I am now very committed to installing a drop in tub in a three wall application. I too, like most others decided on this so I could tile the front. When I started thinking about the waterproofing in a little more detail it became apparent it was going to be a problem. Here is my though for waterproofing. the three closed sides. 1. Use the manufacturers tiling-in bead 2. Install cement board to top of tiling-in bead 3. Waterproof cement board with Kerdi. 4. Run Kerdi long to get 1/4" overlap onto tub and secure with Kerdi Fix while filling void between tiling-in bead and Kerdi with Kerdi Fix. 5. Install tiles leaving 1/4" gap to tub and fill gap with 100% Silicone Tub at 3 walls My though for the open wall is this. 1. Frame pony wall with 1/4" per foot slope at top to ensure excess water sheds to floor 2. Install small back stop on inside of framing to ensure no water can get to the inside of the framing 3. Place backer board and install Kerdi from Back Stop, over the horizontal piece and into the vertical. 4. Fill small gap between tub and tile with color matched Silicone Tub at Pony Wall: And yes, none of my doodles are to scale. Does this seam like a reasonable waterproofing solution?

I actually feel kind of stupid or perhaps I should be kinder to myself and say I am very surprised! When working on the spare bathroom choices I gave some thought to using all of the available space, knowing I could fairly easily fit in a 66 inch tub if I were willing to do some framing work. I went back to Mirabelle as I wanted to keep costs as minimal as possible (noot cheap just not wanting a Kohler Underscore price unless I were willing to drop the Kallista in Master. I wasn't :) I looked at the 66 inch Mirabelle Edenton and did not at first catch the width. Only 36 and that won't fit in the spare. Without making a short story long I looked at the alcove versions but the Edenton required access from the side, something that for my home would be very messy. The Bradenton series offered a removable skirt but I had seen one before and wasn't sure I liked the look. But the Bradenton had decent leg room. So my duh huh moment. I looked at the 32 inch wide Edenton drop in tun and lo and behold it was 44 1/2 inches. I revisited the 36 inch wide Edenton drop in and sure enough its legroom was 37 or so inches. This was main reason I had dropped this from my short list. Had no idea the 36 inch wide version would be that much shorter. Now I see why Kevin had no trouble fitting in his tub! It has nearly as much legroom as the Kallista ( 1 1/2 inches less). The 32 inch will fit with a small deck in the alcove spot for my spare and I probably will do the air option. The spare has rapidly become an upscale room anyway and having a nice relaxing air tub there won't be worst thing. My son will love it when he visits and he won't invade the Master. Moral of story.. if any given dimension is important to you be sure to check every tub and size as internal measurements can be grossly different that external measurements. I thought I had already learned that but alas i quickly forgot it if I did. This may be a win win for us though as the wiring for spare will be simpler.

Deb, That looks like a perfect fit! Am just seeing this pic today, think I read your reply via email, and the pics don't show that way. Are you sure the tub is only 60" long? My catalogue says the Azur55 is 66" long. I think I have changed my mind for the last time, and have settled on the Thalassa55. It is a little bit narrower, ie 33" vs 36" than the Oval Plus model I was considering, and actually gives me another inch of bathing depth, though tubs are the same height. (It's also $1000 cheaper, and I got my plumbing supply place to bring their original quote by another $800, so I'm much more comfortable with the purchase.) I definitely will get the Geysair. Though listed at $399, was able to get it down to $303. I would love to know how much wiggle room there actually is. I really don't like having to ask for lower prices. I just want others to know that even here in Canada, we can negotiate the Bain list price down.

The other thing I noticed about the hood is that the filter baffles are high up in it. You should take out your hood filter periodically and clean it to prevent dangerous build up of combustible grease. Doing that task for ones at the sides of the range area where the front obstructs access by dropping low looks like it could require awkward, difficult and possibly painful contortions. Using a grill, wok and deep fryer mean that task needs to be done more often because those tasks generate more grease. The kitchen is spectacular and I could live with some of the downsides (for example, I don't mind doing some walking during cooking because my legs prefer it to long periods of standing still so I could live with having the short hike to the fridge. (I might want a basket or something to make carrying a variety of produce to the sink easier.) One can use portions of the range top that one isn't cooking on at the moment to hold items to make up for the lack of nearby heat tolerant counter. If one is using too much of the range top for that, one could put trivets or other cover on the wood to allow hot items to be there. The thing they describe as a pantry looks set up more as a mud room. The only point to the doors on the back of the fridge seems to be to allow loading in groceries unless there is some counter area that they didn't show.