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Are Clawfoot Tubs Impractical?

Tess Wilson
Tess Wilson
After many happy years living in tiny apartments in big cities, Tess has found herself in a little house on the prairie. For real.
published Jul 10, 2015
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Q: My husband and I are planning our guest bathroom renovation and we are at an impasse as to what type of bathtub to choose. I’m all-in on a clawfoot tub. He is not. My argument is based mainly on aesthetics, his on functionality. The bathroom will have a vintage feel with a gorgeous tile floor, so a clawfoot tub would not only fit with the look of the room, but allow us to use more of the pretty tile under it…

However, it’s also the only bathroom in our house with a tub and will eventually be the bathroom our future kids will use. My husband is concerned with lack of edge/shelf space for bath products and the potential amount of water splashing and overflow from the gap between the the tub and the walls.

Since we don’t know anyone personally with a clawfoot tub, I pose this question to you: can a clawfoot tub be practical with children or should we stick with our existing built-in tub? -Sent by Carolyn

Editor: All you lucky ducks with clawfoot tubs, please let Carolyn and her husband know what they’re really in for. Are they as dreamy as we all imagine, or is there a dark side to the clawfoot?

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Bathroom