![](https://www.inkansascity.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/LV-Elena-w-cradle.jpg)
If ever there was a time to wash away your worries, the past year has been it. Lynn Nelson, showroom manager of Kitchens & Baths by Briggs (Lenexa), says the increasing popularity of freestanding tubs are proof positive.
“People are looking for a quiet, relaxing soak,” Nelson says. We caught up with her to discover the latest offerings for the bath.
![](https://www.inkansascity.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/LV_Chapal-copper.jpg)
Modern shapes are in high demand, everything from stark cubism to free-flowing organic lines with asymmetry. Claw feet have been replaced by interesting metal bases and legs. The Elena With Cradle by MTI Baths includes a steel tub base that resembles chopsticks.
![](https://www.inkansascity.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/LV_Victoria-Albert-Pescadero-bath.jpg)
Metal tub exteriors are on trend—mirrored, chrome, polished brass, and especially matte black. If you’re looking for color, Victoria + Albert offers their tubs in a rainbow array of 194 exterior options for its freestanding tubs in matte or gloss.
![](https://www.inkansascity.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/LV_scala-freestanding.jpg)
Other considerations:
- Thinner tub walls allow for larger bathing wells.
- If you’re trying to retrofit a small space but must have a soaker, there are tubs available at 48 inches long.
- Other materials such as acrylic and stone composites warm water faster than cast iron and retain heat longer.
Nelson’s top piece of advice for selecting one: “Shopping for tubs is like shopping for shoes. I tell people to take their shoes off, sit in a tub and try it on to see if they like it.”