Bathing Beauties

Women love bathing. Personally it fits in with my ethos of never stand when you can sit, never sit when you can lie down, which is why it's unfathomable that I've avoided them for a few years in favor of showers. It may have been that I find the average English bath so inadequate compared to those I've relished abroad. Last week I was bullied into one by the owner of the house I had just toiled an 18 hour day on doing up, well into the second week. She looked at me and commanded a bath. Being in no fit state to argue, in I went, and it was a revelation! Aching muscles ebbed over by waves of hot suds. How could I have abandoned them with such callous efficiency? The next day another client begged me to accompany her to the esteemed halls of Catchpole & Rye, London Emporium of all things bathroom and purveyors of fixtures to Harrods. She wanted to pick out a Victorian cistern but I was stopped in my tracks by...

...but then rounded a corner least expecting to see THIS:

Oh my word. So with the universe putting baths in my path it was a good excuse to explore some elegant and tasteful British examples of claw foot tubs, which will then descend into something bordering on insanity. 

Here, New England comes to Old England in the form of this serene blue Victorian. May I just point out that the shower is clapboard? Inspired. 

I promised tasteful, so here is the epitome of style and taste. The doors alone deserve an award but it's marvelous how in the midst of all this sublime design the bath is still the star due to careful placement. 

This may be my favorite, because of the attention to detail. The fireplace. The Torchiere that picks up the footed gold of the bath. Then, the gorgeous antique green glass door knob as a final flourish. 

Then, this hip London pad , rocking the antiqued silver look in stunning splendor.

Egged on, I might just have to stray into the land of bonkers with this daftness:

But even bonkers can be sublime, such as the original Art Deco splendor of Eltham Palace in South London:

Finally I'll share with you the bath that started my passion for their design...Joan Crawford as Crystal Allen in the wonderful, original version of The Women. It's transparent, exactly like Crystal turns out to be. But what glamor! Note the bath rest for her personal phone line and the velvet pillow headrest. Fantastic.