Fitting a freestanding bath into a smaller bathroom
A freestanding bath can work well in a smaller room; the trick is choosing the right length. At 1370mm the Regent cast iron bath and the Carlyon suit the tightest spaces, and both come in longer sizes if you have a little more room. At around 1540mm you gain enough length for a proper soak, and where widths are listed they run from 760mm to 780mm.
A slipper shape helps in a shorter bath. The raised back of the Ritz 1540 slipper bath lets you recline rather than sit upright.
Plan the taps and pipework early
In a small room, a floor-standing mixer takes up space you may not have. A bath with two tap holes, such as the Dovedale or Ritz 2-tap-hole versions, takes a mixer or pillar taps on the rim, and a wall-mounted mixer keeps the floor clear too. Either way, the pipe runs need fixing before the floor and walls are finished.
Is a small cast iron bath still heavy?
Yes. A shorter bath weighs less than a full-length one, but it is still cast iron, so the floor and the route up the stairs should be checked before ordering, particularly in a terraced house with a tight landing.
What if I have room for a longer bath after all?
Several models here also come in full-length sizes: the Lichfield goes up to 1780mm and the Carlyon to 1770mm. Browse all of our cast iron baths or the full baths collection.
Can a small bath still suit a period home?
Very much so. Imperial models such as the Regent, Lichfield and Carlyon are supplied primed, ready to paint any RAL colour, so a compact bath can still be the centrepiece. Our traditional bathroom ideas guide has more on period schemes.
