We had this same struggle about what tub to get. We ultimately went with what was safest - the cast iron. I mean safest because I had so much anxiety about acrylic or americast, mainly because they are newer technology. Taking a tub out is an expensive and a royal pain, so we wanted something we would never have to replace. I can't believe someone's americast was damaged before they even got to use it. That would have had me asking for a whole new tub instead of a repair. Repairs invariably need to be repaired again. Oh, and whatever you do, don't scrub a cast iron tub with anything abrasive. Many well meaning cleaners do that and ruin their finish. Then cast iron is a beast to keep clean and will have to be refinished over and over again. At least in our experience, Kohler seems to have the corner on the cheaper range of cast iron tubs. We loved the look of some other ones in our catalogs, but they were quadruple the price of the basic Villager. We just couldn't justify the price discrepancy. I would say for showering purposes, the basic Villager would be fine. It is very easy to climb over. I would only look at more expensive cast iron tubs if you were planning on bathing in them. We didn't even get the wider side on the Villager and are happy we didn't. There's still plenty of room for a few bottles of shampoo. I think you are spot on to put the tub in a Jack and Jill bathroom. We have young kids and wouldn't buy a house that had a shower instead of a tub.

I'm worrying about the same thing- we are on a time crunch to get our bathroom done. The tub looks fine with the floor tile samples we brought home, but I'm worried the shower tile is too white (also have samples) The shower tile is definitely a brighter white, but I like the color. So maybe it will all come together? When I see pictures of bathrooms, it doesn't bother me to see different whites. I actually think it looks fine and I even kind of like it- some contrast. But i'm afraid I will obsess over it once it's all installed. if i wasn't in a rush, maybe i'd bring home some other samples and see if something looked better... i don't know. I think it seems impossible to match perfectly.

Well, I don't love mine- but it could be as old as 30 years+. We've been in this house 13 years, and it was already there and well-used when we moved in. When we gut the BR I guess maybe we'll find out if there was anything else there before. And it's more because it is tiny- inside dimensions of 28X30. Certainly don't find it stains- I used a steamer and Oxy-clean to get PO's dirt off, and try to squeegee it after each use- DH couldn't be bothered- not worth nagging him as we're replacing it soon anyways. My Mom built a fairly high end luxury home and put two in her two guest baths- She loves them and definitely the ease of cleaning is an important bonus for her as she approaches her 80's. (In fact, she may have one in her Master shower- I've just never been in there!)

Usually people do like the deeper tubs for bathing. The size of Bellwether you are looking at is what I have. I didn't have the space for the 2" extra space, and I liked the clean lines of the Bellwether. I also only used that bathroom for an occasional bath. I used that bathroom mostly for bathing children so this height is better too even though my kids are grown there is a chance that this family farm house will see future generations, bathing kids :) I don't have a shower in this room. So, for bending over to bath kids and or pets, I like the shorter height. I love the clean lines too. Regarding interior size, it is a bit longer than the other tubs I looked at which I liked. It is narrow, but I fit in it just fine. I'm 5'7", I weight about (don't tell anyone) 195lbs. Granted the wider bath would be nice but it works for me with the occasional bath that I take. If you like the looks of the toto, get that. I don't think the extra height will be an issue at all unless you have mobility issues. Do put up a grab bar at the side (and at the back). This will take planning because there will need to be blocking installed between the studs, when the walls are open, the length of bar you will be installing. My side bar is 18" and the bar I put at the end is 24" and is used as the towel bar. I didn't want an actual towel bar in that location in case I should fall, I know I would grab it, and didn't want to pull it out of the wall. I think every thing in or near the tub should be rock soild. I don't seem to be able to link my photobucket picture to this sight. Photobucket looks different too:(