Are you a bathtub person or a shower person? Today we discuss the topic of bathtub / no bathtub in the master. Personal preference plays a big role in the decision but so does investment and resale.
Cindy Gives Thumbs Up to a Master Bathtub
Let me be honest – I am a shower person and so is my husband. In our new home we did not include a bathtub in the master bath and instead we opted to build a large, open shower with dual shower heads that I lovingly call a “locker room” shower. I like this arrangement and it suits our lifestyle perfectly but I have to tell you that every time I watch an HGTV show involving a master bath, it stresses the importance and value of including a separate bathtub and shower in the master. I’m second guessing our decision to have only a shower now, worried that not including a tub in the master bath will eventually come back to bite us in the wallet!
This master bathroom features both a shower (on left) and a bathtub (on right), appealing to a larger portion of house buyers.
Photo via flickr.com
It’s not that I miss the tub. There is, in fact, a tub/shower combo in another bathroom that I’ve never used and only one guest has soaked in the tub - showers seem to fit the bill for all but that one individual so far. I worry, however, that when it comes time to sell this house the scope of our potential selling market will automatically be reduced. I’m afraid our house won’t appeal to those people who are true bathtub lovers and expect, and in some cases demand, a tub in the master. I know some people can’t imagine doing without a long relaxing soak at the end of the day and would never give up having a tub in the master.
One friend in particular comes to mind as she uses her large tub for a leisurely soak and as a chance to read her latest book in peace, without family interruptions. All the candles and spa accrutrements decorating the tub deck suggest her bathtub is also a romantic get-away when time allows. People who soak, read, decorate and enjoy romance centered around their bathtub won’t be interested in our bathroom and therefore, perhaps, not our house.
This extravagant master bathtub fills from a ceiling spout.
Photo via flickr.com
It’s a fact that kitchens and bathrooms sell homes. I won’t know for certain how our tubless master impacts our marketability until we sell this home (hopefully not for many years). What I do know is some people, like us, prefer showers and some people prefer baths. If I had it to do again, I would include a tub in the master bath so our home would appeal to both tub and shower people. That way, we enjoy the large shower we love but also offer the tub that someone else may prefer…and, therefore, appeal to more people and so may more easily sell our house and recoup our investment.
Terrie Gives Thumbs Down to a Master Bathtub
When we bought our current home, I liked everything about it but the master bath. The bath was roomy enough but it had 2 things working against it: it was pink (!) and it had a tiny stall shower next to a standard tub. Dan is 6’5″ and that little shower stall wasn’t going to cut it. And, we hate pink tile bathrooms! Here are the before pics.
Pink floors, pink tile, dated cabinetry and mirrors everywhere. Nothing to love here.
More pink tile, a small tub and even smaller shower stall.
One of the first things we considered in our remodel discussions was whether or not to keep a tub. We considered a square, corner type tub so we could enlarge the shower a little but ultimately decided against any tub at all. It is a 3 bath home so there are 2 other tubs and our reasoning was that if someone really wanted a bath, they could use one of the other bathrooms. Personally, we prefer the look and function of large shower areas. And, we’d always wanted a big double shower so we wouldn’t have to wait for the other person to finish showering. Here’s our new, spacious shower stall.
Tub totally gone, window covered up, accent tile for interest and glass walls to keep the room open.
I’ve always loved this Rainforest Marble and used it throughout the bathroom as an accent. There’s a nice big shower head at each end of the shower stall – Dan’s is 2′ higher than mine to accomodate his height and it’s the first time he doesn’t have to duck down to wash his hair!
Here's the other side of the room.
As you can see, we incorporated a few ‘designer’ touches here as well. The floor is nice big 16″ tiles with 4 accent diamonds of the same marble. New updated cabinetry (from Lowe’s) but we actually used kitchen bases because they’re taller and since Dan is taller too, these work perfectly. I’ll never willingly go back to the shorter bath cabinets again. We doubled the drawer space by filling in the little dressing table area (I’d never use that!) and eliminated that huge wall of mirrors. The other designer feature is to actually install the light fixture on top of the mirror. It’s a simple matter to have the mirror cut to allow for the wiring and the result is a classy, bright look.
Updated faucets (bought online) and marble backsplashes up the wow factor in this bathroom.
We never for a second miss that bathtub. Bathtubs take up lots of space and I’d rather have that space for other uses. Do you want to know a secret? I absolutely hate cleaning bathtubs! It’s by far my least favorite house cleaning chore so to have one less bathtub in the house is a definite pleasure. I dislike showering in bathtubs – they are narrow and cramped, the shower curtain is always pulling loose so water spritzes out into the room and worst of all, it’s hard to fit 2 people comfortably in a tub/shower.
Even with all the above considerations, for me the main reason for leaving a tub out of our master bath is – that’s how we live. A home should reflect how you like to use the rooms; it should be about what functions well for you and how the space can best serve your family’s needs. For us, no tub gave us the function we wanted, the look we love and reflects our style perfectly. If we lose a little in resale value, that’s the way it goes. We’ll have had years of enjoyment in a bathroom that we like - that’s worth a lot!
What About You?
Are you a tub or a shower person? What’s in your master bath? What would you want in a master bath if you moved or remodeled? Chime in by sharing your situation or opinion or dream. Simply click the Comments link below (after the ads) or email a photo of your bathroom or dream bathroom to solutions@yourdecoratinghotline.com.
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I actually see the valid points of both sides. Ultimately, home owners need to do what best suits their needs and hope that when they go to sell, it will meet someone else’s. Great post!
Kudos to you both! Cindy, I have a huge whirlpool tub in our master bath and a tiny shower. The tub was great when the kids were little as I could bath them at the same time and we all loved the bubbles they could get lost in! However that tub hasn’t been used for bathing in a long time. It has become a place to shave my legs, and on rare occasions wash an item that is too big for the laundry sink. The tub is too big, takes too much water to fill and it’s blue like the toilet, yuck. I’ve talked to my husband about a major redo and had a builder out to look it over. I’ve thought about covering the small window over the tub but seeing that Terrie did that makes me want to look it over again. The builder and I even talked about pushing the wall into the laundry room for more space since we can’t go toward the bedroom cause I won’t give up any closet space. I just have a hard time imagining making the space I have work well enough to justify the expense. Not to mention I would rather just move to a new house.
Thanks for sharing, Paula. It’s interesting how our lifestyle changes need to be reflected in our homes. I can imagine the kids loved the big tub when they were little – it would have been like a pool to them! But I sure undertand how it’s gone unused now that the kids are older. I really don’t miss having a master tub and I don’t want to clean one. I just worry that a potential buyer will want one when we sell – guess it’ll just depend what life stage they are at when they are looking!
So far no one has commented in support of master tubs – encouringing to me since I don’t have one. If you’re out there and are a tub person let us hear your point of view!
Appreciate your sharing, Paula.
The spa on the private patio sounds heavenly! That would be all the hot soaking I’d need, plus I could look at the stars while doing it….and hubby would be in charge of cleaning. I like it!
I love to look at model homes and all the super luxurious bathroom suites in them, but I think I’m with Terri on this one. We have three baths and one has a tub (not in the master)–that’s enough for us and we hardly ever use it.. You know, it’s hard to clean the bathtub; all the angles seem to be wrong for trying to scrub it without actually getting into the tub! So, I vote for no more tubs. But, I would love a spa-jacuzzi situated through the french doors on the private patio just outside the master bedroom! .
Sindy