My grandma eats sweets including homemade pies with 1-2 c sugar per pie, loves sweets in general, eats too many fried foods for my taste, doesn’t eat paint chips, bathes in a porcelain tub, and was JUST moved to a nursing facility this year since she’s losing her mobility (mind is still intact) and in another month she will be celebrating her 100th birthday. You don’t have to live in a bubble to live a long life. Much of your life expectancy is predetermined in large part by genetics. Use common sense and don’t lick the bathtub.

aam31, the Amalfi which is what I sat in at Ferguson is around that width, and my husband and I felt comfortable. For reference, I am a 6'1" female and my husband is 6'0" and we are both broad shouldered. The Mozzano is 29 inches wide and I felt it was a little snug and I also didn't feel like I could stretch out as much. Not Bob the Builder, I can see why you would say that. I am a very tall female with long legs. My husband and I are runners and it's important for us to have a nice tub that I can stretch out and soak in after long runs. My old house had an acylic garden tub and although it was nice and deep, I couldn't even straighten my legs and it didn't hold in heat. I am choosing a V and A tub because it has a 25 year warranty and it being made of stone, it will hold warmth in longer so I can soak comfortably longer. I feel like it's worth the investment :)

Freestanding tubs are inferior in every way. Except looks. They're totally drool-worthy, especially if you enjoy a vintage look. But when it comes to practicality, you're totally right: Expensive to buy (and not just the tub -- the faucet and the extra tile for under the tub), harder to clean, small and lacking in bells and whistles, no edge for your soap dish, and you can't have a shower above. And something that isn't evident at first glance: It's hard to step OUT of a freestanding tub: You're something like 6" above the floor, so when you step out of a freestanding tub, it's like you're stepping over the edge AND down a step at the same time -- not child or elderly-friendly. For what it's worth, we're doing a drop in tub-in-deck.

Jan has it correct. Do not put anything in your home unless it has some practical use or it looks beautiful. What happens is that people take a beautiful, practical item and try to place it everywhere. Doesn't work. The beauty of a free-standing tub is that it is free-standing. They look gorgeous sitting in the center of a huge bathroom. They are neither practical or nice-looking shoved up against a wall. it is not just the fact that it is very difficult to clean it.....it is the fact that one looks at it and thinks.....gee, I wonder how often that is cleaned? And it is just disconcerting when you try to fit a square peg in a round hole. Something is offsetting about it. Here is another consideration: no place to put soap, towels, etc. You have to add a stand, which is another piece or clutter and something to clean. In a few years, I can guarantee you, people will be ripping out these "oh so awful free-standing tubs from the 2010's. Having said that, you are the homeowner. if you want to put a free-standing tub anywhere and you like it, that is your choice. Just showing you the drawbacks. So, I would ask myself these questions: Why do I want a free-standing tub? What are the benefits and the drawbacks of adding one? Only you can say if the benefits for you outweigh the downsides. Much success to you!