Tina is a great bathtub designed by the multidisciplinary and successful Spanish studio Lavernia & Cienfuegos Design for Sanico. They clearly explain the objective they were looking to achieve with Tina: It responds to the new idea of bathroom, which has evolved from pure functionality into being a room where we spend more and more time and where the symbolic, entertaining and aesthetic side gets more importance. Considering the importance of this, the designers have developed an interesting contrast between rounded and comfortable shapes and others squared and straight. It is made of mineral resin, which makes the solid and smooth appearance possible, resulting in a beautiful design.

Bathing has become an entire ‘experience’ over the last few years… It’s refreshing how the designers of the Inout baths, Benedini & Partners, are trying to make it simple again: just get in, wash, get out. The designers have taken the design back to the good old round tub, giving it a lovely minimalist feel. The Inout baths are manufactured by Agape.

Somewhere between a throne and a bathtub is Carlo Colombo’s Cuna, designed for Italian bathroom manufacturer Antonio Lupi. Cuna is simple, modern, and stately – a free-standing form that brings together form and function, dignity and relaxation. The height and incline of Cuna’s backrest are designed with comfort and total relaxation in mind, helping to eliminate the fidgeting, twisting and turning we endure in an attempt to achieve a comfortable semi-seated position in standard bathtubs. Furthermore, “the base shape is rectangular, but sides are rounded, another singularity making the tub really comfortable,” explains the company. Cuna’s designer, Carlo Colombo, is an Italian architect who also designed the Sarto 15 Tub (in cristalplant) for Antonio Lupi and Twelve, a kitchen concept for Poliform.

A place to indulge while you cleanse your mind and body. Il Bagno Alessi One, designed by Stefano Giovannoni and manufactured by Laufen reflects elegance of restraint and intimacy. Italian industrial designer and architect Stefano Giovannoni work is part of the permanent archive of Centre Georges Pompidou and the MOMA collection, in NYC. Each bathroom piece has simple, feminine curves. The body hugging, oval tub is one amazing piece; the sink makes me think of a drum and the toilet of an egg. The red accented wall helps the white curvaceous fixtures stand out as art pieces. Think of it as the new bathroom aesthetic: bathroom as art gallery.

“A square bath? That can’t be comfortable.” That’s what I thought when I saw this bath in pictures of John Pawson’s 1994 Pawson House in London. How wrong was I! The bathtub, Woodline model VAS900, is designed by Benedini Associati for Agape. The inside of the bath is shaped like a chaise longue, so quite ergonomic. And it’s made from plywood – how stylish! Oh, and there is also a double bath (model VAS902) for those romantic couples who prefer to relax together ;-)

Villeroy and Boch’s bathtub Aveo was designed by Conran & Partners as part of a full line of bathroom items. The bath’s elegant lines were inspired by natural ovoid forms: The egg is a perfect natural shape, ideal for its function. Like the shell of an egg, the shells of bathroom ceramics must be smooth, supportive and protective of the body in its vulnerable natural state. The high sides of the bath accentuate this feeling of security while promoting total relaxation. And: Aveo is one of the few free-standing baths that can be fitted as a whirlpool.

British/Irish design collective UsTogether have treated us to the Ebb bathroom series. The white lines and glass sides form a striking, sculptural picture. All elements are made of LG HI-MACS, a natural acrylic stone material, giving the surfaces a high-quality, modern feel. One for my next house…