Vintage clawfoot tubs – they are to old houses as lemonade is to summer. These tubs are statement pieces reflecting an earlier time when baths were more common than showers and life was enjoyed at a slower pace.
While I admit that these vintage tubs have quirks and challenges, I’m still not deterred in my wish to some day own one.
What’s so great about clawfoot tubs?
1. Luxurious Style
Classic cast iron clawfoot tubs add elegance and glamour to any type or size bathroom. It evokes visions of relaxing, long soaks with a good book in one hand and a large glass of wine in the other. These tubs are, quite simply, gorgeous.
As a mom juggling a full-time job, husband, 3 young kids and pets, I could use a little luxury in my life. Couldn’t we all?
Wouldn’t it be perfect after a long day of work or chasing after the kids to take some time for yourself with a spa-like bubble bath? If I knew that I had that kind of luxury waiting for me, I might be motivated to cook dinner a bit faster and get the kids to bed a bit earlier!
Even as a kid I loved clawfoot tubs. My Nana and Grandpa had one and I loved it. I loved taking a bath in it, being enveloped by the high sides that would foster creative play and adventures. I even snuck in it a few times to hide from the rest of the family to read my book (I was a nerd….)
2. Focal Point
Vintage clawfoot tubs make a striking centerpiece for the bathroom. And being a focal point has its advantages. It will hide flaws and quirks elsewhere in the room. Guests will turn their attention straight to the vintage tub and away from an outdated vanity or tired floor tiles. Or, if the bathroom is small, the charm that a clawfoot tub brings helps make the room’s size more bearable.
These characteristics of adding charm and hiding flaws certainly can help if your house is on the markers. This charisma translates into a higher valued property, faster sale and potentially more money in your pocket!
3. Large Size
Not only do these tubs reflect a romantic style, they also have a practical side with their large size. Cast iron clawfoot tubs are larger and deeper than the usual built-in tub. Wouldn’t it be fantastic to be able to have more room?
- Enjoy a bath: Wouldn’t it be nice to remove the need to contort your body like a pretzel to fit in your bath? And to have a tub deep enough so that your body actually be submerged in water? Oh, wouldn’t it be glorious!
- Reduce back pain: Clawfoot tubs could reduce back pain in two ways. One, the raised feet on some tubs bring whatever you are washing up to a more comfortable level, saving parents (including me) with bad lower backs. I have 3 young children – including twins toddler girls. If I’m not feeding a child, I’m bathing a child. Having the children a little higher in a tub would be helpful. Second, I have to admit, my twin toddler have some weight to them. They are healthy eaters! So some days after carrying them here and there, my back KILLS me! After the kids are in bed, I would love love LOVE to soak my back muscles in a deep clawfoot tub. But alas, I have only a small enamel tub, so no soaking this tired mom’s back in a warm sudsy tub…
- Bathing pets: A larger tub with deeper sides helps with washing and rinsing (and sometimes containing) larger family members – including an overgrown pooch. The higher sides contain them until YOU are ready for them to get out.
4. Retain Heat
Some people complain that cast iron tubs are cold to the touch. But last I checked, I’ve never jumped into an empty tub (or placed my kids into the tub) before starting the spicket. I let the tub fill up with water first before getting in. You do too, right?
Cast iron retains heat longer than other materials. It’s why we have awesome cast iron skillets. It’s why my plumber told me never to remove my cast iron radiators. So why wouldn’t you want a tub that keeps the bathwater warm as long as possible?
So as you can see, I have a soft-spot for vintage clawfoot tubs.. And some day, oh some day, I’ll have one of these beautiful features in my old house. And once I do, if you can’t get ahold of me, well, you know where I’ll be….
- Need some inspiration? Some clawfoot tub eyecandy? Check out almost 100 pics of vintage clawfoot tubs on my Pinterest board!
- Need to get your tub sparkling clean? Read my comparison of DIY vs Homemade Tub Cleaners. You might surprised at which cleaner won!
WAIT! Want a FIFTH irresistible reason to love vintage clawfoot tubs?
Sara Jo at Bryarton Farms restored the gorgeous clawfoot tub pictured below at her farmhouse in rural Kansas. She lists another pro of a clawfoot tub .
“You will never scrub a moldy caulkline or dirty tile ever again.”
Oh, man. Now I really hate my 1980s tub and an jealous of homeowners with clawfoot tubs even more now…
Feature image courtesy of The Style Scribe who shares my envy of vintage clawfoot tubs, and Autri Taheri on Unsplash.