Six reasons to install a back-to-wall bath

There is a reason why back-to-wall baths are so popular in Australian bathrooms. Actually, there are six reasons. Typically framed by two or more walls in a bathroom, there is also an increasingly popular trend in new builds and bathroom remodelling projects to opt for singular wall designs, hinting at the aesthetic qualities of a freestanding bath, but enjoying the clear benefits of a back-to-wall design.

No matter how you choose to nestle your bath, rest assured that there are clear design reasons why back-to-wall baths will always dominate bathroom renovations.

Built for family life

Even if you don’t have a family but plan on doing so one day, choosing a back-to-wall bath makes family life just that little more manageable.

Often framed in a way where so there is extra storage space and shelving, back-to-wall baths are sturdy options that make bathing children a little easier than freestanding bath options. When you have one or more rugrats pretending to be the next Olympic diving champion for Australia, you don’t want them anywhere near a freestanding bath.

A canvas for your own designs

Where other bath types are often features in themselves within a bathroom design, and often dominate the aesthetic of the room, back-to-wall baths can act as a blank canvas on which you have greater freedom to express your tastes in the bathroom.

back-to-wall bath can provide opportunities for more storage and shelving, while opening up the space for other design features, such as the shower screen and custom sink.

A space-saving solution

‘Space-saving solution’ is music to a remodeller’s ears. This is one of the greatest advantages to incorporating a back-to-wall bath in your bathroom designs.

Nobody should have to choose between a shower and a bath, which is why a back-to-wall bath is a great option for those more volumetrically-challenged spaces. Where freestanding baths have less options for including a shower in the suite (a shower rose being the most common option), back-to-wall baths allow you to get the most out of a small bathroom, enjoy the benefits of a shower, and reduce the amount of necessary cleaning.

The chameleon of the home improvement world

Back-to-wall baths cater to any design ethos, aesthetic and era. Traditional, provincial, contemporary, minimalist – whatever you can think of, a back-to-wall bath plays a foundational role in any design.

Often framed like a window seat in traditional, classical and provincial bathroom designs, back-to-wall baths often suit these styles when framed by more than one wall, while modern designs can often play with the idea of a back-to-wall bath, especially with dividing walls like below.

Continuous lines

Back-to-wall baths enhance the lines of a bathroom design, and can contribute to a sense of continuity in this sense. Where other bath types are chosen for their ability to disrupt a space and act as features within that space, back-to-wall baths can help homeowners who wish to maintain clear lines in a bathroom, and promote a sense of solidity in the space.

The above back-to-wall bath is a great example of both the continuation of lines seen in the large tiling, as well as a sense of solidity and strength.

That warm symmetrical feeling

There are a whole host of studies that explore why we love symmetry so much. Perhaps it is because symmetry contains no surprises, which caters to our caveman desire for a place to bathe in which we do not feel vulnerable, and know that there is no hungry lion waiting around a corner.

Back-to-wall baths, especially those that are framed on three sides, cater to this innate attraction to symmetry, enhancing the ability of the bathroom to act as a place of respite and luxury within the home.

Of course, the above bathroom is a great example of how this pursuit of symmetry does not have to result in a boring design, but instead is a great example of the many benefits of a back-to-wall bath.

Explore Cook & Bathe's full range of back-to-wall bathtubs.

Whether you’re building brand new or renovating an existing space, Cook & Bathe’s vast bathroom product range has something for everyone. Visit our Melbourne bathroom showrooms or head to our website to start planning your bathroom.