Hi, we recently installed the Tea for Two whirlpool bath in our kids' bathroom, and we use it as a shower as well. We love it. It's the 5.5' model, alcove installation, left hand drain. I was originally concerned that it would be too hard for them to get into -- they are not little kids -- (three girls, ages 17, 13 and 12 when it was installed last year) but so far they have no complaints about having to climb into the tub to shower. I love it too for the occassional bath, as our master bath has only a shower. Here is a picture of it. It has subway tile on the walls and the apron of the tub, and a minimal deck. Our contracter initially put in a more gigantic deck, and I made him tear it out because it overwhelmed our somewhat small bathroom. It has a marble shelf at one end and niches at both ends to hold the girls' many bottles of products. I'm so glad we built in that much storage. Instead of a shower curtain, we went with a partial frameless glass door, because I thought it would give you more of a feeling of openness when you took a bath. We bought it through Expo, back in Nov. 2006 (it was not installed til last spring though because construction took so long). The price at the time was more reasonable, although I notice they keep going up in price. I don't find the whirlpool too noisy at all. It's probably quieter than other whirlpool tubs, and also more gentle, which suprised us at first. I love how deep and roomy it is. Hope this helps. Here is a link that might be useful: The rest of Hmsweethm's kidsbath

I had an acrylic pedestal tub in my last home, it was beautiful but it did not retain heat as long as I would like. Also it had to be reinstalled and I think they put some type of foam/cement in the base and then it did not budge at all. I also need to make a decision on a tub in the next two weeks and I will likely go with a pedestal acrastone tub ( American Bath Factory Nob Hill) . My first choice would be a victoria albert elwick if I had the space, I need 60" and I can not find a pedestal style I like in a 60" length with this company. Please post what you decide to go with.

Either you have naturally acidic water or your water softener needs adjustment. Pure water has a pH of 7. If the pH level goes below 6.5, water is considered acidic, or “soft”. What a water softener does is increase the acidity of the water. If it is too acidic, however, it begins to corrode the copper in your water lines. As you surmised, it is the copper oxide that is causing the blue stain. If you have a water softener installed, ask your softener technician to adjust the PH so it is at or just under 6. That should stop or at least reduce the problem. If your water is naturally acidic then the solution is more complicated generally involving the installation of a chemical feed pump to inject a solution of soda ash into the water to raise its PH. To clean the stain, never using a scouring powder. Bon Ami was recommended by Kohler years ago because it was the only cleanser then commonly available in supermarkets to use feldspar and limestone (collectively called "rottenstone"), considered "soft" scouring particles rather than pumice, a very hard particle. Still, it is a scouring powder and will micro-scratch the tub's surfaces. Micro-scratches harbor dirt and micro-organisms, making the tub harder to clean next time, and the more your scour it, the harder it is to get clean next time - a vicious circle. Barkeeper's Friend (BKF) cleanser is a chemical scourer rather than a mechanical scourer and is safe for most enameled cast iron. BUT, always test in a small, less noticeable spot on the tube before using. Also be sure you buy the cleanser. BKF makes a specialized cleanser and polish especially for metal cookware that does contain soft scouring particles and should not be used on enameled fixtures.

Your bathroom looks great. Does the photo distort how large the space is, or is it that lengthy? It is helpful to compare space that is similar in size to mine, and I know some photos are not totally representative of the real size. my bathroom is pretty small --maybe 5 x 8.