Renovating a bathroom in a Victorian or Edwardian London terraced house often means working around an awkward floor plan. An upstairs bathroom may be tucked at the end of a narrow corridor, with too little usable wall space for a standard 170-centimetre bath. A shower can seem like the only sensible choice, even for someone who would much rather unwind in warm water at the end of the day. But the problem may be the shape of the bath, not the idea of having one.
The limits of a conventional bath
A conventional bath needs more than enough room to accommodate its stated length. There must also be space to open the door, reach the toilet and basin, and move around safely. In a compact bathroom, a bath that technically fits between two walls can still make the rest of the room difficult to use. Its edge may crowd the doorway, block a practical route through the space or rule out storage that the household needs.
Choosing a shorter bath is not always an improvement. A 130- or 140-centimetre model can free up floor space, but it may also leave an adult unable to stretch their legs or immerse their shoulders. The result is an uncomfortable compromise: the room contains a bath, but rarely offers a satisfying soak. When every centimetre of floor space matters, that is a considerable sacrifice for a fixture that may be used only occasionally.
The usual assumption is that a comfortable bath must be long enough to recline in. That makes sense in a spacious bathroom, but it is less helpful in a narrow room where the available floor area determines the entire layout. A different bathing position opens up another possibility.
Going deeper instead of longer
A Japanese-style soaking tub uses height rather than length. Instead of lying back, the bather sits upright in a deeper vessel, with the water rising around the torso. Some designs include an integrated seat, allowing the tub to offer a deep soak without occupying the same stretch of floor as a conventional bath. It is a change in proportions, not simply a smaller version of a standard bath.
This approach can be particularly useful when a shower-sized area is available but a long bath is not. It does not mean that every Japanese soaking tub measures exactly one metre square or will fit into any former shower enclosure. Footprints vary by model, and a renovation still has to account for access, plumbing and the space needed to step in and out comfortably.
Michor’s range of Japanese bathtubs, shown at https://www.michor.com.pl/en/products/c/japanese-bathtub-ofuro-type, includes different shapes, hardwoods and seating arrangements. The tubs are made to order, and selected dimensions can be adapted to the available space. For a compact bathroom, that flexibility makes it possible to assess a tub against the actual room rather than forcing the room to accommodate a standard-length bath.
Wood and the bathing experience
An ofuro changes the experience of bathing as well as the bathroom layout. Michor’s description of the traditional bathing ritual at https://www.michor.com.pl/en/blog/ofuro-a-deep-dive-into-japan-s-relaxing-bathing-tradition explains that the bather washes before entering the tub, then sits in the clean water to relax. A small bathroom may therefore need a practical place to wash before soaking, whether that is a separate shower or a carefully planned shower-and-tub arrangement.
Wood brings a different feel from acrylic or enamelled metal. Michor offers tubs made from ash, oak and walnut, and says its wooden models receive water-resistant treatment for regular use. Wood also has insulating properties, although water temperature will still depend on the tub’s design, the room and the length of the bath. It would be misleading to assume that a wooden tub never needs topping up with warm water.
The details worth checking before choosing a model include:
- Overall dimensions: Compare the tub’s external measurements with the clear floor space, not just the width of an existing shower tray.
- Seating: Check the seat arrangement and whether the intended bather can sit down and get up comfortably.
- Access: Allow enough room to enter and leave a deep tub safely, especially if it will stand close to a wall or other fixtures.
- Water and drainage: Confirm that the proposed position works with the bathroom’s plumbing and the tub’s installation requirements.
- Floor loading: In an upstairs bathroom, have the floor’s capacity assessed for the combined weight of the filled tub and its occupants. A smaller footprint does not necessarily mean a lower total load.
- Delivery route: Check that the tub can pass through the entrance, stairwell, landing and bathroom doorway before ordering it.
- Finish and upkeep: Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning and maintaining the treated wooden surface.
A better fit for an awkward room
The strongest case for a deep soaking tub is not that it solves every small-bathroom problem. Its advantage is more specific: it offers another way to balance floor space and immersion. Where a long bath would dominate the room and a short bath would be uncomfortable, an upright soaking position may provide a more useful alternative.
In a Victorian terrace, the right decision still begins with accurate measurements and a check of the upstairs floor and delivery route. A well-chosen ofuro can make room for a generous soak without insisting on the footprint of a reclining bath. It may allow homeowners to keep the bathing experience they want while designing a bathroom that works the rest of the day, too.
