Choosing a 1700mm Freestanding Bath: Size, Shape and Space

A 1700mm freestanding bath in matte white is the classic centrepiece — long enough for a full-length soak and striking enough to anchor the whole room. Standing clear of the walls, it becomes the piece your eye goes to first. Getting the most from it comes down to floor clearance, overflow placement and the space you leave around it.

Floor clearance around the tub

A freestanding bath needs room to read as freestanding. Aim to leave a comfortable gap on all accessible sides so you can walk around it and clean behind it easily. If the room is tight, position the bath so its best profile faces the door — that first sightline does a lot of the styling work. A matte-white finish keeps the shape soft and sculptural rather than glossy and clinical.

Overflow and waste placement

Where the overflow and waste sit affects both how the bath performs and how it looks. A centred waste suits a symmetrical tub, while an offset waste can free up legroom at one end. Decide whether you’re using a floor-mounted filler or a wall spout early, because both need their plumbing roughed in before the bath is set. Confirm the trap is accessible for future maintenance.

Weight, support and setting out

Filled with water and a bather, a freestanding bath is heavy, so check the floor can carry the load — especially on a suspended timber floor. Set out the exact position before tiling, since the tub can’t easily shift afterwards. Leave the protective covering on until the room is finished to keep the matte surface free of marks during the build.

Seeing baths side by side

Length, depth and rim shape all change how a bath feels to use. Browse the range of baths at Just Bathrooms, a showroom in the Illawarra region, to compare 1700mm tubs against other sizes in person.