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This story is part of Domino’s 2026 Bed & Bath Trend Watch. Read the entire issue here.
A built-in shower-tub combo is typical in tighter bathrooms—two for the square footage of one!—but rarely someone’s first choice aesthetically. Designers beg to differ. “The biggest mistake with a built-in tub is thinking of it solely as a function rather than a huge design opportunity,” says Robin Heller, cofounder of Baltimore studio Surrounded by Color. She did exactly that in her own space, cladding the feature in spotlight-stealing Rojo Alicante marble tile and green-stained Douglas fir paneling. In fact, some pros are nixing the shower part altogether—a framed-out tub is just more surfaces to play with, after all. Below, Heller’s expert advice for pulling off the look like a pro.
Design Dos
…for a built-in bathtub that isn’t an afterthought.
1. Know Your Vocab
Drop-in tubs have a lip that sits on top of the deck (aka the surrounding stone or other material), whereas undermount tubs are entirely affixed and installed under the deck. The tub in this green bathroom, specifically, is a drop-in.
2. Cover It Up
Make it feel special instead of just opting for a white apron front. Clad it in wood, cover it in marble, or tile it and play with color—this will pay dividends for the bathroom’s vibe.
3. Embrace the Tension
There is something so nice about the friction between materials—like a marble deck and backsplash and a tiled front, or a fully marble or stone tub surround with a tile backsplash—as opposed to a single standalone tub.
Source List
Heller’s current favorite materials for built-in bathtub greatness.
This is the tile on the floor and tub front of my personal project.
We’re currently working on an incredibly fun bathroom remodel and cladding the entire tub in insane Calacatta Viola marble.
We really love the repetition of a classic 4×4 tile on a tub front and the wall behind it. Very Bauhaus and crispy.
If your tiler can pull off the perfect penny round installation, do not delay. These tiles are magical and can (and should!) curve with the tub lines.