The Tub Rub

So maybe you don’t remember, but we’re planning a big remodel for our master bathroom.

I think I might have mentioned it once or twice.

As I go round ‘n’ round, trying to figure out how to afford things I really want and want the things I can afford — and somehow make those two rivals fall in love with each other and live happily ever after — I keep coming back to one consistent source of dilemma: the bathtub.

I have finally, after lots of wrangling, come up with a plan that I’m happy about. Except that now I have a much bigger obstacle to clear.

In order to mask the identity of said obstacle, I won’t mention names. Let’s just call him My Husband.

I knew going in that the tub discussion was going to be a bit of a battle. Apparently, there was some question — in his mind — as to whether or not we should even replace the existing, swirled cultured-marble, off-white, ugly, hideous, dated, tacky, boring, repulsive tub.

Yeah, I was pretty ambivalent about it, too. Can’t you tell?

So I did what any wife would do. Let’s call it finesse. And I don’t mean the shampoo. And, inexplicably, replacing the tub became an accepted point on our remodeling checklist.

[SIDEBAR: Do any of you blogging ladies ever wonder if your husband even reads your blog? My answer to that question is, perhaps, forthcoming…]

However it came about, we did progress to the accepted fact that the tub would be replaced. At first, I thought we would rebuild the supporting frame with some nice wood mouldings and panels, surface the top with Carrara marble and drop in a new jetted acrylic tub. I even bought a Roman Tub Filler to match the sink faucets.

But the downside of the remodeling process is the time. Lots of it. Lots of time to think and rethink. So I did.

Now I want one this:

There are, of course, some trade-offs. The freestanding tub is not a whirlpool. And Scott wants a whirlpool, mainly for the sake of resale value. Which I understand.

But my rationale is that the slipper tub has drama. Romance. Panache. Cachet. (In case you’re wondering, that’s the full extent of my French vocabulary.)

My main goal for this remodel is to “upscale” the bathroom. I want it to look more high-end without being overly elaborate or freakily-customized. I think if we achieve a really show-stopping bathroom, nobody will care the tub lacks jets.

And another thing. Look at this photo again.

You see that ledge under the window and to the left of the existing tub? Drives me bananas. It’s totally useless — a complete waste of space. If I had the cash to install one of those elevators to conceal a flat panel TV in there, ala The Tonight Show, then maybe that little nook would make sense to me. But until then, I would need to cover that whole area in the same surface as the tub surround. Which was…marble. Oh yeah.

However, if I used a freestanding tub, it would give me the room to build a small-yet-functional window seat. Maybe with a touch of storage underneath.

So here’s the thing — the tub “rub,” if you will — my hubby wants more opinions than just mine before we commit to a freestanding tub. I’ve asked a couple of friends, including a realtor, for their thoughts, but I’d love to have a few more opinions to round things out.

Is lacking a whirlpool tub a deal-breaker? Would you forgive our jetless state for a nice cast-iron, double slipper tub like the above?

(I wish I were Layla Palmer and could manage a “presto-chango” for you to reference, but it is not to be. Just use your imagination and leave a comment telling me what you think.)

Have a fab week!