"It was never really 'in'," says kitchen and bathroom designer Ingrid Geldof of the shub, an in-built shower and tub combination.A shub is smaller and squarer than an average bath and wouldn't be out of place in a retro-styled home. "It was an idea to provide two functions within one," says Geldof. "When there was no room for both a bath and a shower."
And while she admits you wouldn't choose it for it's look, it has its use in a tight space where a bath is needed for washing babies or young children. It's also compact, easy to clean and easy to install. But, "they look cumbersome and are a hazard to get in and out of," she says. Stepping over the side of the bath every time you shower plus the added likelihood of water splashing onto the bathroom floor doesn't make the shub the poster-girl of bathroom safety.
In an ideal world, we might be able to banish the shub entirely, but sometimes it might be the best space-saving solution. So how do you make a shub look attractive?
READ MORE: * Does your bathroom really need a bath? * To bidet or not to bidet * 10 common bathroom mistakes
EXPOSED PIPES
One way to make it work is to channel beautiful European style. Expose all your plumbing to make a design feature out of the space.
CONCEALED PIPES
Alternatively, concealing all the pipes and installing wall-mounted taps and a modern shower-head mounted directly overhead from the ceiling will give your shub a clean, sleek look.
SHOWER CURTAIN
A beautiful shower curtain can make all the difference. Choose one with a stand-out pattern or bold colour. Alternatively, if you want to go down the minimalist path, install a glass screen.
GO FOR GOLD
Remember 'The Golden Shub' from The Block? Although the other contestants weren't fans, the judges were mildly impressed, so give gold tap fittings a go.
STEP DOWN
Channel a slightly Japanese aesthetic and instead of a having a bath that you have to step into, install a sunken bath similar to that of a luxury spa or sauna that you step down into.