Livinghouse

Taking a bath in a park may not be your ideal fantasy. But it is possible. In the grounds of the historic Chateau de Chamarande in Paris you’ll find an interesting, if strange, addition to the park.

At the site of an old fountain, a wooden deck with a number of bathtubs has been added. More than twenty of them. In the ‘inner circle’ you can dip your toes – or more – into cool bath water. Maybe not at this time of year though.

Also around the edge of the fountain are large yellow ducks. A reference to their iconic rubber counterparts; they empty the water from the baths into the fountain.

The higher set baths are kitted out with cushions, so visitors can lounge around and use them as deckchairs. Well it’s certainly a talking point.

Chamarande is now a cultural and artistic centre, and this interactive installation is seen as an alternative to the more conventional art exhibits in the area.

Not so strange

Of course many earlier cultures thought nothing of taking a bath in public communal pool. The Roman Baths in Bath are a tribute to this. They were constructed around a hot spring encased in stone; making a hot bath, a warm bath and a cold bath.

Although they were used to wash and get clean, they were also used as a social meeting place. So as a man of the times, you may have played dice or had your teeth looked at while you were there.

A bath in your hotel bedroom

Around this time of year in Sweden, they begin to build the Ice Hotel. It’s built from approximately 10,000 tonnes of ice and 30,000 tonnes of snow. This one is built 200 km north of the Arctic Circle has most of the features of a ‘normal’ hotel such as family rooms, bars and even a cinema. As the Ice Hotel melts every summer, it has the privilege of being redesigned every year.

We don’t know about you, but a bath in your room here doesn’t look so inviting.

Back to normality

Most of us stick to what’s expected and house our bathtub in a special room in our home. This room might be merely functional, or somewhere for relaxation and pampering. Certainly with the amazing array of fixtures available on the market, it is possible to make it something special.

A beautiful contemporary freestanding bath is a good starting point. The smooth, sleek shapes will be very inviting. Finish it with luxury taps or bath fillers – choose the finish which best matches your home.

With such choice, we think in this instance we like ‘normal’ best.