30 Creative Clawfoot Tub Ideas for Every Bathroom
Whether your style is farmhouse fresh or industrial chic, get ready, get set, and soak in a fancy-footed, luxurious bathtub.
Whether you live in a rural farmhouse or an urban loft, when it comes to the bathroom, nothing is more iconic than a clawfoot bathtub. The first clawfoot tubs were made of tin or copper back in the mid-1800s. Cast-iron, porcelain-enameled styles were introduced in 1873 thanks to J.L. Mott Ironworks and quickly became synonymous with Victorian-era bathrooms and, later, early 20th-century farmhouses. When Wisconsin-based Kohler Co. first advertised one in 1883, the company called it a "water-trough" and sold it alongside farm equipment.
So how did the freestanding tubs get their name? Easy! It's derived from their ball-and-claw feet, which were inspired by the popular furniture styles of the day. Claw-foots found their way to the mainstream in the early 20th century thanks to the proliferation of mail-order furnishings available through publications like the Sears catalog.
Today, shapes of clawfoot tubs range from the traditional single-end rolled-rim design to the elaborate double-ended slipper tub, making them a versatile design choice for sleek, modern bathrooms to cozy, rustic bathrooms and every style in between. Rolled rim or slipper shaped? Classic white or boldly colored? Deck-mount or floor-mount faucet? Shower or no shower? The options are plentiful. They also come in a variety of sizes, so even you have a small bathroom, there is likely a clawfoot tub that will work for your space.
These 30 pretty bathrooms are filled with tips and design ideas to help you decide which clawfoot tub style and installation is right for your bathroom. Once you've picked the perfect clawfoot tub, you can turn your attention to the million and one other designs decisions awaiting your attention for the most important room in the house: Should you paint your bathroom or try wallpaper? What bathroom vanity will pair best with you tub? How can you add style and function with your bathroom lighting? And, how can your give your bathroom stylish-and-smart storage solutions?
An Airy All White Bathroom
There is nothing more classic and relaxing than an all-white bathroom. In this Texas farmhouse master bath (which is surprisingly only 114 square feet!) the homeowner embraced the architecture of the room by floating a double-end slipper tub in front of the big windows.
Tip: If your old house's floor can't take the weight of cast iron, there are a lot of fiberglass or acrylic options that deliver the same look without the heaviness.
Small Space Bathroom
Small bathroom? No problem! A clawfoot tub actually takes up less space than a traditional installed tub, allowing you to add a relaxing soaker to rooms where you didn't think possible.
A Tub With Patina
Bring patina to an all white bathroom with a copper soaking tub. The statement piece will not only bring your space warmth and texture, but the dark finish will also help ground the room. Copper also plays well with lots of other materials as shown in this Tennessee farmhouse, where the salvaged tub is mixed with a wood ceiling, white painted planked walls, a concrete sink, and porcelain tile.
Bringing Color with a Clawfoot Tub
Don't be afraid of color! In this airy, mostly all-white bathroom, the watery blue clawfoot tub helps deliver the small bathroom's coastal vibe.
Chic Black-and-White Bathroom
If you love the look of a clawfoot tub, but want your bathroom to have a modern edge, choose a black painted version. In this small bathroom, the industrial looking unlacquered brass pipe faucet keeps the tub from feeling too sleek.
Feet First on Clawfoot Tubs
The signature element of a clawfoot tub is its sculpted metal feet, which were inspired by the popular furniture styles of the late 1800s. In fact, the clawfoot tub got its name for the most common style of foot: the ball-and-claw, which can be found with an eagle's talon (pictured here) or a lion's paw. Other common foot styles, such as Paw, Cannonball, and Armada, offer a range of simple to elaborate options.
Clawfoot Tub with Fancy Finishes
Give your bathroom a touch of glam by choosing a glossy black clawfoot tub accented with striking gold feet. A brass faucet and fittings complete the luxe look.
Clawfoot Tub in a Space-Saving Setting
Tuck a clawfoot bathtub into a corner for a savings win-win. The placement maximizes floor space, while pairing it with a wall-mount faucet eliminates the hassle and expense of rerouting your plumbing.
Clawfoot Tub Shower Solutions
As a great solution to provide the most function in a small bathroom, convert your clawfoot tub into a shower by choosing a deck- (shown here) or rim-mounted faucet with a tall shower riser. A rectangular, or D-shaped, metal shower enclosure, usually mounted to the ceiling, allows for shower curtains to surround the entire tub, protecting walls, floors, and everything in between.
A Wash of Bold Color
Make a bold statement by painting your cast-iron tub a bright, fun color. Surround it with a crisp white tile wainscoting to make it pop even more. In this happy kids' bathroom, designer Alison Kandler chose cheery Pomegranate by Dunn-Edwards Paints for the traditional rolled-rim clawfoot tub.
Classic Beauty of a Clawfoot Tub
Float a clawfoot tub under a sunny window to turn your bathroom into a light and airy retreat. A polished chrome telephone-style faucet (here in a floor-mount installation) accentuates the romance of the Victorian era.
A Clawfoot Tub in Any Space
A clawfoot tub's freestanding installation provides the opportunity to add a bath in seemingly unexpected places, because there's no need for extra walls and built-ins.
Clawfoot Tub in an Attic Retreat
By tucking a clawfoot tub under a sloping attic eave, designer Leanne Ford turned a potentially awkward attic space of her former home into an awe-inspiring walk-in bathroom. A gooseneck bridge faucet lends farmhouse style.
Clawfoot Tub in an Industrial Setting
Search out a mid-19th-century clawfoot metal tub for a look that feels at home in industrial-style surroundings. These primitive soakers were usually made of tin or copper and topped with an oak rim. Painting the exterior a chalky finish adds a fresh twist and accentuates the hunky iron feet and straps.
Clawfoot Tub in a Bay Window
Create a pretty and light-filled focal point by framing a double-ended clawfoot tub with a surround of windows. A telephone-style faucet provides a hand-shower option. Pull up a ceramic garden stool as the perfect tub companion—it adds color, and it's a place to set necessities.
Small Space Clawfoot Tub
Don't let lack of square footage force you to choose between a luxurious shower or a restorative soak. Pairing a small-scale clawfoot bathtub with a modern walk-in shower utilizes every square inch, and you get the best of both worlds.
Black-and-White Clawfoot Tub
A traditional rolled-rim clawfoot tub—complete with ball-and-claw feet—looks crisp and modern with a glossy black exterior, crisp white feet, and brass wall-mounted fixtures.
Painted Clawfoot Tubs
Create a cheery, inviting bathroom with a brightly colored clawfoot tub, like this springy green rolled-rim tub (Basil Green by Benjamin Moore) in designer Chenault James's family retreat. Painting the feet the same color as the tub's exterior gives the tub a streamlined look.
Painted wainscoting adds additional charm and texture to this bathroom. Try the look in your own bathroom with one of these wainscoting ideas.
Slipper Clawfoot Tub
The graceful, sloping shape of a slipper tub provides the ideal soaking situation. Surrounded by a wrap of shiplap walls, this cast-iron tub (painted Hale Navy by Benjamin Moore)—accessorized with glamorous gilded feet—feels right at home in designer Margaret Shutze's "farm-chic" Colorado bathroom.
Clawfoot Tub in a Rustic Setting
A clawfoot tub brings a touch of luxury to even the most rustic of spaces. This classic cast-iron tub adds some lightness to a room lined with brick and rusty corrugated metal. A flirty lace shower curtain adds softness.
Jennifer Kopf is the Executive Editor of Country Living. She also covers antiques and collecting.
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