of everything. Not to mention the steam radiators that cooked you or froze you as the only two options. Great party place though! For the young and starving anyway.

This is the bath link and pic