Today we take a brief look at the development of many people’s favourite indulgence – the bath. With the increasing variety of different types of showers and wet rooms, some homes and hotel rooms no longer have baths. This is a great shame in our opinion, and a trend that we fully expect to see reversed. If, like us, you watch home searching programmes such as Escape to the Country, there is usually adverse reaction to a home if there is not at least one bath in there. Similarly a quick glance at hotel review sites – such as Trip Advisor – indicates that demand is still very much there for the traditional bath.
The Benefits of Bathing
So what are the benefits of having a bath? Basic cleanliness could just as easily be accomplished in a shower, so why spend longer in a bath? Both bathing fans and recent research supply all kinds of compelling reasons to have a bath, including:
- a morning bath can put you in a good frame of mind for the rest of the day
- an evening bath helps you to unwind and soak away the stresses of the day
- a bath soothes painful muscles
- a bath can boost your immune system
- soaking in the bath can help skin conditions like eczema
- bathing can alleviate serious medical disorders such as diabetics and cardiovascular issues
- a long warm bath can help you sleep better
The History of Bathing
Baths have been around in different varieties for many years. The earliest findings of baths date from around 2000BC in Ancient Greece. Greeks later developed public baths, a trend that was then followed by the Romans. The well-known Roman Baths in Bath are believed to date back to 836 BC. 
The concept of public bathing was resurrected in Europe towards the end of the 19th century and the first modern public baths in Britain were opened in Liverpool in 1829. By the end of the century, private baths with running hot water were increasingly common in more affluent homes, and by the beginning of the 20th century, most of the population were following the custom of a weekly Saturday night bath, with hand drawn bath water being shared by all family members. During the 20th century, indoor plumbing and bathrooms gradually became more commonplace and the concept of a daily bath or shower began to take hold.
Contemporary Bathing
For those that love having a bath, there are many varieties on the market today. They come in all shapes and sizes, different kinds of material, and with a wide range of additional accessories. We feature three of our favourites here:
Kaldewei Conoduo steel bath with 16 jet whirlpool system with LED chromatherapy lighting – this bath also features integrated filling system.
A large Castello Oceanus bath on a raised plinth. This bath featured as part of a stunning master 
en-suite tiled in our Athena Marble with underfloor heating.
Arcade range freestanding natural stone bath. You can read more about the wonderful Arcade range here. Do check out this stunning range of high-end products that would be a distinctive addition to any contemporary bathroom.
Whatever your bathing requirements, Stone and Chrome can find the perfect bath for you! Why not browse through our gallery then come and visit our showroom to see for yourself some of our extensive product range. We look forward to delighting you!