Hollywood
West One Bathrooms
POA
Whoever said that the avocado bathroom was an irredeemable relic of the 1970s? Well ok, we grant you, in most cases, it is exactly that. But as with all matters interiors, it’s all about context, and in the instance of West One Bathroom’s spectacular Hollywood free-standing bath, the avocado is an aesthete’s dream. We love the classical simple lines executed with contemporary sleekness. There are, of course, a myriad of other colours to choose from (500, in fact) but we like this one for sheer throwback joy.
Baglioni Freestanding Cast Iron Bath
Soakology
£4,380
The riveted straps and skirt details of this bathing beauty would make a sublime centrepiece in an industrial bathroom. Weighing a whopping 199kg, you’ll need to make sure your floors can take the weight; if they can, the handcrafted cast iron is so sturdily built it should last a lifetime. It comes in grey primer paint, so you can specify the paint colour of your choice.
Trafalgar Copper Double Ended Slipper Roll Top Bath Tub
Victorian Plumbing
£2,199.95
If you’re after a showstopper, this copper exterior, nickel-lined number is a contemporary polished take on a period classic. Taps come separately and it is designed for use with either wall- or floor-mounted taps. As per the set up in the picture, it looks resplendent with geometric tiles and plain, simple walls, leaving the bath itself to take centre stage.
Finion
Villeroy & Boch
POA
The Finion from the ever-excellent Villeroy & Boch is pure contemporary elegance, thanks to its pleasingly narrow rims. Aside from looking great, its dimensions make it a winner; at 1700mm X 700mm, the interior remains generous while the proportions allow it to fit into smaller spaces, which often preclude freestanding baths. Gorgeous.
Imperial Kew Bath
Soakology
£3,196
A true classic, we love the gentle curves and contours of the Imperial Kew Bath, as well as its stylish matte finish. Do note, it is 120kg, but weighs 300kg when full. This is one for clambering into with a good book, only to emerge hours later.
Essex
West One Bathrooms
POA
We could honestly have included pretty much every single one of the beautiful baths in West One Bathrooms’ collection. They come in the full gamut of styles, from the slick and simple to the classic to the innovative. We do especially adore the Essex though, which is also available in pale pink. Cradled perfectly in a bold graphic black frame, we see it in a mid-century modern bathroom. Perfection.
Cape Cod
West One Bathrooms
POA
And another, reluctantly final, vote for this superlative brand. The Cape Cod is aptly named, beautifully reminiscent as it is of the fresh style of the New Hampshire coast. This is the free-standing option, but there are also back-to-wall and left or right corner versions available too. We love the seamless nature of it, as well as the satisfying depth. Heaven.
Astonian Rimini
Aston Matthews
NOW £1,398.89
For many of us, a free-standing roll-top bath is high on the tick-list of things we’d like in our houses, along with Belfast sinks and woodburners. This one is a real classic; it’s made from titanium-based class AA enamel and comes primed and ready for painting in the colour of your choice.
The Bute
Drummonds
From £4,985
How often does red spring to mind in the bathroom? We’ll wager not very. And yet this pressed acrylic bath makes the case for it perfectly. Combining a classic shape with crisp, contemporary styling, we can’t imagine we’re alone in unexpectedly finding ourselves in the market for a pillar-box bath. Joy.
Pescadero
Victoria and Albert Baths
POA
Just look at this swan-like beauty. The Pescadero is named after a Californian town and inspired by the sea, as demonstrated by its wave-like rim. The website trumpets how it is made for one or two, and yet the proportions are compact, at just 1695mm long, making it perfect for smaller bathrooms. Available in a spectrum of 194 RAL colours and in either gloss or matt finishes, we’d nonetheless take ours in classic white.
The Dawlish Victorian Slipper Cast Iron Bath
Cast Iron Bath
NOW £895
A classic claw-foot slipper bath, this roll top is not only lovely to look at; it represents exceptional value, too – particularly now at its sale price. It also comes with a 20-year guarantee. As with some of the others in this list, it comes primed and you can opt to have it painted in a colour of your choice.
Rydal Freestanding Bath
CP Hart
£3,499.46
If you love simple, clean lines, this ticks the aesthetic box. Sculptural, unembellished and super stylish, it is made in England ‘using a unique composite material that has high heat retention.’ Thanks to its simplicity, it would slip in seamlessly to a classic or more contemporary bathroom.
By Nancy Alsop
August 2020
