As luxury continues to shape bathroom design, the tub is moving to a more prominent location.

Instead of being relegated to one corner of the room or stashed under a window along a side wall, the tub is taking center stage. Designers are moving the tub into the middle of the room and creating an environment around it.

Some are using wooden furniture elements to blend the tub with other materials and textures in the room. Others are showcasing high-tech tubs or old fashioned claw foot tubs.

At the very least, they are pushing the tub away from the wall.

“If you take the conventional bathtub and move it away from the wall you change it from a utilitarian room into a new environment,” said Roy Jacuzzi, chairman and CEO of Jacuzzi, Inc. in Walnut Creek, CA.

Make it a Focal Point

The tub becomes a strong focal point to use in creating a soothing retreat for today’s consumers. Add in soft music, pulsating jets, and perhaps a video screen on the tub, and the room becomes another entertainment area of the home, Jacuzzi said.

The company recently introduced its Vizion whirlpool tub with a 10-inch flat television screen, a DVD and compact disc player, underwater lighting and a remote control. The narrow, oval tub is designed to be seen from all sides, making it a natural style for the center of the room.