The enduring popularity of the clawfoot bathtub is its ageless beauty. For Perth homeowners and across Western Australia, integrating this obviously retro piece into a modern home is a question of careful planning. While these baths whisper history and luxury, they also have to be blended with neat lines and materials that define WA modern architecture. We present you with crucial design elements to help your clawfoot tub selection enhance your new or renovated space.

1. Understanding the Right Material

The material you select for your clawfoot tub significantly impacts its weight, heat retention, and maintenance needs. Perth homeowners should carefully weigh the benefits of the two main options:

• Cast Iron: The traditional choice. Cast iron tubs, finished with porcelain enamel, are extremely heavy and highly durable. Crucially, they excel at heat retention, keeping bath water warm for significantly longer, a considerable benefit during Perth’s cooler months. Because of their weight, you must ensure the floor structure can fully support the tub when it is filled with water and occupied.
• Acrylic: A much lighter and more affordable alternative. Modern acrylic tubs offer greater flexibility in shape and size. They are easier to install and place on upper floors without structural concern. However, they do not retain heat as effectively as cast iron, meaning your bath water may cool more quickly.
  
  

2. Matching the Style to the Modern Home

A clawfoot tub must not feel like an awkward antique piece dropped into a contemporary setting. Successful design relies on balancing the tub's classic form with modern details.

• The Slipper Shape: This is the iconic choice, featuring one end raised and sloped for comfortable back support. It works well in a transitional or semi modern bathroom.
• The Double Slipper: With both ends raised, this style allows two people to sit facing the centre, offering a symmetrical and luxurious look that suits a large, principal bathroom.
• The Modern Clawfoot: Look for models with a flatter, squarer rim or a simplified base. These models blend the historic feet detail with a slightly cleaner, more minimalist tub shape, bridging the gap between old and new design principles perfectly.
  
  

3. The Crucial Detail: Claw Selection

The "claws," or feet, are the defining feature, and their finish is instrumental in tying the tub to the rest of your home’s palette. This decision allows you to establish a strong connection to your tapware and fittings.

• Chrome or Brushed Nickel: These bright, sleek finishes work best in modern, minimalist bathrooms. They provide a high contrast against a white tub, visually sharpening the entire fixture.

• Matte Black: Currently very popular in Western Australian homes, a matte black foot is sophisticated and powerful. It draws attention to the tub and pairs beautifully with modern black tapware and window frames.

• Polished Brass or Copper: While charming, these warm finishes tend to suit period homes better. They can, however, be used successfully to create a strong, deliberate contrast in an otherwise sterile, white modern bathroom.

4. Placement and Scale in the Perth Bathroom

Unlike integrated tubs, a clawfoot fixture is a freestanding statement piece, its placement requires attention to scale and flow.

• Space is King: Never squeeze a clawfoot tub into a small space. Its beauty is lost when walls press too close to the sides. Ideally, position the tub centrally or near a feature window to allow movement and appreciate the silhouette.

• The Tapware Location: Because these tubs do not have pre drilled tap holes on the rim, you must choose between wall mounted or freestanding tapware. Freestanding floor mounted taps look elegant, dramatically rising from the floor next to the tub, but they require complex plumbing set up underneath the concrete slab or timber floor. Wall mounted taps simplify the plumbing, but require precise planning during the wall sheeting stage.
  
  

  

By considering these design elements, material, style, the finish of the feet, and careful placement you ensure your clawfoot bathtub acts not as an anachronism, but as a deliberate and successful feature in your modern Western Australian home. Choose your best bathtub with us!!