I was recently asked what I would do in my master bath if there was not room for both a tub and a shower. Would I consider showering in the tub?  The answer is a resounding NO. And my rationale was confirmed the other night when I stayed in a hotel in Boston where I had to shower in the tub.

Showering in a tub, especially as one ages, does not feel safe. The bottom of a tub should be totally flat, but a tub can be very slippery. Jumping over the sides, often between 16 inches and 20 inches high, is a hazard. While grab bars become a necessity as one ages, hanging on and washing one’s hair is difficult.

The tub in said hotel had a shower curtain. It made the space for showering feel dark and confined. Additionally, the diverter taking the water from the tub spout to the shower head was really difficult to operate and the entire experience made me realize that I would never return to that hotel, or shower in a tub, if I could possibly avoid it.

So, to answer the question, I would forgo the tub in favor of a really beautiful shower clad with elegant materials, a clear glass door, small tiles on the floor for safety, a well-engineered thermostatic shower valve and a hand shower so that I could easily clean the space.

Of course, that is just my opinion.