If the kitchen is the heart of the home, the master ensuite is the sanctuary. It’s the space we dedicate to our wellness and self-care, and as such it deserves a great deal of thoughtful attention to the design details in order to ensure that each element is as nurturing as it is beautiful.

I know I had promised you a post about an incredibly beautiful new book last week, but said book was picked up by a larger publisher at the 11th hour and thus the release was delayed, so we will just have to wait with bated breath on that one until it is ready to share its good fortune with the world!

In the meantime, I wanted to follow up on my “Where To Start When Renovating Your Kitchen” series with a post about Where To Start When Renovating Your Master Ensuite. The sheer volume of design decisions to be made in this process leaves most people overwhelmed, but if you have a clear blueprint on where to start, it makes the process much less dizzying.

For me, the centrepiece to any beautifully designed Master Ensuite is the freestanding tub, and today I’m sharing my five favourites.

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ONE: I love the Toto Nexus for many reasons. The first is that it is cast iron, which means it holds the heat much longer and is beautifully easy to clean. The second is the timeless aesthetic. This is a tub that can be seamlessly integrated into both modern and traditional designs alike. At 21 1/8″ deep and 66″ long, it’s a generous soak that allows you to drift into relaxation without feeling cramped or wishing for more water.

TWO: The Victoria + Albert Amiata is the embodiment of modern classic elegance. The combination of volcanic limestone and resin composite that makes up V+A’s signature EnglishCast is warm to the touch and shares the thermally insulating properties of cast iron while also offering a solid, one-piece tub that is much stronger and highly stain resistant. The exterior of the tub can also be painted for a truly customized design.

THREE: The Aquatica Purescape is made in Canada (Alberta, to be exact) which naturally makes me love it all the more. It is made of a stone and mineral polymer blend that is non-porous, hypoallergenic and shares the thermally insulating properties of our first two tubs. At 24.8″ deep, it’s a luxurious soak with a modern aesthetic.

FOUR: If you’re looking to make a visual statement, then Thompson Traders’ Britannia may be the bathtub you’ve been searching for. With its refined copper finish, classic and elegant lines and dimensions that are generous enough to accommodate two bathers, this beauty offers a stunning design statement and an elegant place to unwind at the end of a busy day.

FIVE: If a truly classic aesthetic is what you are after, then Kalista’s Circe tub is perfect. I’ve shown it here with a dramatic black painted exterior, but it’s also available in a classic white and can also be painted any custom colour you choose once you’ve purchased it. Once again, thermal insulation is key on my list of features, because no one likes having their soak cut short by the water going cold. The Circe relies on the tradition of cast iron for its insulation, and I love the elevated reinterpretation of a classic claw-foot with the eagles feet adorned with fleur-de-lys and gargoyles. Traditional does not have to mean conservative or boring, and the design details on this tub prove that in spades.

So there you have it! Five fabulous freestanding tubs that would each make an incredible centrepiece to your Master Ensuite. Leave a comment below and let me know which one has your name on it!

xx
s.

PS: I’m in the process of upgrading my site, so the blog is going to be down for a few days just after this post. Fear not! All shall return better and brighter than ever in very short order! (Cue excited designer squeals of joy!) Can’t wait to share it with you.