I have put 2 claw foot tubs in my house. The first was from Vintage Tubs. It is cast iron and nice. I don't remember which tub exactly, and it has been a few years. My only complaint is the edges of the tub are not as nice as I would have liked. It is subtle, and I may be the only one that notices it. My most recent tub cost a little more, it is also cast iron. It is the Barclay tub and it is a little nicer than the first tub. All of the edges and paint is very nice. The first tub has a deck mount faucet set and the second has the fully freestanding mount. Be sure to decide which you want before you order, so you will or will not have the drilled holes.

My Ultra Bain air tub looks similar. Has raised area at the, er, rear. Has arm rests and handles and a head rest. It's acrylic and heated. I chose mine to fit *me*, since DH prefers a shower. I was able to 'try one on' in a plumbing company's showroom. I wanted to be able to brace my feet so I wouldn't just slip right down underwater. I also wanted something that would fill in a short time. (We have a whirlpool tub that I never use because it takes ages to fill.) My tub is 14 years old. Zero problems. Easy to clean. Air tubs 'blow out' remaining water a few minutes after you exit them so there is no mold forming in the tubing. I have a regular fill faucet and a spray rinse on a diverter.

"Isn't it funny how so many who have the tubs never use them yet when people look for a home they love seeing a jet tub in the master bath? Is it just the "thought" of that magificent soak we all wish for but never take that puts in our minds that we must have the tub?" Ditto with all the chef kitchens with professional ranges. In my area, hardly anybody cooks in their chef kitchen because everybody is too busy. OP renovates for resale, i.e. bang for the buck, which isn't necessarily primarily for functionality.

Initially, my designer recommended placing the free-standing tub filler off-center, in the corner, at the end of the tub (where my feet go) and it was plumbed that way. Then the designer changed her mind, and decided that the faucets should be centered at the end -- so I paid for plumber and tile setter to make the change. I considered having the faucets placed behind the tub, between the back wall and the tub, which would make it easier to add water when I'm in the tub, but then I would need to reach over the tub to fill it before entering. And designer said it's best to "show off" the exposed pipes on the filler. I just realized that there are black "spots" on my tub -- paw prints from the 10-year old cat I adopted this summer -- luckily, her prints wash off easily.