Shower over bath - L-shaped or curved or straight or other??

[puddleducktreble]

We are replacing our shower cubicle with a bath and shower combo. This is non-negotiable. I'm looking for advice on what style of bath to go for.

I figured an L-shaped one would be best as it would give us more shower space but after doing some more research I've seen that they're not always the best for bathing in.

We're doing a complete bathroom reno and it would be good to hear other people's experience for definite do's and don'ts when it comes to the type of bath that works best for this.

We have a standard straight bath with shower. We're both "generously proportioned" and there's enough room.

If I were to have a shaped bath, I would go L shaped rather than P shaped, but that's just my choice. I prefer clean straight lines.

I have a P-shaped bath which was there when I moved in (badly installed but that’s another story), and so it works on that front. It does feel more roomy than a standard bath plus I am tall so need a bit more space. I rarely have baths (maybe once or twice a year if that) and the bonus is I have a bit more room to stretch out but it takes considerably more water (and therefore gas to heat the water) to fill. I’m considering replacing mine with a large shower instead. No kids though, only me to consider.

Regular straight bath is fine. If you are on a water meter you would also be using more water to fill either of the shaped baths, in our case that would mean it would never have been used.

I had a Carron bath which I loved. It's square shaped inside so there weren't any sloping sides (great for showering) and great if you are ok the plumper side so you don't get suction problems when getting out of the bath (after using it as a bath).

I hate my current bath which is a standard shaped bath as it always makes me really cold when using it as a bath.

I’ve had both - we replaced our walk in shower when we moved in as I adore baths (I am literally typing this in the bath) 😂

Our bathroom is large and the shower tray it replaced was a double so we went for an L on the same basis as you, the idea of more space in the shower. I don’t regret it as it looks great in the space but the reality is that I don’t feel like I have more space when showering, and it does take more hot water to fill a decent bath. On the pros, I liked when the kids were tiny that I could keep them both at one end without them being on top of each other.

If I were replacing another shower with a bath now, I would probably go L shape but only if the room was really big enough to be comfortable with it. It’s not worth squeezing the L shape in for the sake of it.

Agree with PP about the P shape - never appealed authentically but I’d imagine P and L have broadly the same pros and cons.

We have a 'normal'-ish shaped bath. It is described as 'keyhole'. The outside is straight, but on the inside the shower end is a bit wider and has a round depression in the bottom. It is a slightly wider bath overall, the widest we could shoehorn into our tiny bathroom. Both of us are generously proportioned and I wanted something comfortable. The bath that was there previously had the shower over the sitting end rather than the plug end, so the bottom of the bath was a little bit slanted there and it was most uncomfortable to shower in.

Thinking about it, if I did replace my bath with another bath, I would choose a longer one rather than a shaped one. A friend who is 6’6 has a longer bath and when I stay at his it’s absolute luxury to be able to stretch out in the bath. But again, uses more water/gas. Plus the bath itself is more expensive.

We have a back to wall roll top with a shower (Burlington Hampton 1700mm), DH is 6'4 and says it's the first bath he's been able to float in , it holds the heat well too, but the best thing we did in our bathroom was underfloor heating. I love getting up in the morning and the tiles are toasty (so does the cat)

Thanks for the input!

I prefer the straight lines of the L than the P but I had seen that some people found the P was more comfortable to bathe in as the L could be too narrow at the opposite end to the shower. I suppose this would depend on dimensions.

I'm rethinking the L shape because of this and the extra water it would require which I didn't consider until I read about it earlier which prompted me to post on here.

We have P sbaped bath. It is much better to shower in than a straight one. I don't really notice the extra water for baths but then we don't have a water meter.

We've got a standard one and it is fine for both bathing and showering. The shower and taps are at the straight end. We are both generously built but not tall and it is good for bathing in too. I just don't like the appearance of L and P shaped. What I would say is make sure you have grippy spots where you will stand, some baths are very slippery when you are showering and soaping. When we redo the bathroom I'd like the back to wall roll top type but we are restricted for space.