Should You Keep a Bathtub in a Small Bathroom? An Australian Renovation Guide

If you are renovating a small bathroom in Australia, the short answer is this: keep a bathtub if your bathroom is the main family bathroom, if you have young children, or if you want broader buyer appeal later. Go shower-only if daily usability, easier cleaning and better circulation matter more than occasional bathing.

This question is getting more attention because many Australian households are renovating instead of moving, and smaller bathrooms need to work harder. In practice, the best choice is rarely about trends alone. It comes down to who uses the room, how often a bath will be used, and whether the layout feels cramped every single day.

When keeping a bathtub usually makes sense

A bathtub still earns its place when the bathroom serves a family or a home that may be sold to family buyers in future. In these cases, removing the bath can make the room feel more practical now, but less flexible later.

• Main family bathroom: A bath is often more useful when this is the only full bathroom in the home.
• Homes with young children: Bathing small children is usually easier in a dedicated tub than in a shower-only room.
• Relaxation matters: If you genuinely use a bath, it should be treated as a functional feature, not dead space.
• You can fit it without crushing the layout: A bath only works when the vanity, toilet and shower still feel comfortable to use.

When a shower-only layout is the better choice

In many small bathrooms, a shower-only layout creates the biggest improvement in day-to-day comfort. It can free up walking space, make cleaning simpler, and allow better fixture sizing elsewhere.

• Tight footprints: If keeping a bath forces an undersized vanity, awkward toilet clearance or a cramped shower, the bath is usually the first thing to question.
• Adult-only households: If nobody takes baths and there are no young children, a generous shower often adds more real value than a rarely used tub.
• Ageing-in-place priorities: Step-in shower-over-bath layouts can become inconvenient over time.
• Low-maintenance renovations: Simpler glass, fewer corners and a more open layout often make small bathrooms easier to keep clean.

A simple decision rule for small Australian bathrooms

How to make the layout work either way

If you keep the bath

Choose a bath that suits the room instead of forcing the room to suit the bath. In compact bathrooms, built-in baths or shower-bath combinations are usually easier to integrate than bulky freestanding tubs. Pair them with a vanity that is sized for actual circulation, not just storage wish lists.

If you remove the bath

Use the gained space deliberately. A larger walk-in shower, a better-sized vanity, a mirrored storage cabinet and clearer floor area will usually make the room feel more expensive and more comfortable. This is especially effective in homes where small-space function matters more than having every possible fixture.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Keeping a bath out of habit: If it ruins the rest of the layout, it may not be the right choice.
• Removing the bath without thinking about the household: A beautiful shower-only bathroom can still be the wrong fit for a family home.
• Oversizing the vanity: A slightly smaller vanity can improve circulation dramatically in a tight room.
• Following trends too literally: Open showers, floating vanities and statement finishes only work when the room still functions well every day.

The bottom line

For a small Australian bathroom, the best decision is the one that matches the household, not just the mood board. Keep a bathtub when it serves family use, flexibility and future appeal. Remove it when it blocks a better shower, better storage and a layout you will enjoy every day.

If you are planning a bathroom update, start with how the room needs to work first, then choose the bath, vanity, mirror and shower configuration that supports that goal.