Do you have the perfect bathtub in mind? Yes? Great! But what about accessories like taps, feet, waste, panels or screens? In this blog post, we'll take you through all these options to help you make the right decisions.
The bathtub is the centrepiece of your bathroom. There are many different styles available, from classic traditional roll top baths, spacious double-ended baths that allow two bathers to use the tub at once, luxurious corner baths and space-efficient single-ended straight baths.
The right shape and style for you will depend on your own personal tastes and also practical considerations such as the size and shape of your bathroom. You can customise your bath further by choosing taps, feet and other bathroom accessories that reflect your own personality and tastes.
Bath feet
Most bathtubs have feet that elevate them above the floor, helping to reduce the risk of damp and mildew. On panelled baths, these are out of sight and are usually plain and purely functional, with height adjustments for uneven floors. If you opt for a free-standing bath you can make them more decorative. This doesn't mean they have to be overly ostentatious or ornate if that does not suit your personality.
The Dulwich roll top freestanding bath from Orchard Bathrooms comes complete with intricately-detailed chrome claw feet
Chrome ball feet can make an attractive choice for a contemporary bathroom while traditional dragon or clawed feet can be ideal for a more classic look.
Choosing the right taps
The taps you choose can have a massive effect on the overall look of your bath and the entire room. Traditionally, baths were filled using separate hot and cold taps. Some still prefer this style but combined mixer taps (like the one pictured below) are also popular. These take water from both the hot and cold pipes so you can mix the flow to get the right temperature water coming through a single spout. These may still have separate handles for hot and cold or a single one that moves from fully cold to fully hot.
The Wye round bath mixer tap from Orchard Bathrooms features a round shape and curved spout, making it ideal for contemporary baths
There are also a number of other considerations. Perhaps the most obvious is your choice of colour. The vast majority of contemporary bath taps available these days are chrome. This tends to be very versatile and fits in with most bathroom colour schemes. However, there is a growing trend for new metallic finishes, including gold, rose gold, bronze and even black, like this one from the Mode Bathrooms Spencer collection.
Wall mounted designs in new metallic finishes, like this Spencer round wall mounted rose gold bath mixer tap from Mode Bathrooms, are proving very popular right now
You'll also discover a huge range of styles, which may leave you scratching your head in confusion. Some are low and sleek, while others are high and more ornate. Freestanding bathtaps, for example, are designed to complement freestanding baths, providing a fresh, modern appearance.
Some handles may be turned to control the water flow while others lift up and down like levers. Built-in shower mixers are another option while some people prefer to have their taps mounted on the wall rather than on the bath itself.
What about your waste?
A bath waste consists of a plug and hole but typically also contains the overflow and often a device allowing you to open or close the plug without getting your hand wet.
They range from simple modern designs to more ornate models, designed specifically for traditional roll top baths. One top tip when choosing your waste is to select one in the same colour or finish as your taps and feet (if your bath has them).
If you wish to keep your bathtub rim free of taps, you can even choose an integrated bath waste filler with overflow, which is operated through a wall mounted valve (see below).
Keep things sleek and simple with the highly contemporary bath filler and integral waste and overflow
Other bath accessories
To give your bathroom a uniform look, bathroom suites allow you to precisely match your bath with your toilet or bathroom sink. Bath panels in a range of finishes can also have an instant transformative effect on your bathroom.
Bath screens are another optional extra and can turn a simple tub into a multi-functional shower bath. These are primarily designed to prevent splashing if you have a shower bath or shower mixer attachment and you'll find a variety of frame and screen designs.
Shop bath accessories
At Victoria Plum, you're bound to find the perfect accessories for your chosen bath. Browse our wide selection of taps by clicking on the image below.
