This is an ode to the bathtub. I can’t tell you how many homes I’ve walked into that didn’t have one. The homeowners said that they weren’t “bath” people; they preferred showers.
For me, life is too short to opt for one over the other. Of course, a shower is a must-have. How else will you shampoo your hair efficiently or jet the dirt and dust off your body after a day of gardening? But no bath? Isn’t that like having a hamburger without the bun? It’s acceptable, sure, but certainly not preferable.
To me, the long hot bath is both remedy and celebration for just about everything. After a bad day or good day or rainy day or cold day or hot day or long walk or short workout or great dinner or endless party, nothing soothes like the long soak. Someone’s oft-handed remark may have seared your soul and left you teary. Take a bath. You’ll be fine.
I believe in doing it up right. I have a terry-cloth pillow suction-cupped to the end of the tub. I add bubbles. Lots of bubbles. Often at night, I arrive armed with a glass of wine and a favorite book—and I stay until my skin wrinkles like a raisin. After we almost burned down our house with candles a couple of Thanksgivings ago, I leave the flickering flames to others. Anyway, candlelight only seems appropriate if you want to add a dash of romance to the ambiance. I don’t see the need; I tub solo.
It’s in the kitchen that I want my husband’s company. And that’s the other focus of this issue. Kitchens and baths: The two rooms no one can comfortably survive without. We gleaned great ideas that you can personally use. We even trekked north to the Kohler Company to see the latest innovations in sinks, toilets, and tubs.
Only a bath connoisseur (i.e., me) would have had heart palpitations over Kohler’s bubble massage tub. Tiny poufs of air are shot into the water, adding a relaxing natural bubble. In bath land? It’s brilliant.
