Vintage bathtub

Vintage bathtub: a dive into the past

The vintage trend, of retro if you like, will never go out of fashion because it is a testimony of various styles of past eras that cyclically return to our lives.

Vintage bathrooms and tubs are certainly no exception. Modern designers literally love patterns that are usually inspired by styles of the most disparate eras.

When it comes to choosing a vintage bathtub, the real difficulty is the combination with the rest of the furniture. The step between gaudy and understated elegance is really short.

Copper-bath-tub-of-the-copper-bath

Homelava-shower

Faucet-and-shower-homelava

Dongqi-pillow

When you think of a vintage bathtub you always tend to think of those supported by feet but it should be stressed that it is not only this particular that makes a retro style bathtub. The material matters a lot, as well as the design, the taps and the colors.
 
One of the most important features is that the retro bathtub will be at the center of your bathroom, providing you with relaxation and comfort, but also something beautiful to admire every day.

Vintage bathtub: essential elements

The bathtub with feet, a legacy of Victorian style furniture, will immediately makes of you think of past eras.

But that's not enough. The type of installation will also determine this particular kind of style. So what's better than a freestanding bathtub to evoke an image of our recent past?

Vintage bathtub from Copper Bath

Just close your eyes and step into the Wild West and imagine a movie scene.
A dusty cowboy taking a bath in an antique bathtub after a hard day's work. Some vintage bathtubs actually follow the idea of these large copper tubs.

A retro freestanding bathtub will obviously be much more elegant, also the installation costs will be low compared to a classic bathtub and if placed in a well-designed bathroom, it will not even take up too much space.

The perfect colors for a retro bathtub

What makes a truly vintage bathtub are also its colors.

Devon & Devon vintage cast iron bathtub

Pastel colors above all, often recall a Shabby chic or Liberty style (and not only for what concerns the bathtub).

And you can really indulge yourself: Light blue, pale pink, or sage green, you are free to choose.

In this case, obviously, in addition to the furniture, it will be essential to perfectly match the color of the walls.

Vintage bathtub: how to choose the materials

Let's go back to the Old West, what's better than a vintage copper tub? In addition to the beauty of the object itself, thanks to its warm pink or reddish color, copper is also resistant to corrosion.

Vintage Copper Bath Bathtub

Copper Bath offer a myriad of solutions when it comes to bathtub models.
A few examples? From the old mountain hut with creaking parquet flooring, to more modern bathrooms to create elegant contrasts or to recreate the classic atmospheres of steampunk literature. In addition to copper, cast iron is also perfect for a retro bathtub, especially for its ability to retain heat. Devon&Devon offers many models to choose from.

The Chérie bathtub

The Chérie bathtub evokes the Victorian scenarios we mentioned before, while the vintage Kensington bathtub will be ideal for a 1930s bathroom. Also, ceramic could not be missing: it is the undisputed protagonist in the bathroom for more than a century.

The lines of vintage bathtubs

When it comes to lines we must mention that, over the years, the design experts have obviously drawn heavily from the past. This element will not necessarily give a vintage look to the bathtub: the shapes and the lines of the past can also be used in a modern way (photo below).

Clearly modern bathtub with retro lines

Shapes alone will not make a vintage bathtub, that's for sure.
However, thanks to the installation of specific taps or a freestanding arrangement, it will be possible to create the perfect alchemy. In the photo below, it is possible to admire a model of this kind. Thanks to the famous feet and ergonomic lines, despite the installation in a fairly modern context, the result is quite balanced.

Vintage bathtub in a modern context

The decoration of the support feet will give that final vintage touch, as for the Chérie bathtub, with zoomorphic decorations. Also, the lines of the vintage bathtub must be totally free from corners.

The profile can be both symmetrical and asymmetrical with a raised part, which allows a comfortable support to the back.

An example of how pipes can become a decorative object

Exposed waste pipes and decorations can also be used as decorative elements and, especially if in copper, they will evoke the uchronic technologies of the Steampunk style.

Vintage bathroom taps

The taps, which are often separated from a vintage bathtub, must follow the vintage style guidelines. As above, design and materials are essential in order to obtain the perfect visual result.


A very simple and cheap solution is the HomeLava vintage bathtub faucet. The single-lever mixer, however, can spoil the magic you want to create in the vintage bathroom. The Rozin wall-mounted faucet with two handles could, therefore, be the ideal solution for true purists.

Vintage bathtub taps by Rozin

The wall-mounted taps will be the cheapest to install (especially with pre-existing systems). However, for a true quality result, the ideal solution would be a floor dispenser. If this is your first choice it will be necessary to take into account heavy and expensive work, which leads to prefer this choice only for a bathroom built from scratch.

Vintage bathtub accessories

Vintage tubs, especially freestanding ones, present a big problem: they will not have flat edges where you can keep your washing products in order to take a relaxing bath.

Wooden tray for bathtub by Chano

It is therefore advisable to buy a storage tray such as the Chano product which is great for many reasons, including being able to adjust its length and having a tablet holder. Finally, to make the bathroom a real dream, the Dongqi cushions with non-slip suction cups will transform your vintage bathtub into a real relaxation heaven.