Anyone who has gone through the bathroom remodeling process knows that bathtubs can eat up a huge chunk of your home improvement budget. Besides the tile that typically surrounds the tub, it’s also the largest item in the room. So the style of that tub can make or break your space.
What peeves me the most about the design of most bathtubs in the affordable price range is that they’re chockablock with ridges and arm rests and three dimensional wave-like patterns embossed on the interiors and exteriors of the tub. I loathe that crap. The sleeker, the better, in my book.
There aren’t a lot of bathtubs on the market that are both affordable and designed with clean lines–believe me, I’ve devoted a lot of time to the search. If you’re looking for a standard bathtub under $1,000, this is my go-to apron-front soaker:
Kohler Archer 5' Soaking Tub, $438 at Home Depot.
Although it does include armrests and an embossed detail on the apron front, both features are plain horizontals…none of that cheesy swooshing stuff that is so prevalent in low-priced bathtubs.
If you have a little more space and a little larger budget, these drop-in tubs are real winners:
American Standard Studio Soaker Tub, $701.35 via Faucet.com.
Venetian white 72x36 Soaker Tub, $786.99 via Overstock.
All of the above tubs are acrylic and available with whirlpool options, but only the Kohler has a jetted version under $1,000.
If you prefer porcelain over acrylic, here’s a nice, simple one:
American Standard Cambridge 5' Soaker Tub, $499.20 via Faucet.com.
Although the two drop-in tubs above are not jetted, they’re still master bathroom-worthy if you’re on a tight budget because you can jazz up the deck and apron front with tile, wood, and/or solid-surface materials to give you a more high-end look.
Read this post if you’re contemplating eliminating your bathtub altogether.
Sing it, sista. And if you want a free-standing tub, it’s hard to find one that isn’t a claw-foot or doesn’t look like it belongs on a space ship.