We have a raised panel across the front. This was a bathroom remodel. We had the same Caribbean 6' soaking tub from the mid 80's only in a sort of purplish taupe color that had to go! Pre remodel it was dropped above mount into a cultured marble surround. We reused the front panel but had to add an extra trim piece to make up for a height difference in the new granite. Actually decided to go with the undermount as much to make it easier to install than anything. I love the big deck as it gives plenty of room for "things" and doesn't seem cramped. Here are some pictures that show the back of the tub with the undermount. . It has a sort of curve or lumbar support to it and is very comfortable. The template that Kohler provides for the undermount does a flush cut until the very back and then recesses it back to that you aren't hitting your head against the granite. It is a very long tub though, so I think that if you were very short, you'd definitely need a bath pillow since your toes wouldn't reach the end!

The photos are great. Thanks much. I've been surfing and have found quite a few sites with grab bars that also look good. Here are a few sites: http://www.greatgrabz.com/grab-bars http://www.pontegiuliousa.com/bagnosicuro/grab-bar-collections.html https://www.plumbingsupply.com/luxury-grab-bars.html And here is the cornershelf/grab bar I am contemplating. Moen makes a much cheaper version, but it has a plastic insert, and I want something that will be more permanent. http://www.wrightstuff.biz/cornershelf.html Here is one take on which type to install: "Never anchor a grab bar into drywall , it will not hold and you could be seriously injured. How to properly install a grab bar is to screw it into the wall studs or to blocking in your walls. If your walls don't have blocking, add it by nailing a piece of plywood into the studs. The plywood should be þ inches thick and 6 to 12 inches wide. A grab bar should have 1-ý" of clearance from the wall. Wall mounted grab bars come in several lengths. Deciding which length to install depends on how the grab bar will be used. For example, if you're putting a main grab bar on the side wall of a bathroom tub enclosure a grab bar at least 24 inches long is best. If you're adding a second grab bar for support on the shower head wall, it should be at least 12 inches long. Horizontal grab bars offer better leverage when you are trying to get out of a bathtub or up and down from a toilet, but a grab bar placed at a 45 degree angle to the toilet or bathtub's rim is better when trying to accommodate people of different heights. Angling your grab bar has an additional advantage. A 24 inch bar installed at a 45 degree angle will exactly span wall studs spaced 16 inches apart, and you can screw into the studs on each end for maximum support. Horizontal grab bars should be located 33 to 36 inches above the finished floor around toilets, and 33 to 36 inches above the floor of the bathtub (7 to 11 inches above the rim) and close enough to the shower head wall to support you when adjusting water temperature."

I'd try to learn to live with it instead of buying a new one. Are you completely convinced it's a safety issue, or is that influenced by the fact that you're unhappy it's not in the right place? I've had remodels where a few things weren't done right and it seemed a big deal at the time...later I didn't notice it.

teacats, one thing my husband and I fret over is the shower head. He loves a fixed head and I insist on a shower head with a wand (for washing my hair and the shower). You mean this will give us both what we want? Also, thanks to everyone. I will be sure to have grab bars that attach to stud and will put down rubbery drawer or shelf liner (great tip). Also, hadn't thought about handles for the door. Thanks so much. Well, I would probably have to blow dry my hair should I go crashing out the shower door, but I don't wear make-up so that's a plus! I would have my husband drive me to ER, save some mega bucks. I am thinking I should take my showers in the morning, he doesn't like driving at night. Then again, if speed is a factor, I may call the ambulance. He loves to drive and thinks he has earned the right to take time and enjoy the scenery--even the school buses pass us.